Ciciarà Milano, the trattoria in Piazza Santo Stefano we've been waiting for

Ciciarà Milan

And perhaps this is the first impression you get of Ciciarà Milano when you sit down. It's a comfortable place, warm, informal, relaxed, and bright. Upstairs is perhaps more suited to large tables, livelier and noisier, while downstairs is a bit quieter. But that's not all Ciciarà is about, which, not surprisingly, means "chatting." The real novelty is evident in the menu, curated by chef Michele Mette. So let's explore it.

Starters. One expects mixed cured meats and cheeses, caprese, beef tartare, meatballs etc. And instead: Borgo Affinatori cheese (10 euros), sheep's mocetta and giardiniera (10 euros), rutabaga, pears, cabbage and buckwheat mayonnaise (12), persimmon apple, bottarga and cream of cauliflower (14), raw ham from wandering cows, green walnuts (12), Tuscan black crouton (12), our cooked ham, mustard mayonnaise and fried pasta (12), lake terrine, sour vegetables and yellow kiwi (14). In short, the first thing you notice is the originality of the dishes, the care in choosing the raw materials and suppliers and the respect for seasonality.

Then, of course, you have to eat them. And the experience doesn't disappoint at all, quite the opposite. The mocetta, a cured meat from the Aosta Valley that's a bit like bresaola, is excellent.

We continued with the tagliatelle with ragù and ossobuco, which were spectacular. Homemade pasta, soft and just the right amount of coarseness, and a tasty and unusual ragù. Other first courses included tagliolini with black truffle (30 euros), spaghetti with Catalogna and Sardinian pecorino cheese (15), risotto with whey and walnut paste (15), and seupa a la vapelentse (14).

Sustainability, an unbearable word, is well-represented in the menu: underused cuts of meat, with animals sourced from small, carefully managed farms; freshwater fish; and seasonal vegetables.

Here is the list of second courses we found during our visit, as always incognito: char in milk, herbs and salted lemon with a choice of side dish (22 euros), roast donkey with a choice of side dish (20), sliced ​​bull with a choice of side dish (22), roasted cabbage and Jerusalem artichoke (17), fried artichokes and turnip curd (17), potato boulangère, preserved leek and Bordeaux sauce. The side dishes, all 5 euros, are sautéed escarole, polenta and cabbage salad.

As you can see, the other good news is the prices. They're not rock-bottom, because quality always comes at a price. But they're balanced and fair. A small bottle of water costs €2, a large one €3, a coffee €2, and a cover charge €2.

Oh, we almost forgot about the wines. A wonderful selection, many naturals, with reasonable markups. The minimum price per bottle, both white and red, is €25. Among the labels are Franco Rocca, Casina Bric, Arpepe, Pranzegg, Podere Roseto, Emilio Vada, and Marco Sara. And finally, many artisanal bitters and infusions, rarely found in restaurants, and cocktails. They're all beautifully displayed in the downstairs room, where there's also a large neon sign with "prisecolen" etc. (Celentano, for the younger crowd). Upstairs, at the entrance, there's also a counter. The service is young and professional.

Ciciarà Milano, Piazza Santo Stefano 8. Tel 02 8417 8681 Open for lunch and dinner (closes at 10.30pm), closed on Monday and Sunday evenings.