Vecchia Osteria Ristorante Cinese
In Chinatown, something new opens every week, whether it's a restaurant or a street food showcase. In recent months, as we have sadly seen, most businesses have increased their prices, making some of our favorite places less accessible.
But just behind the main road, a small, simple and cheap restaurant has just opened where you can enjoy hearty and cheap dishes: Vecchia Osteria Ristorante Cinese.
The place, as I wrote, is very small and has a few tables with comfortable seats and a few tables with small, low stools - not the most comfortable but they make the atmosphere nice. The decor is practically non-existent but recreated with drawings on the walls resembling an old traditional Chinese street.
The menu offers many dishes from different backgrounds: northern, Canton and Sichuan with a section dedicated to bowls of fire. There is no shortage of vegetable and tofu dishes for vegetarians.
Among the dishes I tried, I point out the fried prawn balls (there is corn in the dough, which makes them slightly sweet, the breading is compact and not too greasy) and a single dish made up of steamed rice and Chinese aubergines with strips of peppers and onions (raw, I emphasize, but still digestible). Both dishes were nice and filling with a rustic flavor.
Unfortunately, I found the pork and Chinese cabbage dumplings disappointing: the filling was totally lacking in flavor and the dough was decidedly rubbery.
Overall, I didn't mind this place: an unpretentious tavern must enjoy simple, rustic, hearty dishes at a really affordable price. It is no coincidence that the clientele is exclusively Chinese. In short, a valid alternative in an area.
📍 Via Giordano Bruno 18, Milan
💰 $$
