cookingwiththehamster
- Jun 24, 2020

Ravioli Di Lu Pechino 北京卢记饺子

Attention, this place is not just any place but the restaurant where you can eat authentic Beijing cuisine. You will say that it is not the only restaurant to offer it in Milan but trust me, you are wrong. With this same verve I was totally convinced by Elena, Lu's daughter, who allowed me to taste some of the best dishes of the restaurant. The verdict? This girl is absolutely right.

Ravioli di Lu Pechino 北京卢记饺子 is a Chinese tavern located in the Loreto area that opened its doors in 2019. Little known, still little frequented, perhaps a little too hidden, the fact is that you will eat divinely here.

It is in this simple space, adorned with lanterns with masks from the Beijing opera, Elena and her mother Lu (who moved from Turin to start this business) are ready to welcome you. Both originally from Beijing, ça va sans dire, offer authentic and absolutely genuine cuisine: glutamate does not exist here, the availability of ingredients is limited because everything is homemade and at the moment: the dumplings are in fact prepared in the small counter underneath your eyes, leaving you amazed.

Ravioleria Sarpi has a big competitor in town. Until some time ago Agie's dumplings were considered the best ever in Milan, but now the choice is much more difficult!

But let's go in order. Beijing cuisine represents the cuisine of the capital and is characterized by delicate flavors. We are therefore very distant from the preparations to which we have become accustomed in recent times, typical of southern China. Eating at Lu translates as a return to lost simplicity, a rediscovery of simple and genuine tastes far from deep fries and strong spices.

As the title suggests, the menu opens with twenty different types of dumplings (veal, pork or vegetables). Up to 15 pieces can be ordered by type and the type of cooking is up to the customer. I have tasted those of pork and Chinese cabbage cooked on the plate but the real surprise were those stuffed with steamed zucchini and crab (even more authentic cooking), obviously dipped in rice vinegar. Tasty but at the same time delicate, there is no trace of the persistent taste of garlic or onion.

Elena wanted me to try the cold cucumbers in garlic sauce, a omnipresent dish on the Beijing tables during the summer. Fresh and delicious in its simplicity.

The dinner continued with a dish practically non-existent elsewhere but very common in China: fresh noodles pulled by hand at the moment served with a tasty ragout and mixed vegetables aside. The customer must compose the dish by himself, mixing the ingredients to taste. The noodles have a very compact consistency and the ragout has a slightly sweet taste, the vegetables give it the right touch of freshness. This dish is very reminiscent of Korean jjajangmyeons (which, among other things, are of Chinese origin).

Perhaps the most "flavored" dish in terms of flavor that I tried is the flat bread stuffed with pork. Hot glowing, a delicacy. Obviously it is snapped up, in fact even the menu indicates that it is in limited quantities.

The portions are very generous so I'm sure you can't wait to go back to try other delights, like me. Not only dumplings (there are many fillings never seen or tried before, such as tomato and eggs, pork and aubergines or veal and coriander), but above all cold dishes (including potatoes with pine nuts or flavored veal) and appetizers (Beijing vegetarian patties first and foremost).

To drink you can choose from some Chinese teas. wine, beer and soft drinks. The price? To say the least ridiculous. Lu Beijing Ravioli is definitely the right place for a happy dinner with friends or family. For lunch, however, the offer includes menus for 10 Euros.