With its multicultural hints, ZAÏA’s cuisine it’s a game changer in the city’s restaurant scene
By Digital Team
Summing up centuries of cultures and culinary traditions among the whole Mediterranean basin is no easy task, and it is even harder to find a way to combine them in a convincing mix that respects all the peculiarities and uniquenesses of each different cuisine.
From Tel Aviv to Milan, stopping by the beautiful greek islands and the north African coasts, ZAÏA’s menu it’s already proving to be a game changer in the city’s restaurant scene.
Part of Aethos Milan, right in the Darsena, ZAÏA is not just another ‘place to be’ in town but a journey across Mediterranean countries, a tasting experience that promises to surprise the palate and blow the mind.
From lunch to dinner, ZAÏA’s menu builds on Italian cuisine and allows it to be transformed by the variety of traditions and cultures of the Mediterranean, with dishes designed to be savoured and shared in a relaxed atmosphere : an invitation to travel and discovery in the name of experiential dining.
ZAÏA: an experience meant to be shared
Soft lights, white cotton tablecloths, lounge music; the signature cocktail – a balanced, fresh mix of Italicus, vermouth dry and green tea – shines in the flutes. A professional, yet friendly service. The atmosphere encourages the guest to sit back and relax, chit-chat with friends, and leave all the pressure of daily life out of the door.
The whole menu is designed to be shared. The starters in particular lend themself to the concept. Shall we talk about the lamb meatballs with cucumber and coconut milk that literally melt in the mouth, while the cucumber gives an extra freshness to the dish? Or the carrots with chilli and spiced yoghurt, an unexpected explosion of flavours for tastebuds? Diners steal from each other’s plates, partake in the food and have fun tasting different recipes. It’s the joy of sharing; it’s the ZAÏA experience.
The main courses follow. It’s now time to continue the journey across the Mediterranean sea – without really leaving Italy. It’s all about fun dining, but with a hint of Italian, traditional comfort food. The Tubetto pasta with veal cheeks and Franciacorta parmesan foam is heart-warming with its rounded, full flavour – the perfect dish to feel at home, far from home. The menu is full of surprising combinations like the red mullet with porcini mushrooms, white chocolate, lard and aromatic herbs, a dish where all the different layers and the peculiar ingredients blending a delicate balance that keeps surprising the mouth, bite after bite. Who’d have thought that fish and chocolate could be such a perfect union?
Special mention to the dessert menu. Order the Paint to live a mind-blowing experience, it’s like an edible Pollock, painted directly on the table with pineapple, smoked chocolate, yoghurt and Indian crumble – designed, once more, to be shared. But the real hidden gem, the insider tip, is the Montblanc. Don’t be fooled by its name – it has almost nothing to do with the classic french dessert. With curry, marron glacées and lemon, its architectonic aesthetic astonishes the eye, before capturing the tastebuds.
Whatever Dish we decide to order from the ZAÏA menu, we can be sure that we will embark on a multi-sensorial journey across Mediterranean countries and cultures, in a unique, classy yet cool location in the heart of Milan.
Ph. PION Studio – pionstudio.com
