Italy Gluten free Food Tour with Niepi: Milan
Here it is a gluten free restaurant in Milan that I did like it : Officina 37.
On the occasion of the Gluten free Italy Food Tour that I organised for the French magazine Niepi, I had the chance to show Frédérique and Fabien my favourite gluten free spots.
I have to say that I didn’t know about Officina 37 before this trip but some fellow Italian gluten free bloggers told me about this restaurant and got me curious to try it.
So here it was, checked on my wish list.
The heart and soul of this restaurant is its chef and founder, Giuseppe Sellitti.
Giuseppe is from the South of Italy as myself, he is passionate about cooking, a true volcano of energy and creativity, plus he is very kind in person.
To me going to a restaurant is not only about the food that I eat – which is due to be good – but it is also about the experience of meeting new people and sharing with them thoughts, ideas, wishes and desires.
I have to say that I enjoyed talking to Giuseppe.
During our dinner, he tells us that he became familiar with gluten free food while he was working in Florida, in the U.S. Gluten free being mainstream there. When he came back to Italy, he decided to open his own restaurant and little by little he started to specialise himself in gluten free cuisine.
Today Officina 37 has got the AIC (Italia celiac association) logo which means that gluten free foods are safe from any cross contamination with gluten.
Giuseppe’s menu is inspired by his great passion for the sea and fishing. Many dishes are with fish but you can also find meat or vegetarian options.
With Frédérique and Fabien, we tasted Giuseppe’s homemade gnocchi with tomato sauce and the black ones made of cuttlefish ink. They were both very good.
I also tried stuffed squids while Fabien opted of a specialty here in Milan : the well-known « cotoletta alla milanese » (breaded fried veal).
In Italian we use to call it « l’orecchio di elefante » which literally means « the ear of the elephant » due to its unique shape.
