Da Mimmo Ristorante

Monday, September 24, 2007
Dinner with Europe team

Christine and I were invited to a dinner that Renato was organizing in Bergamo on our first night in Milan. Bergamo is about 45 minutes outside of Milan towards the Alps. We avoided the €90 cab and took the commuter train out from Milan (about 50 min for €6) and then cabbed about 10 minutes up to Da Mimmo. The Italian rail system is not the most reliable in terms of time, so might want to schedule some buffer. We also ended up waiting for a cab at the Bergamo station, but I still think driving in the city would be a nightmare.

We drove up winding hillside streets along these city walls and through stone gates. I imagine the view on this drive would have been magnificent if it wasn’t nighttime. Within the walls, the cab wound up and down narrow one-lane, two-way streets. The restaurant was surprisingly large with several spacious dining rooms, including an outdoor covered patio that probably seated over a hundred. We sat at a long table with a dozen or so of our colleagues.

I have no idea what the wine was, but it was red and wonderful. We left most of our menu selection to the Italians, and started with a fresh pizza and some other shared dishes. Renato suggested that pasta with lobster, which was spaghetti with the entire half of a lobster with the tail and one claw. A wonderfully handy seafood scissor, which I would like to find for myself. Super yummy with a light red sauce.

Then, Renato asks us what we want for secondi… what? Apparently that was just the first course. I was recommended the osso buco polenta and it was amazing. The osso buco braised veal shanks. The northern Italians use a lot of polenta, and it was thicker and richer than what I typically think of polenta. So good. I did have to pass on dessert though.

Fantastic food and I have Bergamo on my list of places to go back to.

via B. Colleoni, 17, 24129 Bergamo – BG, Italy
035-218-535