La Maniera di Carlo, Creative Cuisine Near Corso Vercelli

UPDATING (December 2022) – The restaurant has definitely been closed.

You won’t just find La Maniera di Carlo just by chance. You have to know where to find it, because it’s hidden in a narrow street, only steps from one of the most classic areas of the most sophisticated Milanese shopping, in corso Vercelli. It only has a few tables, beautifully laid with elegant, minimalist tableware, highlighted by unexpected details and colourful elements that add a touch of warmth and style. Other unexpected features include the restaurant’s cuisine, and the dishes on which it is served: stone, slate slabs, halved coconut shells and wooden boards – each has a story to tell and an unusual way of stimulating the five senses.
Unfamiliar textures, vibrant colours, deceptive shapes and intense flavours follow one upon the another as each course is served, inviting diners to embark upon a multi-sensory culinary voyage, which marries bold pairings and successful gastronomic experiments. Its owner, Francesco Germani, is at the helm of the locale. The restaurant is dedicated to his father Carlo. In addition to holding a degree in physical education, Francesco has also appeared on the renowned television series Top Chef Italia. His strength lies in his passion, curiosity and an ongoing search for fresh ingredients, which he sources from small local producers in order to guarantee premium quality, and it is here that he often discovers products long-since forgotten by chefs of haute cuisine. A fan of all forms of experimentation, he allows himself to be transported by his keen sense of aesthetics and strong creative intuition.
The result is the construction of dishes that are highly original, surprising and as beautiful as a work of art. Some examples? Porcini mushroom consommé infused with oyster and snail water, and herb extracts; scallops with tamarind vanilla, sour sauce and pineapple; risotto with wasabi, basil and white chocolate; amberjack with curry flavoured pumpkin, mandarin and lettuce and rabbit pickled in oil with violet potatoes, mango jam, thyme and bay leaves.