Red zone for New Year 2021. This was the final sentence. But don't panic, the dinner to satisfy at least our stomach we can give it to ourselves. There are those who spend the day in the kitchen, those who buy a thousand cooking magazines in search of the perfect dish to start the year well, those who prefer to relax and opt for a dinner delivery or take away in their favorite restaurant. No effort, maximum satisfaction.

Milan or Rome, surroundings or not, have you tried to browse which places have studied ad hoc proposals for this special occasion for you? Here are some ideas to take inspiration from.

We are in Milan "at home" of Andrea Berton, starred chef, who after announcing the opening of a pop-up restaurant in Montecarlo during the holidays, has prepared a special menu for December 31st, with easy and fun gourmet dishes to regenerate or finish at home. "A way to stay close to customers, to make them feel a little as if they were sitting there, at the table in our restaurant". It starts with a steamed beetroot sandwich, the meat and anchovy olive and the salmon marinated with green apple compote, to continue with; shrimp tails, carrot, parsley, almond and amaranth popcorn; chicken tortellini in broth; cod steak with Trasimeno beans and shallots and veal cheek with mashed potatoes with extra virgin olive oil. Finally, the chocolate cake and raspberry sauce. There is, of course, the small patisserie: orange nougat, salted caramel chocolate and coffee puffs.

And then there is the Bu: r by Eugenio Boer and Carlotta Perilli, or rather the Bu: r at your home. This idea, born during the first lockdown, is a gastronomic menu enriched specifically for New Year's Eve ideal for two people. It all starts with smoked ham Vol-au-vents, Russian salad, tuna puffs, a pink shrimp tart and veal paté jelly. Smoked salmon with bread and prized Black Adamas caviar with soft tigelle. Staying on the traditional, which never disappoints, the first course is cappelletti in broth, passing through boiled capon with Cremona mustard and cotechino with lentils. In short, dishes that hardly disappoint. But beware … a dinner never ends without a dessert. And here is Bu: r pays homage to you with its delicious profiteroles.

But have you ever gone to that Bistrot in Porta Genova? Is called 28 Places and it is a must try as soon as the free all returns. In the meantime, why not delight yourself with a nice delivery for the dinner. Affordable price and one hundred percent satisfied palate. This is why Marco Ambrosino takes care of it, who for the occasion has signed the box to send you home to prepare all the recipes in two, maximum four hands. Here you can find bread with Tumminia wheat with smoked butter, a jar of Genovese di Polpo plus the Trottoel from Pastificio dei Campi. We proceed with a roasted stuffed chicken to be heated in the oven with the accompanying sauce, ending with the Kugelhopf, the home-made, naturally leavened Alsatian dessert. Are you still hesitating? I would call now.

We move to Rome, the eternal city. How much he suffers from the lack of his beloved tourists intent on photographing all his beauty. But they will come back, we are all sure. In the meantime, she too has done everything to not disappoint its inhabitants, in fact the delivery menus of the premises for the night of December 31st are really many.

We meet On the floors, in the Parioli district. Since 1872 this restaurant has been distinguished by the scrupulous search for seafood and the best fish from the Lazio coast and, not surprisingly, is a reference point for eating fresh fish in Rome, a mission that is not taken for granted. In keeping with tradition and to send a message of optimism also to its loyal customers, for the New Year's Eve dinner they opted for take away, an operation already implemented under the name "Ai Piani a casa tua" and to which usually delivery is added, suspended only on this occasion. It will be possible to agree directly with the property the dishes to compose your menu including raw or cooked appetizers, first courses, second courses with the individual prices specified per portion, while in the three different preparations of Catalan lobster the indication is per hectogram.

The chef also joined in the same way Riccardo Di Giacinto of the All’Oro restaurant, who is happy to be present in the cafeterias of his Romans, has provided impeccable menus for both Christmas and New Year's Eve: terrine of boiled meat, pickled vegetables and green sauce; lasagnette with guinea fowl, porcini mushrooms and black truffle; beef cheek braised in Barolo and potato millefeuille; Golden tiramisu; small bakery. And for those who want the inseparable lentils and cotechino.

It is known that the Romans are very fond of their traditional cuisine for this Hosteria Grappolo D'Oro under the guidance of chef Antonello Magliari, will propose for these holidays a typically homemade menu enriched by off-menu, or special dishes that will vary day by day depending on the chef's inspiration. Leafing through the pages of the à la carte menu, the creamed cod with fresh artichoke salad, the millefeuille of burrata and anchovies and the boiled meatballs with green sauce stand out. Then again, the fresh pasta is homemade including artichoke ravioli alla gricia and lasagna broccoli and sausage but also fish first courses such as spaghettone water and flour with spright and Romanesco broccoli. The second courses confirm the traditional and enjoyable spirit from cod to Roman-style lamb, from meatballs to veal breast sauce in the fornara style with some small digressions such as sea bass in artichoke crust. Delicious conclusion with tiramisu or buckwheat tart with raspberry jam.

The home menu operation has been on for a while now. This restaurant has in fact become a real training ground for life, which we can all try to support while waiting for better times. Everyone as can. Reminding us that good food always keeps our moods high, even the darkest ones.

Elena Strappa