Fan Wu
In Milan there are restaurants that leave you something. You eat so well that you can't wait to go back: this is the case with Fan Wu, a Chinese restaurant located in the Porta Venezia area. The owners are the same as those of Carnivore Union in via Padova.
There is a premise to make, though: Fan Wu's kitchen is very spicy. But it is also what will make you love the numerous preparations. Here the authentic Sichuan cuisine is put on the table and Luis, the restaurant manager, assures me that the chef comes from that specific region.
The restaurant is cozy, nice and intimate, with few frills. The atmosphere is relaxed, especially during the week. The staff is few words but very helpful and kind.
When the menu is brought to you, expect a real encyclopedia, it's not a joke. Take all the time you need to choose from the many dishes (the choice is difficult: it's all extremely inviting) and pause to do curious about the most extreme (at least for us Italians), or those with innards.
The menu is divided into categories and everything is explained in detail with numerous historical references. The degree of spiciness is reported next to each individual dish.
It starts with appetizers, or a series of cold dishes to be enjoyed before the main dishes, and dim sum (prepared according to different cooking methods).
There are the basic dishes; rice, soup and soup are considered basic in China and never lacking during meals. A particular note of merit goes to the noodles, handmade by the chef.
Continue with the vegetable dishes (always present in every meal in China), among which I recommend the aubergines and seafood seasoned in the pot, and the classic hot dishes (the careful research of the chef will make you go through 5000 years of history gastronomic): here the choice becomes even wider. They tell me to try the Chicken Kung Pao, because it is one of the most appreciated dishes historically, and I must say that it is really delicious (in reality there is really nothing that I didn't like!).
We then move on to the chef's recommendations: in the long list you can also find grilled pork or beef brain and fried frog with chilli and hot sauce. But don't let that scare you, I repeat, here the choice is so wide that there is something for all tastes.
To drink, there are soft drinks, soy milk (essential for calming spicy), different types of tea (green, black, black with green mandarin peel, pù er), Chinese beer, Italian and bitter wines.
The bill? More than honest.
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