I have previously written a glowing review of Da Vittorio, awarding it 18/20 and calling it one of the very best, possibly one of the two best restaurants in Italy. I very much wanted to go back. Hence when opportunity came up last March, when we spent three days in Venice, we made sure that our return flight to Paris was late enough to give us a chance to rent a car in the Venice airport and drive to Bergamo. We needed to be at the airport around 7 PM, and we figured that we had time to have a long and leisurely lunch from 1 to 5 PM. Normally I like to spend more time in a restaurant at this exalted level (about 5 hours is my average), but the promise of a second meal at Da Vittorio warranted the sacrifice.
The other reason I was so keen on going out of my way was to try a special of the restaurant, so called TRIONFO DI CROSTACEI E MOLLUSCHI. It has to be ordered for two and costs 280 Euro. Last time our outstanding waiter Nicola had told us that we have to try it.
Upon entering the restaurant we were greeted, as usual, very warmly by smiling and genuinely hospitable members of the Cerea clan. For a weekday lunch the restaurant was doing quite well indeed although they were not full to the brim like during dinner. We were quickly offered two glasses of blanc de blanc champagne and I began to peruse the menu. I detected a woodcock dish with salsiccia and thought that maybe we should begin with some appetizers, move on to the shellfish dish for two, continue with some risotto Milanese, and finish with woodcock.
No. No. No. This would have been too much they told us. Our waiter, Peppe, actually was horrified with the sheer thought of eating so much food, but he needed some extra props and he fetched both Signor Cerea, the elder, who is the big boss, and his charming daughter. We did communicate mostly with hand and facial gestures and what I understood was that, although it was no problem for them to bring us whatever we desired and more, it would have been wise for us to suspend ordering other dishes until we finished the seafood platter. Reluctantly I agreed, requesting that they bring some Culatello di Zibello for us, to begin. I also told them that I was curious about their version of the Milanese risotto.
Following some appetizing amuses of the world’s best croque monsieur in triangle shaped slices of homemade pain de mie and some wonderful tartlettes with anchovies, our culatello order came. I still want to hold a competition between a culatello from the village of zibello and perhaps a jamon iberico pellota from Salamanca from the farm of Joselito (grand cru) to determine world’s best pork product. But until the day comes when I can try them side by side, I would say that they are both the products of distinct cultural heritages and centuries’ old artisanal practices which culminate in the production of a masterpiece which should rank among national treasures like a Rafael or a Velasquez painting. Da Vittorio had chosen one of the very best of the culatello I have tried. It was aged for two years, and it was neither dry nor young and, both intense and melting in the mouth. It was served with four big bowls containing anchovy puree, tuna confit, marinated artichoke hearts, and marinated button mushrooms. I don’t think any of this was necessary, but I knew from my first visit that Signor Cerea has a big heart and his culinary temple is a reflection of his generous nature. One should never complain about generosity.
Then something surreal happened. The seafood platter arrived. Now, I am a fan of seafood platters and order them in Paris and Brittany, etc. I am familiar with full portion seafood platters for two. But the Da Vittorio version which was placed on our table was unlike anything I had ever seen or I am likely to see again. Here is what it looks like.
As far as I can tell the gigantic plate contained:
- 8 large Gamberi di San Remo (as good as these world’s sweetest and most precious prawns get with no iodized taste);
- 8 to 10 barely cooked Scallops with roe attached; the roe was pink (the roe does not have a distinct taste on its own but shows that scallops were very fresh and de-shelled when alive);
- 20 or so Gamberetti or mid-sized prawns from Veneto;
- 10 Belon oysters from Brittany (Excellent);
- 40 or so mussels from Brittany; they are among the best mussels that I know;
- 80 or more special small clams called Vongole Veraci from the Adriatic, and, in my opinion, they are the most subtle tasting and refined clams; I can never have enough of them in pasta in Veneto;
- 80 or more baby calamars or calamaretti;
- 8 mid to large size Scampi or Langoustines from Liguri (good but not as pristine as the gamberi); and
- 2 small Aragosta or Langouste from Sargegna of about one pound (500 grams), not cottony, very flavorful, dense and juicy.
This dish is served with three sauces: an olive oil based vinaigrette, a pesto, and a mayonnaise, but one does not really need them. The broth which is simply the juices from steaming is so tasty that we could not help but drink most of it like a soup. You can of course soak it up in the exceptional homemade brioche too. Actually the bread tray is remarkable in Da Vittorio, and this is a rare case in Italy. What makes this possible is that Da Vittorio also owns a bakery in old town Bergamo, and some of the petit fours and breads are baked daily in the bakery for the restaurant. The grissinis are outstanding; the brioche is a perfect foil with any broth; the focaccio is so good that one can have a meal of it alone; the French rolls they serve are appropriately crusty and dense; and they also serve some very addictive thin and transparent sheets with poppy seeds that they call sfollatino, and I would have called an Italian version of Indian deep fried papadam.
