14-11-2017

Garage Italia, Lapo and Cracco’s restaurant-cum-garage

Elkann’s new project was launched in Milan. As for the menu, better Risotto dell'Avvocato or Tagliatella Maranello?

Michele De Lucchi, Lapo Elkann and Carlo Cracco

Michele De Lucchi, Lapo Elkann and Carlo Cracco at the opening of Garage Italia, presented by Camila Raznovich

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The menu at Garage Italia

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The menu at Garage Italia
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The menu at Garage Italia
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The menu at Garage Italia
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The menu at Garage Italia
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The menu at Garage Italia
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The menu at Garage Italia
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The menu at Garage Italia

Better have Risotto dell’Avvocato, Tagliatella Maranello or keep light, with Giardino di donna Marella? Culinary speaking, this is the most interesting and stimulating element that emerged during the opening – a few days ago – of Garage Italia. Lapo Elkann’s new project has the support of Carlo Cracco. Therefore the chef from Vicenza has now opened his third restaurant in Milan, the second in terms of “cuisine-weight”, after the flagship restaurant soon to move from Via Victor Hugo to the Galleria (see: Cracco, a preview in the Galleria), and laid-back Carlo e Camilla in Segheria.

We had already mentioned the opening: On the 7th November: Carlo Cracco and Lapo Elkann’s Garage Italia soon to openGarage Italia is in Piazzale Accursio 86, in a building that until recently hosted a special petrol station: a historic jewel for Milan, which Enrico Mattei considered as a model for Agip and was designed by architect Mario Bacciocchi between 1951 and 1953. The renovation was directed by star- architect Michele De Lucchi: the space is now a sort of atelier for cars, where artisans and creatives from all around the world will customize all sorts of cars, motorbikes and boats according to the taste and needs of the clients.

The building – as you can see from our photos – is now even more beautiful. Cracco is on the first floor, «a sort of panoramic “elbow”, that’s how I call it», with windows offering a 180° view of Milan.

The restaurant on the first floor

The restaurant on the first floor

Cracco shows the seats with reclining armrest, hiding Usb doors

Cracco shows the seats with reclining armrest, hiding Usb doors

THE RESTAURANTCracco oversees the culinary offer, both of the bar at the entrance of the garage, on the ground floor, offering quick snacks, burgers, salads or aperitifs, and of the restaurant itself, «we will offer the great regional Italian cuisine, but with a special idea, that is to say a link to Lapo’s stories». Hence basically taking inspiration from – and adapting – recipes from the Agnelli family. «These are historic dishes that were part of the family menu, a sort of itinerary from north to south, with some interesting creative details». The menu, presented on a sort of tachometer, but in paper, is signed by Cracco and prepared by resident chef Gabriele Faggionato, born in 1987 in Vicenza - like Carlo – and already part of his team. Seating some 50 people, with 12 people in the kitchen, an average price of 60-70 euros, the restaurant will be open seven days a week.

Resident chef Gabriele Faggionato

Resident chef Gabriele Faggionato

THE MENU – The menu will include dishes like Giardino di donna Marella (fish carpaccio marinated with lime zest, mango sauce and organic herbs), Risotto dell’Avvocato (with smoked butter, roasted scampi and bisque with cognac), Tagliatelle Millemiglia (with fresh egg pasta, oxtail sauce, wild rocket and paprika bread), Guancia Maranello (stewed cheek, orange juice, cream of parsnip and bitter roots), and finally Cric (tiramisù with coffee gelato).

Lapo Elkann meets the press at the materioteca

Lapo Elkann meets the press at the materioteca

LAPO – At the launch, with Cracco and De Lucchi, there was also Lapo Elkann, dressed in yellow and in great shape: «We wanted to give new light to this beautiful place, the fruit of the visionary mind of the great Italian Enrico Mattei. I must thank architect De Lucchi, with whom I’ve been working for years now, since the days of Fiat Café at Triennale. And Cracco: I found a person that is both disciplined and creative. We worked on the Good and the Beautiful: and Italy is the best place in the world for such a task». There are many interesting elements. Every detail was specifically thought of and created, something obvious in a project focused on the utmost customization. «We have the most advanced drive simulator ever made, we will patent colours that will only belong to us and our clients, like navy blue Garage Italia or azzurro Lapo; we even coated the entire building with a special paint that eats smog», and we hope it will consume a lot of it.

DE LUCCHI – The architect stressed «Lapo Elkann’s farsightedness. He recognised the strength and cultural value of a place like this, in Streamline style, which was codified in the United States but was in fact born in Italy, from Filippo Tommaso Marinetti's Manifesto del Futurismo in 1909». The seats reproduce the historic seats of the great Italian cars. The staircases bear tire marks. Lamps are made from readapted silencers. In the middle of the restaurant, there’s the body of a Ferrari Gto, and so on. A bonnet (from a Maserati? We can’t recall) is Lapo’s desk, in the middle of the materioteca, the Garage Italia corner where you can enjoy searching for the most original customization for your car.

LAPO-CRACCO – A final curious anecdote of the first time Lapo Elkann and Carlo Cracco met, which gave life to the collaboration, in the words of the latter: «We met by chance. “What do you do?”. “I cook”. “Fantastic. You must take part in a project I have in mind”». And so it was.
Translated into English by Slawka G. Scarso

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The menu at Garage Italia

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The menu at Garage Italia

Dall'Italia

Reviews, recommendations and trends from Italy, signed by all the authors of Identità Golose

by

Carlo Passera

journalist born in 1974, for many years he has covered politics, mostly, and food in his free time. Today he does exactly the opposite and this makes him very happy. As soon as he can, he dives into travels and good food. Identità Golose's editor in chief

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