Gialle & Co.

Recently opened in Moscova, Gialle & Co. it’s a new little restaurant specialized in the cooking of a very common yet often neglected ingredient in Italian cuisine: potatoes. The weapon of choice of this place is the English baked potato, a very well know but seldom seem dish in Italy, declined in a lot of original variations. The first question that came to mind to the creators of this place was: how to adapt the baked potato to the Italian tastes?

The original English meal presented them with both opportunities and difficulties. The baked potato can be filled and seasoned with literally anything, leaving great room for the fantasy of the cook. On the other hand, the original recipe is too heavy and buttery for the Italian tastes. Then, what did the guys of Gialle & Co. do? Easy: they cut out the butter and all the useless fats, using only high quality gastronomic ingredients and introducing tasty vegan options.

The result is unforgettable. Once served, filled and garnished, the baked potato already became a culinary bijoux. The potatoes come in two sizes: the big ones and the small ones. The regular potatoes, the large ones that is, are practically a complete meal. The small ones, called Mini-Baked, are totally adorable. They are served in egg cartons and they almost resemble lavish pastries or amuse-bouches. There’s no need to say that if you want to try more than one taste (and that’s what we suggest) the Mini-Baked are what you’re looking for.

Our favorites are the one with salmon and crème fraîche; the one covered in a thin slice of beef, capers, pickles and parsley or the one with prosciutto crudo, burrata cheese and corn salad. There’s also a section of the menu that changes based on the season and contains other specialties besides the desserts. There’s really a lot to try and experiment between baked potatoes with meat, with fish or with vegetables. Let your fantasy guide you.

The place is just delicious. Even if the kitchen is inspired to England, the interiors have a strong New York vibe, with decise dashes of Italy that give to the restaurant a well-defined aesthetic. Stone tables, light and discreet wooden shelves and, hanging on the walls, neatly disposed garden tools.

A yellow neon writing on the wall synthesizes the spirit of the place: “Italians bake it better“. But the absolute best is the indoor fountain, a relic of times past, adapted to filter tap water and make it drinkable. This is also why water is free and there’s no cover charge.

So, winter it’s the perfect time to experiment with the baked potatoes Italian-style at Gialle & Co. Better than the originals, refined and yet pleasantly informal. What are you waiting for?