Manna’s new skin

Visiting Manna means most of all meeting him: Matteo Fronduti. He’s the chef and owner of the restaurant, however, as putting his face on everything he does is something very important to him, during the service he also takes the responsibility of managing the dining room. An “everywhere man” you will notice right way, with his imposing figure, the expression that may seem grouchy but in fact hides a straightforward and sharp friendliness.

The journey of this Milanese chef starts with discovering this passion perhaps a little later than his average colleague: after graduating from the Scientific Lyceum, Fronduti decided to put himself to the test with this job, starting from an “ordinary” restaurant, with no special gastronomic desires, in order to understand if that might really be the right road to take. Once he confirmed to himself this was the case, he arrived at locations of a much higher level, such as Armani Cafè, Trattoria del Nuovo Macello, D'O.

In 2009 the adventure with Manna began. With the goal of presenting a high quality cuisine at competitive, accessible prices. Stimulating food that would nevertheless be affordable for everyone. In order to be able to do so, Matteo Fronduti chose for his restaurant a location that was far away from the usual circuit of the Milanese restaurant scene. Because, as he once told us, «in the bill of many restaurants in Milan you will pay for the restaurant’s rent rather than the food or the service».

And while Piazzale Governo Provvisorio – in the Turro neighbourhood – is not exactly in the centre, those who decide to go there will find out it is a very pleasant place, that gracefully maintains the old, popular Milanese spirit, with a pedestrian area surrounded by bushes and a few oleanders, with a nice and old cascina, recovered and renovated, right in front of the entrance to the restaurant.

So just like five years ago Manna, even with regards to the decor, was born following just the ideas of Matteo Fronduti, even the restyling presented a few days ago – and designed by Alberto Barbieri of Bda Studio – starts from the head of the chef, even though it has also followed some stimuli that arrived from the closest guests: «many told me that my food didn’t perfectly match the style of the decor. So I wanted to make the latter more linear, modern and minimalist, focusing on wood and on a sharper chromatic choices than in the past».

The changes are subtle and functional and a few extra details could be added in the next few months. What remains totally unchanged is the clear and personal style of Fronduti’s cuisine. The menu is focused on a simple scheme, with four choices per each course, with seasonal ingredients, often chosen among those that are considered poor, and as often linked with local tradition. They are interpreted with technical rigor and creativity, always giving priority to taste rather than appearance.

For instance, the “menu dell'ignoranza” [menus of ignorance], are not to be missed, periodically presented by the chef who can therefore allow himself the luxury of playing with de-structuring and recomposing dishes that are potentially not very refined, but very fun. Smile and irony are always present in Fronduti’s take on cuisine, and indeed he names the dishes in a light-hearted way: Aldo Fabbbbrizi is a dish of maccheroni with cheese, pepper and lamb liver, Giscard D'Estaing is an onion soup with grated gruyere.

And should you think these are not very refined dishes, bear in mind that Fronduti’s extraordinary talent is in fact the capacity of transforming what could appear as the most predictable thing in the menu into something surprising, proving that simplicity can be reinvented in a very tasty way.

Manna
Piazzale Governo Provvisorio, 6
Milan
+39.02.26809153
Average prices: starters 11, first courses 12, second courses 19, dessert 9 euros
Closed on Sundays