There is a Danish word that is difficult to translate into Italian: the art of hygge. It expresses a well-being, welcoming, intimate and comfortable atmosphere. At Via Ascanio Sforza 65, in the heart of the Naviglio Pavese, one of the most popular openings of the year is hidden from plane sight. Perhaps, without knowing it, this is what makes hygge its philosophy. It appears as a “restaurant with an Italian flavor,” but Casa Matilda is much more.
The space – expertly organized by Studio Rotella – mixes vintage furnishings, handmade tiles made in Morocco, fine porcelain and eclectic wallpaper. The mix is unique, as is the subdivision of the room that calls to mind the warmth of home.
At the entrance, there is a huge leather sofa in seventies style which will keep you company during breakfast and aperitif. The living room follows, dotted with red and spotted chairs, tables and sideboards unearthed in antique markets that will make your lunches and dinners more colorful. A little further on is another room which comes to life every Tuesday evening to the music of Ipse Mixit, Moving along, you see the courtyard which hosts the external terrace.
The fil rouge of Casa Matilda is the attention to detail. Every occasion becomes a real sensory experience. The owner of the house, Filippo Tota, constantly dedicates himself to the selection of avant-garde raw ingredients, as shown by the Grow Unit located inside the living room. An innovative system of micro-vegetables growing indoors, which thanks to a particular LED light and a completely automated irrigation system, makes it possible to use top quality natural products that give the dishes a unique flavor.
The chef’s creations change every month, adapting to the seasons and enhancing the genuineness of the combinations. Marinated salmon with purple potato cream, lime mayonnaise and basil pesto and tomato soup with DOP buffalo cream. You can’t miss the risotto with saffron, stracciatella and black truffle carpaccio and the Milanese cutlet, which in this particular version is served in cubes, a clear tribute to the chef, Gualtiero Marchesi. The menu is completed with desserts that celebrate the Italian tradition including the Sicilian cannoli and the Neapolitan babà.
To say it was just a good restaurant, would be an understatement. Casa Matilda is a combination of authenticity and well-being, which combines domestic warmth with quality ingredients. So come on in, feel at home and let yourself be carried away by one of the chef’s creations.