«How would I define my cuisine? It’s a difficult question, I’ve never thought about it». Among many chefs who are more skilled in front of a microphone than with a pan, we appreciate – a rarity - the candid answer of Angelo Koyfalas, class of 1981, born in Bergamo of a Greek father. He learnt the art of the stove first by chance, in cold Stockholm, then among the silence of Oaxen, a tiny island with 108 inhabitants, two hours by ferryboat from the capital. Then he began to cook for the whim of Enrico Bartolini, at Devero in Cavenago. Meanwhile, an idea, better still, a concept, was developing in the head of Enrico Orlandelli, an interior design entrepreneur who had always been passionate about good food: creating a restaurant entirely dedicated to vacuum alchemies; and once again destiny wanted that his friend would be Andrea Colombo, also from Bergamo, a manufacturer in the food vacuum packing industry, with his Valko in Bottanuco (Bergamo).
Risotto with a cream of roasted pumpkin, cardamom and candied citron
So thanks to a happy meeting of the stars, the story of
Del Vuoto (literally “of vacuum”, TN) began. Located at the beginning of Via Giambellino, in Milan, as of May 21st the bistro offers finely executed delicacies with a common thread. Almost everything – except perhaps for pasta and rice – passes through the (
Valko, of course) vacuum machine for a “light” cooking that preserves the taste characteristics of the foods and even makes them easier to digest.
The visit we paid to Del Vuoto revealed to us a modern, pleasurable, intelligent, ambitious but not arrogant cuisine. Capable of interpreting the concept without being enslaved by it. Consider the Risotto with roasted pumpkin cream, cardamom and candied citron (the latter being in fact the only vacuum cooked ingredient in this dish): it is rich, round in the mouth, with almost perfect grains, balanced between the pumpkin’s sweetness, the citrus’ scents and the strong aroma of the spices, almost a trip taking you from Mantua to some exotic land, an intelligent mix of territory and infinite distances.
Angelo Koyfalas, 31 years old
In general, the meal reminded us of
Alice Delcourt’s cuisine, almost a case history from her recent success with Erba Brusca, also here in Milan: we wish
Koyfalas a similar fortune. He deserves it: Veal sweetbread with celeriac, rhubarb conserve and mustard seeds, Rigatoni with seaweed butter and Sicilian red prawns, Turbot with turnips, glazed shallots and chanterelle, Veal rump with artichoke cream, new carrots and dandelion... they are all prepared with an assertive hand and a clear mind, and scientifically perfect cooking: “medium rare” fillets and sirloins at 56°C for 60 minutes, braised meat at 82°C for 8 hours and so on. Desserts can be improved, they are one step below the rest of the menu which is updated almost every month and offers few dishes (on our visit we found 5 starters, 4 first courses, 5 main courses and 4 desserts) which also makes it possible for the bill to be rather slim for this field: around 50-55 euros for four courses, drinks not included.
Del Vuoto
via Giambellino, 12
Milano
+39.02.94555592
Closed on Sundays
Average prices: starters 13, first courses 13, main courses 20, desserts 7 euros
