In this 300-room hotel, one of the oldest in Milan, there is a chef born in the 1990s to keep an eye on: Matteo Gabrielli's cuisine at Acanto al Principe di Savoia.
The hotel
If places offering great hospitality are measured by the charm they exude, the Principe di Savoia hotel in Milan is certainly at the top of the list. Originally founded as the Hotel du Nord et des Anglais in 1896, it took its current name in 1927 and quickly became a regular stop for international jet setters passing through the Lombard capital. Its imposing neoclassical façade, designed by Cesare Tenca, is unmistakable, even if partially hidden by the green space that separates it from the central and busy area of Piazza della Repubblica.
There are 300 rooms, 44 of which are suites, including the famous Presidential Suite, offering 500 square meters of exquisite luxury, including a private spa and indoor pool. The hotel, part of the Dorchester Collection group, has undergone several renovations and upgrades involving designers of the caliber of Thierry Despont and Francesca Basu, but none of the elegance of its distinctive style has been lost, with Art Nouveau and Art Deco elements, marble floors, and Murano glass chandeliers.
It is therefore worth crossing the threshold and taking a look around, perhaps enjoying an aperitif at the Salotto Lobby Lounge or sipping a cocktail at the Principe Bar. Better still, treat yourself to lunch or dinner at Acanto, a haute cuisine restaurant run by the excellent Matteo Gabrielli since October two years ago.
The Acanto restaurant and chef
Gabrielli, born in 1990, attended hotel school in Gallarate (VA) and began training during the summer seasons in restaurants near his home. Once he graduated, he began his international career, first in an Italian restaurant and then entering the luxury hotel industry, which he has never left since, starting at the Four Seasons Hotel Park Lane with Adriano Cavagnini, where he remained for two years.
From there, he moved on to Dinner by Heston Blumenthal at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, a two-Michelin-starred restaurant. He returned to Italy in 2014, first working with Antonio Guida at Il Pellicano in Porto Ercole on the Argentario peninsula, and then at the Petit Royal at the Grand Hotel Royal in Courmayeur (AO). He finally returned to Milan for a short period at Palazzo Parigi, followed by two years at the Four Seasons with Chef Vito Mollica: “Here I had the opportunity to see both restaurant and banqueting, a very important job that is often not given enough consideration.” He arrived at Acanto four years ago: “I started as a chef de partie, after a year I became Alessandro Buffolino's sous chef and finally I took over and took charge of the kitchen.”
The restaurant, with its own entrance, is elegant and very welcoming, with large windows overlooking the Italian garden: a versatile gastronomic venue, ideal for a business break, a relaxed romantic dinner or a more convivial Sunday lunch. The open kitchen, designed by Paul Valet, is beautiful, and the decision to have many of the dishes finished by the dining room staff is a smart one: “Their involvement is essential because it creates a wonderful atmosphere: we will be moving in the direction of even greater interaction,” says Gabrielli. The wine list is also noteworthy, with 850 labels and 35 important verticals, including all kinds of wines, including ‘natural’ references, and is curated by Mara Vicelli, a sommelier who also renews a substantial selection of wines by the glass every two weeks with Coravin.
The cuisine
In terms of cuisine, Gabrielli's offering is deliberately ecumenical, straightforward, and tasty: "Starting this year, we are developing a menu that changes three or four times a season. MWe focus on the ingredients so that they give their best in terms of taste and flavor at their peak. Our cuisine is simple to look at, but there is always a lot of research behind each dish. We try to be as clear as possible on the menu, so that what the customer reads is consistent with what they imagine they will get on their plate: we try to avoid complicated things and the raw ingredients must always give their best," he explains. The tasting menu, offered at $125 for six courses (160 with non-alcoholic drinks or 180 with wine pairings), is a tribute to Italy, with dishes such as Milanese-style sautéed rice pie with Parmigiano Reggiano fondue and gremolada powder, ravioli alla Norma with eggplant cream, aged ricotta, and basil, and vitello tonnato with tuna mousse and stuffed lettuce.
The menu includes dishes such as lobster with sweet and sour lemon, liquid salad, nasturtium, and crumbled taralli, a successful reinterpretation of salad with this noble crustacean. The version of polenta and missoltino (lake sardines) is also delicious, with variations on the former, in dried and fried chips, a cube of grilled polenta and cream. The smoked eel salad served with ricotta, sweet and sour marinated grapes and fried capers is also very good, creating a beautiful harmony between sweet, salty and sour.
The risotto with red prawns, burnt lemon powder, cress and crème fraîche, creamed with concentrated extract from pressed shellfish heads, is remarkable. Among the main courses, the succulent duck in a crispy crusco pepper with vegetable caponata, potato millefeuille, and apple vinegar sauce is a must-try. The meal ends on a sweet note with the exquisite crème brûlée alla pastiera served with rum babà and black cherry ice cream.
Contacts
Acanto- Hotel Principe di Savoia
Piazza della Repubblica, 17, 20124 Milano MI
Phone: 02 6230 2026