In my previous review of Da Vittorio I had praised our waiter Nicola who was the embodiment of grace and generosity for which this restaurant stands. This time we were seated in the opposite corner and our waiter was different, Signor Peppe. I was kind of disappointed that Nicola was not our server. I was wrong. Peppe proved to be equally adept in making you feel like a house guest. Besides his kindness, he was also very efficient without being intrusive. When he brought the gigantic seafood platter, he also placed a plate in between my wife and I to put the shells. This plate was filling fast. I counted and Peppe changed this plate seventeen (17) times without ever interrupting our conversation or making us feel he was watching us too closely.
I am still astonished that Da Vittorio can provide such a good seafood platter by bringing ingredients from different parts of Italy and France and be so picky about the quality. They must sell this course for two (or more!) quite frequently because seafood is very perishable and at this exalted level very expensive. Every single item we had was very good or exceptional quality, except the merely good Scampi. Maybe we were especially lucky to have ordered this dish on a Friday, and I would be interested in learning if they can offer this quality on a steady basis. But the fact that the restaurant is half full even at lunch and they have a loyal local clientele and many gourmet Milanese do not mind driving to Da Vittorio for superior cuisine are all encouraging signs for the future.
When we finished the last pieces of baby calamari and our plate was clean, we realized that their advice of not to order any more dishes was absolutely correct. But, despite marital objection, I wanted to bite the bullet and try the risotto. Risotto Milanese is clearly one of the masterpiece culinary statements, and I am sick and tired of ordering risotto outside of Italy and get served a mushy mess more like a rice pudding. In Northern Italy I have never eaten a bad risotto and despite the fact that I enjoy creative takes on risotto like Le Calandre’s version with licorice, I miss a classic Milanese one with saffron.
The da Vittorio version of Risotto alla Milanese con midollo gratinata was as good as I one can hope for and very rich. Prepared from carnaroli rice (Massimiliano of Le Calandre uses artisanal violano nano), each grain of rice was able to stand its own and make a statement, while they were bound together with aromatic saffron and veal jus based bouillon and saffron threads that embellished the textbook risotto, The bone marrow in the middle was stuffed with long braised tender veal cheeks, which is a specialty of this place and is the epitome of comfort food. I still do not know why it is so difficult to make a risotto which is firm and fluffy without being chewy. Outside of Italy, to the best of my knowledge, only Cerruti at Louis XV prepares a risotto of this level with reggiano and baby artichokes, and perhaps there is something genetic about making a risotto in that one should at least have an Italian heritage!
It was well past 4 PM after we finished the risotto, and then they started wheeling the two trays filled with goodies which come from their pastry shop. I don’t know of any restaurant which offers such a sumptuous accompaniment to your after the meal coffee. Maybe this was the case in the aristocratic quarters of the 19th century Bergamo Alte or in the kingdom of the two Sicily! At any rate we only ordered their exceptional sorbets (with lemon and strawberry) and then had our espresso with little chocolate bonbons filled with anis, sambuca, rhum, etc.
The wine list is also fairly priced at Da Vittorio. In our first visit we had spent about 80 Euro each for a very special Valentini Trebbiano d’Abruzzo and a 97 Dal Forno Valpolicella. This time we had a very interesting 99 Lis Neris Collio Sauvignon from Dom Picol (vineyard) for 60 Euro and a half bottle Barbera d’Asti with the risotto. The sauvignon was unfiltered and barrel fermented, and its opulent texture and overall mouthfeel reminded me of the Dagueneau style, although the underlying minerality is very different than say a Pur Sang or Silex from Dagueneau.
After another great meal there it was a privilege to end the meal with a 1899 Cognac Lheraud Grand Champagne. Da Vittorio has an excellent selection of after dinner drinks across all price ranges.
We were very happy to see that our original impressions were on target and Da Vittorio continues to be an embodiment of Italian hospitality and Lombardian culinary traditions. It is therefore recommended without any reservations to those who put a premium on abundance and high quality ingredients.
I also knew that I was having my last meal there in the Bergamo city (basse) location as the restaurant is about to move, and they will reopen as a Relais et Chateaux. In France, I have seen some multi-star Relais et Chateaux places where the hotel side of the equation is neglected. Conversely, there is the danger that different requirements of running a hotel may take a toll on the restaurant business. Let’s hope that this unique institution continues to excel in their new location.
EVALUATION: 18/20
