Milan | FioriChiari Plates
Taking its name from one of the most comely streets in Brera, FioriChiari Plates is a fine specimen of a new cast of eatery, where the concept is to put a half nelson on prices while surrendering little or nothing in the way of atmosphere or cuisine.
At street level plus a mezzanine gallery, interiors are modern but warm with a fetching touch of the shabby-chic: bare wooden or metal tables contrast with white-painted bentwood seating, and candles supplement some unusual pendant lighting.
The FioriChiari kitchen prides itself on the care that goes into selecting ingredients and putting them together. On the menu are familiar regional recipes of the home-cooking kind along with a few salvaged from oblivion. The accent is on antipasti, pasta e pasticcini – what Italy does best – so while there’s a limited choice of meaty mains, there’s plenty in the way of gourmet salamis and cheeses, pasta dishes, thick soups and creamy ones, sundry vegetables and a medley of home-made sweets you’d be hard put to find elsewhere.
No less attention is paid to that magical ingredient, extra virgin olive oil (their own brand from the shores of Lake Garda), or to a worthy wine list. And for a restaurant in the heart of Brera, within spitting distance of La Scala and Piazza Duomo, prices really are reasonable.