André Mifano goes back to his roots in his new restaurant, Donna

A small house in the Jardins neighborhood, in São Paulo, was chosen by the chef André Mifano for your new restaurant, lady. For the late Vito fans, Italian restaurant of which André was in charge between 2008 and 2015, and which literally put a spotlight on the chef’s culinary skills, the new venture brings many references and dishes that were successful at that time.

Donna’s kitchen, defined by him as Italian-Paulista, revisits some classics, but goes a step further: it brings all the chef’s personal baggage, acquired in these 25 years of profession. “I revisit classic Italian cuisine by applying processes, taking care of the ingredients and treating them with care”, summarizes Mifano.

The menu is short and irreverent, just like André himself. A simple pork belly arrives at the table full of personality accompanied by a watermelon, radish, cucumber and mint salad (R$ 88) and turns into a mix of flavors with the sour of the radish, the sweet of the watermelon and crunch and the salty of pork belly.

There is only one option of risotto and, of course, it would not be something basic, like you would find in any Italian restaurant. Mifano has created a braised pork knuckle risotto that evokes the times of Vito, but this time it’s been repackaged with mini toasted corn, parsley, fresh oregano, glace sauce, saba (grape reduction with truffle) and pururuca (R$). 78).

Different? Well, order without fear – it’s surprising and one of those dishes that you don’t want to stop eating. As well as the famous fettuccine with traditional bolognese ragu, made without tomato sauce (R$58), which was Vito’s big star, and other pastas such as spaghetti carbonara (R$52), lobster ravioli, chicken broth and ikura (R$130), or the ravioli with jerked beef and cream cheese, pumpkin sauce and honey (R$74).