TRAVEL
RISTORANTE BERTON WHERE BROTH BECOMES ART
Michelin Milan cont...
THERE’ S SOMETHING GENUINELY THRILLING ABOUT DINING SOMEWHERE THAT FEELS UTTERLY CONTEMPORARY YET HAS FOUNDATIONS LAID BY SERIOUS TECHNIQUE. RISTORANTE BERTON, NESTLED IN MILAN’ S FUTURISTIC PORTA NUOVA DISTRICT AMONGST GLEAMING SKYSCRAPERS( AND A CONVENIENT FIVE MINUTE STROLL FROM HOTEL PRINCIPE DI SAVOIA), IS PRECISELY THAT SORT OF PLACE.
Chef Andrea Berton, whose CV includes stints at Alain Ducasse’ s Louis XV in Monaco and his first and then second Michelin star at Ristorante Trussardi alla Scala, opened his eponymous restaurant in 2013, earning his Michelin star within a year and proudly retaining it ever since.
The dining room is a study in elegant minimalism. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls flood the restaurant with natural light by day while creating a quirky atmospheric space by night, but regardless of arrival time, diners are each offered unique seats, including a very clever hidden table for four set right in the kitchen( an open passcome-private dining room like no other) from which to experience the culinary choreography unfolding in the kitchen.
What sets Berton apart is his almost obsessive focus on broths, extracting maximum flavour through meticulous technique while maintaining a pared-back aesthetic. It’ s this culinary flair and focus that is showcased throughout his menus which include special lunch offerings, an incredible tasting menu and even a chocolate dessert broth that we’ d already heard rumours of.
We began with cleverly shaped crackers, set with careful precision in the shape of buildings reminiscent of the restaurant’ s business district setting, each offering different flavour profiles- olive, pesto, cheese … a clever touch that set the tone for everything to follow. Hosted for lunch, our experience was curated for us to showcase various menu elements, kitchen skill and signature dishes.
The squid broth with grilled aubergine and blackberries was extraordinary. A dish of unexpected elegance, alive with marine salinity and intense flavours that recalibrated my understanding of what broth could be- and cemented not only why Berton was fixated but also why he’ s so acclaimed. The squid was tender and sweet, the aubergine charred to bring out natural earthiness, while the blackberries added gentle acidity and a touch of fruit that somehow made perfect sense. The broth itself was clean and intense, somehow tasting more of octopus than the mollusca itself, such is Berton’ s flavour wizardry.
Then came Berton’ s signature pizzaiolastyle risotto with mozzarella water; a reimagining of the classic Neapolition sauce translated into rice. Think,‘ it looks like a pizza, it tastes like a pizza but it’ s actually a risotto’- mind blown. And, not just any risotto, oh no, this was a perfect al dente bite, the rice bound in flavours of rich tomato and oregano with hints of dairy sweetness from the mozzarella water, yet nothing was too heavy, or too rich, or too much. Channeling my inner Goldilocks, the flavours of Napoli were just right and promptly devoured, with our entire table just about restraining from licking the plate clean.
The chargrilled pork pluma with peppers and ginger( the peanut mercifully omitted to accommodate my allergy without missing a beat) showcased meat of exceptional quality with Ibérico pork cooked to retain its tenderness while developing a proper char. Peppers brought sweetness, while ginger added warmth and gentle spice, the combination revealing Berton’ s talent for making familiar ingredients taste newly interesting.
Yet dessert was where theatre truly arrived. The yogurt and mango egg was insane- a perfect trompe-l’ oeil that looked like an egg, cracking the sphere to reveal yogurt‘ white’ and mango‘ yolk’ that tasted as incredible as it looked. Then came the petit fours, wheeled tableside in what can only be described as a grown-up pick’ n’ mix of extraordinary complexity- truffles, runny caramel chocolates, intense pâte de fruits- each tiny sweet a study in technique and flavour. Before the final showstopper, a sneak into the kitchen to observe the team work from that aforementioned private dining booth, we were presented with one last petit four- a cocktail chocolate which upon biting surrounded my taste buds with limoncello boozy decadence.
Berton and his namesake offering is the sort of place that reminds you that flavours and Michelin stars matter, and that broth is in no way boring!
ristoranteberton. com / en ristoranteberton
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