ANY MIDDLE-STATISTIC ITALIAN KNOWS ONLY IN FOUR THINGS: EVERYTHING IS TRUE BEAUTIFUL, IN FASHION, IN THE RIGHT PAST AND THE RIGHT "ESPRESSO". ANYONE RESPECTING ITALIAN IS PERFECTLY AWARE THAT PASTE SHOULD BE AL DENTE, THAT A SALAD IS BETTER TO TURN BY HANDS, AND PREPARE EVERYTHING WITH LOVE. THEREFORE, FOR MY CENTURY I HAVE NEVER EATED ANYTHING MORE TASTY THAN THE PIZZA "MARGARITA" FROM Aunt LUCIA, THE MISSION OF A SMALL BOARD IN THE FORGOTTEN GOD TOWN IN SICILY.
Giorgio Armani, of course, is not Aunt Lucia, but he is Italian. Moreover, with a heightened sense of beauty. Therefore, going to the Armani / Ristorante restaurant, we expected something special, real. Armani / Ristorante, as a restaurant from the “fine dinning” category, by default obliged you to look decent, to sit up straight and beautifully to use all the “golden” (really - gilded?) Appliances laid out on the plates. But, here's the thing: decorated in signature pastel colors “from Armani”, the hall, despite the height of the ceilings and the transparent walls of the kitchen in the center, made it possible to fall apart comfortably on comfortable sofas, drink “esperesso” from a beautiful porcelain cup and enjoy view of the "dancing" fountains. Comfort was appreciated by a solid "five".
Menu - fusion of Italian cuisine. Something traditional, something innovative. Wine selects sommelier to dishes. Together, we settled on the Rosato Serra Lori Argiola pink wine. A little later I found out that this wine is not from the elite category, but when I tried it in Armani / Ristorante, there was no limit to delight. Highly recommend - the taste of fresh strawberries is so good that it is impossible to come off! As an appetizer, we ordered carpaccio and a scallop dish with tuna. The first and second went with a bang. Tuna was just a real work of culinary art - it’s delicious itself, slices of the correct thickness, and an exceptionally correct portion of salt on them. Without exaggeration, this was the best fish appetizer I've ever had to try.
As the main course went fish. It is known that it is almost impossible to spoil a fish, unless it is overcooked or salted. My black sea bass on a pillow of fresh herbs was not bad, although, as it seemed to me, it was too simple for the price indicated. The same applied to my companion's halibut. Both dishes were good, but not memorable.
But the risotto with mushrooms was noted very well: they brought us a small portion, conveniently located in the center of the plate, which the chef Armani / Ristorante himself poured in the right proportion to the “old” balsamic vinegar. Rice, as expected, was elastic and creamy, and, as in the case of a tuna appetizer, the right combination of products and proportions, perfectly satisfied our taste buds. Another dish unanimously received "excellent", despite the rather high cost.
By the time of the desserts, we had already inspected the cigar room adjacent to the restaurant and the balconies facing the fountains, surprised to find that we had been in Armani / Ristorante for two and a half hours! So measuredly and in pleasure we were sitting and eating, that we completely forgot about time.
Dessert. Firstly, they were surprised by the design. On my Bavarese dessert, rolled into a small lemon purple ball, was the finest 24-carat gold plate. Honestly, I did not understand why, but it all looked very attractive together. The dessert turned out to be amazing to the taste: for a long time I could not figure out what exactly was in the "heart" of the ball, until the chef said that it was a violet creme brulee! Add to this the taste of blackcurrant, raspberry and vanilla ice cream, and you can imagine why sometimes it’s not enough - this is not enough, because you want more and more.
Tiramisu, ordered by my companion, also received very flattering ratings for taste and freshness. Espresso was the most real, and coffee cups were a complete delight, so sweet and graceful they appeared before us.
By the time the gatherings ended, it turned out that we spent almost four hours together at Armani / Ristorante! And this is his next plus - we really did not want to leave. Proper Italian dishes, unobtrusive service and a view from the window are other undoubted advantages that make Armani / Ristorante a good choice not only for dinner but also for lunch, both for couples and business partners.
