La trattoria del borgo Elce

This place is almost invisible, tucked away on the second floor of Bar Desio. But it’s definitely worth getting a little lost on Via Fuori le Mura to discover a restaurant that surprises with its quality and creativity. We’ve been here three times now, and it’s never let us down. I enjoy the laid-back vibe without crowds, though honestly, this place deserves more attention.

This time, we were a group of four, so we got to try a good variety of dishes:

Starters:

Fried Zucchini Flowers – Delicious. I think it’s a smart idea to use ricotta instead of mozzarella, which tends to lose its texture when cooked. The soft ricotta contrasted nicely with the crispy flower. Rating: 4

Bruschetta with Guanciale and Beer Reduction – Just perfect. The guanciale was crispy, with the fat melting into the crunchy bruschetta, and the light touch of beer added a unique brightness. Rating: 5

Eggs with Truffle – Normally, I find truffle omelets too dry, but this wasn’t an omelet or scrambled eggs. The eggs were lightly beaten and mixed with just the right amount of truffle, pan-fried to perfection. The key is how the truffle blends with the egg. Rating: 5

First Courses:

Baked Gnocchi alla Romana – I’m not usually a big fan of gnocchi, but these were something else. The nearly creamy texture, with a crispy cheese topping, was delightful. Rating: 4

Strangozzi with Guanciale and Pancetta alla Norcina – I’ll never quite understand the combination of guanciale/pancetta with cream, but that’s the Norcina way. The strangozzi were a bit too al dente for my taste. Rating: 3Strangozzi con guanciale e pancetta alla Norcina. I will never understand the mixing of guanciale/pancetta with cream, but this is the recipe alla Norcina. The strangozzi were a bit too much al dente 🙂 Rating

Main Courses:

Fried Baccalà – Initially, I was going to give this a 4, as it was a perfectly fried Baccalà, juicy inside and crispy outside. I’m still waiting for a chef who can lighten the batter a bit. But the twist with the orange zest pushed it up to a 5. Rating: 5

Fiorentina Steak (800g) – It was cooked medium rare, which for me is overdone, but that was because of how we ordered it. I’m the only one who wanted it properly rare (as the chef and owner suggested, “we eat this raw”). The quality of the meat was top-notch, needing no olive oil or salt that was served alongside. It was a breed from Northern Italy, perfectly aged, tender, and full of flavor. Rating: 5

Desserts:

We had a Cheesecake with Salted Caramel and a Chocolate Pudding, both classic restaurant desserts. While they were flawless, they were a bit predictable. That said, they were devoured, so Rating: 4.

Another highlight of this trattoria is the excellent selection of Umbrian and Italian wines at very reasonable prices. We brought our own bottle of Sagrantino, so we just needed a white to start with. We chose a Garganega from Veneto for 18€, an excellent wine with a curious mix of vegetal and aromatic notes that paired beautifully with the starters.

We left happy with a bill of 175€ for four people!

This is definitely the kind of place to visit when you want a break from cooking but still want to eat as well as you would at home, without the pretentious star-restaurant atmosphere (or prices!).