TOThe Antica Osteria Magenes, born in the 1950s on the outskirts of Milan, a few years ago the third generation also landed: the chef Dario Guidi he joined his mother and grandmother, who continued to knead and brown up to 91 years. An interesting and surprising path for a boy today 32 year-old, who studied economics and then veered where his heart took him, to food and among people.
Here he has created a restaurant model that marries traditional and spectacular, "because -explains- if a person goes to a good restaurant, that the dishes are of quality he takes it for granted. What he does not expect is the surprise", the discovery of a chromatic combination or a blend of ingredients (albeit from the territory) that amazes and takes your breath away.
His is a dynamic cuisine, already experimented at the starred stoves of the Pont de Ferr in Milan with the Uruguayan chef Matias Perdomo. Just think of Fractal with hydromiele, corn crumble, black garlic, chilli caviar, raspberry juice and lichis (in the photo), a plate of great impact scenographic, which uses the reverse spherification technique to make garlic, oil and chilli pearls and the final touch that transforms fruit juice into a hypnotic fractal, murrina effect.
With excellent value for money (tasting dinner 50 euros), double menu (classic Lombard is "futurist"), the restaurant attracts a transversal clientele. The appearance and warmth are those of the authentic family trattoria, but the menu is varied: from traditional cutlet to pure innovation.Antica Osteria Magenes of Barate di Gaggiano (MI), helmed by Dario in the kitchen with his brother Diego to the wines and the mother Mariella to the desserts, it is a temple for curious gluttons.
Among the most popular dishes I just want to lemonade, beef tongue with foie gras and lemon or la Puffed Sugar Pear, a playful creation that exploits the displacing effect between what appears and what is. An idea of ​​magical and somewhat philosophical cuisine that does not disdain the scents of the past at all. On the contrary: Dario's favorite ingredient is the fifth quarter, which he knows well because, even before having the restaurant, the Magenes family distributed meat. Try the magic Risotto and offal with "beurre blanc" and saba.

Dario Guidi (born in '87), is in jre for 5 years and newly elected head of the new admissions commission, which examines and selects the candidacies of many other chef-patrons. What he appreciates a lot about this association is that only colleagues choose other colleagues: same profession and same passion. He is also happy to deal with the regulatory aspects and to promote the exchange of visits between members for comparisons, tastings and new meetings.

by Silvia Bombelli
photo by Michele Tabozzi
published on Sale & Pepe in February 2020