Bu:ra Milano: Menu and prices for Eugenio Boer's restaurant, which doesn't have a star (but should)
Bu:ra Milano, menu and prices for Eugenio Boer's restaurant. Eugenio Boer is a half-Italian, half-Dutch chef. Born in the Netherlands, he arrived in Liguria at the age of seven, then, during his training as a chef, worked extensively in Sicily, Berlin, Tuscany, and Alto Adige.
His Bu:r (the true pronunciation of his name) is a gem, both for its warm and refined atmosphere, its welcoming atmosphere (his partner Carlotta does the honors), and, above all, its cuisine that surprises and excites. It's a shame the star hasn't arrived yet again in 2021. After all, he had earned it at Essenza, before being fired because the owners didn't want to hear about Michelin-starred cuisine (and the associated costs). Eugenio didn't lose heart and created this restaurant from scratch, which, after two years of suffering, is now ready to give its best.
But let's see in detail what the Bu:r experience will be like if you decide to go there.
Setting. A large room, designed in collaboration with architect Mario Abruzzese, founder of kick.office. The floors and walls are painted in a bold, warm dark blue. At the center of the room is a large, dramatic column, a brown monolith. The materials used are marble, walnut, and brass.
Prices and menu. They're high, of course, because we're in a gourmet restaurant with high-quality ingredients and a sophisticated cuisine. There are two set menus. One is seasonal, for €100, and the other is €115, featuring classic dishes: cauliflower; venison; crispy tramezzino; "We were like bread and butter"; fillet en croute or pigeon from Lomellina; my signature risotto, Nino Bergese; Sicily; Grandma's Remedy; and small pastries. If you opt for the à la carte menu, there's also a fixed price: two savory dishes plus a dessert for €70, or three savory dishes plus a dessert for €90. Water is €5, as is coffee.
Wines. The wine list is good, with a few special highlights: Ruinart, Schiopetto, Gravner, Massa, Conterno. As often happens in large, expensive restaurants, you should avoid the lower end. Because, however low, it's priced, often disproportionately compared to the value of the wine. For example, Noelia Ricci Brò's Trebbiano can easily be found in a wine shop for 10-15 euros and in a regular restaurant for 20-25. Here, it's 45. Ditto for Sangiovese, which here costs 50. So if you have to spend 50 for a regular wine, it's better to go a bit higher, where the markups are lower, and choose something higher quality. Why not choose a Barolo, for example? Here, the prices start at 55 euros for the younger vintages. We instead chose a 2013 Barolo Riserva from Mauro Marengo (from Novello), which was truly excellent (70 euros). Pleasant, fruity, with balanced tannins. The talented South American sommelier also let us try a Marengo Nascetta, a grape variety not among the most noble, but incredibly good and smoky. We were given a complimentary taste, whereas we'd started dinner with a glass of Franciacorta Contadi Castaldi, recommended by the sommelier. It seemed like it was free, but in the end, it ended up on the bill for €14 (a little more clarity on this wouldn't hurt).
Dishes Below is a selection of some of the dishes we tasted. Note this incredibly soft bread with a hint of olive oil, best enjoyed with the incredibly soft Carena butter. We also had the torta delle rose, a savory version with sun-dried tomatoes, Taggiasca olives, and capers: a real treat.
Venison, raw meat, raspberry mustard sauce, licorice, and rare herbs. A surprisingly delicate, tender meat. With a bitter herb that gives you a kick, it's perfect for a starter.
Autumn eggs, topped with Castelluccio di Norcia lentils and black truffle. For truffle lovers, a feast.
The crunchy sandwich is made with brioche bread, Paglina onion, Valdostan fontina cheese, and black truffle. A double serving of truffle and sto.
My "Nino Bergese" rice with a very thick roast sauce diluted with Savona chinotto. Who was Nino Bergese? The king of chefs.
This is Ligurian-style rabbit. It doesn't look like it, does it? It's actually fresh tomato pasta tortellini, filled with rabbit, Taggiasca olives, pine nuts, and dried porcini mushrooms. A signature dish at Bur in Milan.
And here we have the pigeon, very soft.
In the end, a great dinner, with few flaws (the complimentary aperitif) and many merits. Sooner or later, who knows, the star will arrive. And in our opinion, it deserves it.
