🇮🇹 In Milan! This Steakhouse is Absolutely Amazing! 🌟

On the eve of my return home, I visited a steakhouse in Milan called Top Carne, which has been around for over twenty years. When I showed the driver the name of the restaurant and he immediately knew the way, I knew we were in for a treat! 🚕 Dining on steak without a glass of wine feels like a missed opportunity to me. As soon as I entered the wine cellar, my eyes were drawn to Gaja's Sito Moresco, a blend of Nebbiolo and Barbera from Northern Italy. Fermented separately and then harmoniously aged together in oak barrels, this wine is a masterpiece. The subtle smoky notes dance around the dominant red berry aroma, while the bright acidity and firm yet delicate tannins create the perfect stage for each variety to shine. 🍷 After placing our order, the waiter proudly presented the T-bone steak we had chosen. I eagerly nodded in approval, excited for the culinary performance about to unfold. The pre-meal bread looked like a dessert but was actually freshly baked cheese bread. Its slightly crispy crust gave way to a rich, melodic explosion of cheese flavor that would make even Pavarotti shed a tear (not really, but close). 🥪 Next up was the fried beef meatball, which made a sizzling entrance. The aroma of basil led the way as the hot, juicy meat began a tango on my tongue. 🍖💃 The perfect cooking left each bite juicy, but it seemed they were served hot off the fryer without much oil control. After a couple, the richness began to overwhelm, and I had to take a sip of wine to let the conductor (my palate) regain control. Five beef tartares, each with its own partner, then took over the stage. The high-quality beef needed little embellishment, and the different pickled vegetables allowed its full range of flavors to shine. This tartare deserves special praise—it was truly delicious. 🥩 The accompanying roasted vegetables set the stage for the star of the show—the steak. The roasting was spot on, except that the potatoes, when mixed with the other vegetables, became slightly soggy from the steam, losing some of their crispness. 🍲 One commendable aspect of this restaurant is that the steak is brought to your table and sliced right in front of you after grilling. I believe this method is more sensible and gives the steak more time to rest. After slicing, it's placed on a heated stone and seasoned with a bit of salt before making its grand appearance. The grill master's skill in controlling the heat is truly impressive. Unlike some restaurants where the steak seems almost raw in the middle, this one was perfectly cooked. I don't remember much about the side greens, but I do recall that this steak had me instinctively alternating between bites of meat and sips of wine. 🥩 Overall, the service and ambiance of the restaurant were quite good. I would rate it 🍽️🍽️🍽️🍽️ (out of a possible 🍽️🍽️🍽️🍽️🍽️). #WineTastingNotes #Wine #SteakPerfection #DinnerTonight #Food #HiddenGemRestaurant #WineTasting #Restaurant #WesternCuisine #ANightOfSlightIntoxication