In Milan there is the 142. And it has all the numbers to enchant. From morning to night!
To understand the meaning of 142 – concept of Corso Cristoforo Colombo 6, in Milan – it is necessary to read it in English: one-fo (u) r-two, "One for two". Already in the name there is an invitation to share food and affections. But that's not enough because, as he explains Sandra Ciciriello, soul of the place it is «of 1 unique space where i can live i 4 moments of the day with the reception of 2 souls, that is the room and the kitchen . Going further, we need to recall the cabal because not only the two trams that pass in front of the windows and that stop at the nearby Porta Genova station are 14 and 2, but also the sum of the ages of the members is 136 which, adding the civic of the place, 6, leads to 142. If the numbers mark a destiny, here the Fato has firmly addressed that of Sandra, well known in the city (and not only) to be Viviana's "arm of the room" Varese, from the time of the first Alice in Via Adige to the passage in Eataly Smeraldo with the Michelin Star. Now the roads are divided, almost a year ago, and the Ciciriello has thought of 'something' unpublished under the Madonnina, except of course in the hotels of level that must serve the customers 24 hours on 24. Instead 142 is a local – apparently of classic style – open seven days a week, from 7.30 am to 11.00 pm. Where you can have breakfast, lunch, snack, aperitif and dinner.
The local
142 affects the neophyte and reassures the habituè. A cheerful, bright, contemporary setting for up to 45 covers. The counter is a mosaic showing the name of the sign, made by the staff with sparkling wine capsules, and other memorabilia coming directly from Ciciriello's personal collection. On the walls there are neon lights that indicate magazines, candies and even a corner in which to try glasses out of the ordinary (another passion of Sandra). Vintage chandeliers and modern furnishing accessories create a mix that satisfies the eye and puts you at ease, whether you sit in the main hall or in the most sheltered room. In the inner courtyard of the restaurant, a large separate pastry shop was built. It is the kingdom of Terni Alessandro Montanari, 28, pastry chef who worked a long time with Luca Montersino, then from Eataly Rome and Alice. He is one of three under 30 talents who move under the direction of the patronne. In addition to preparing the original desserts for lunch and dinner, he takes care of the pastry for breakfast, which has the best expression in French croissants: empty, stuffed or wholemeal with honey.
The moments of the day
The bakery is exposed from the morning in a corner that at 18, with a luminous effect, suddenly conceals its delicacies, the music rises in volume and to the bankis the aperitif is based on Italian cocktails (Martini, Martinez, Terroir Negroni) or exotic (Singapore Supermaket, trip of Arabia, Sicilian Mai Tai) with a very personal style. For the food side, you can decide whether to ask for small samples or be satisfied with the accompanying finger food. The other two talented members, unearthed by Ciciriello, are also companions in life: Nello Barbieri, 30, ischitano and sous chef of Alice in Eataly up to three years ago e Chiara Orrù, Sardinian and the queen of fresh pasta, four years younger. They enter the scene already at lunch where each dish is placed at the table in the center and the guests decide in joy how they share it. The ticket includes 28 euros for three dishes, tap water and coffee. At dinner, in addition to the possibility of choosing a la carte, there are two tastings: seven passes at 48 euros and nine at 70 euros. Notwithstanding that Sandra – like a true domestic animal – is just waiting for the green light to the inevitable question "Do I do it?" To leave serene. We recommend that you trust. Ditto for the winery, glossy and non-trivial, which confirms another great passion of Ciciriello, namely the good Italian and foreign wines.
Surprise effect
Often a club's goal is to want to have fun with food. It was easy. Al 142 instead are already well under way in the enterprise. The Cantabrian anchovies, particularly fleshy, become theTribute to Lucio Fontana, hung on a vertical ceramic plate like a canvas to paint; the Tour of Italy is a Piedmontese Fassona tartare with the shape of the Bel Paese, in which the three sauces change according to the seasonality and are positioned near the region they represent; the Raw-does-it-yourself it must be composed alone in a bowl complete with an illustrative sheet. The former are markedly Mediterranean: soft and satisfying i Potato culurgiones with mushroom ragout and black truffle; of great character i Tortelli stuffed with rabbit, Grana Padano sauce, tomato powder and piperna. Do not miss any contamination, see Ginghiale, a boar bao with flakes of vinegar and raspberry grains, e Tentacles, a roast octopus with black tea smoked with octopus water mayonnaise, potato cream and served with artisan tacos, strictly to be eaten with your hands. Dessert with the dessert Tiramisuovo, a variation of tiramisu in which it is necessary to crush a chocolate egg letting it fall into the dish, the "fizzy" Macedonia because it is loaded with siphon with soda and Pop Corn, which consists of bon-bon with cream of corn, gianduia, mou and caramelized popcorn placed in the classic cardboard that is served at the cinema.
The complete vision
«Ours is a simple kitchen, made of magic, respect, tradition with the extra touch. What led us to the conception of our restaurant is that people want to taste and share as many dishes as possible with the rest of the table. And the philosophy behind 142 is simple, and it is the one that makes any room work well: dining room and kitchen must be in perfect harmony, "explains Sandra. The playful (and joyful, immediately noticeable atmosphere in the staff) does not draw in interior. There is great attention to detail and the fixation of the raw material, starting obviously from the fish that the Ciciriello knows as few in Milan, in thirty years of work on the sales and purchase front. In fact, at 142 fish and shellfish are very good («They are the ones I like, stop says the patronne) but don't worry about the rest: the meat is from Cazzamali, the coffee is a 100% Arabica blend created by Marco Colafranceschi of Coffee Hat, the fruit for the juices comes from suppliers of our South, the bread is from the nearby Micropanificio Le Polveri of Aurora Zancanaro. An aspect that is noteworthy is that the place is used by many people who open their nice PC and meanwhile "spilluccano" or drink something. «I am pleased that we are also a bit at home, where you enter and you are at ease. 142 is not just a restaurant where you can eat or drink something but a 360 ° experience, in a place where you can find your identity at any time . It has been called a sense of hospitality for centuries.
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