Menu - Ingalera

I went here for a meal with a work colleague on a recent business trip to Saronno just outside Milan. The concept sounded interesting rehabilitation of medium s... read more I went here for a meal with a work colleague on a recent business trip to Saronno just outside Milan. The concept sounded interesting rehabilitation of medium security prisoners through restaurant working and training opportunities) and the website and menu options appeared good value and offered a selection of vegetarian options if advised in advance. I booked through our hotel concierge and also advised that one of the party was vegetarian and this seemed to be a problem over the phone. After a long discussion the concierge said the restaurant would be able to accommodate me with some food but it was a problem.....not a great start. On arrival we were escorted to the restaurant from the security gatehouse and quickly seated. I did note that we were not provided a menu option to view unlike many other customers some of whom were ordering from a menu) but we were literally ‘ told’ what we would be eating. First course for both of us was piece of fruit wrapped in Parma ham....so I gave this to my colleague and was offered no vegetarian alternative. Second course was a small pasta plate mine was tomato based but bland and tasteless. My colleague had seafood pasta...which he said was ok. My main course was an extremely disappointing plate of a selection of local ? cheeses with some pickled fruit and walnuts which I found inedible) while my colleague received yet more seafood steamed in a plastic bag which arrived at the table tied with a tie wrap. This included razor clams, octopus, fish, mussels etc ...but was too much and he didn’t enjoy particularly whole baby octopus! . We were then finally given a menu for desserts choice and I chose semi fredo with berries...which was tasteless ice too. Whilst my colleague chose a chocolate dessert which looked the best dish of the night. The meal was 110 Euros including a 20 euro bottle of wine) and I left hungry and could have cooked better myself. For a supposed good quality restaurant to serve a platter of cheeses for a vegetarian Main course and charge these prices is shameful and lazy. Not great value or tasty food....that didn’t show any great skill. Avoid if you are vegetarian this is a no go. We have a Michelin star restaurant local in the UK which has a 3 course vegetarian menu for the same price and is outstanding...I could have cooked better than this.

Quite a good choice of good dishes, accurately prepared and presented. Professional personnel and pleasant environment (with ironical posters and pictures on th... read more Quite a good choice of good dishes, accurately prepared and presented. Professional personnel and pleasant environment (with ironical posters and pictures on the wall). All in all a very positive experience only possible problem the fact that the restaurant can only be reached by car (no metro).