Despite the beautiful garden, the winter months are the best months to go to this ex bowling alley: the humidity, the mist, the lit fireplace, the old stoves and the smell of schnitzel (which will permeate even the clothes) take us back to a Milan that no longer exists, when beyond the walls it was already countryside. Don’t believe if they tell you on the phone that there is no table left, once inside Mrs. Isa will find you one: sit down, order a liter of Barbera Giovanni Gazzotti dell’Oltrepò “tapped” directly from the bottle – terrible at the first sip, but then somehow it goes down – and let them guide you: usually you start with an appetizer in two so as not to spoil your appetite: cold cuts, pickles, aubergines with parmesan cheese and whatever else is available; the first courses are tasty and abundant: tagliatelle with ragu, homemade pumpkin ravioli or risottos (also with ossobuco); among the second courses – a bit more expensive than you would expect – the schnitzel or the simple steak is a must, to be preferred over the steak cut. And then, have you ever tasted strudel?

Translated by @silaskin