Fine Italian Bistro Dining in La Paz – Caffe Millano
The Italian restaurant Caffé Milano in La Paz offers guests an authentic dining
experience in the warmth of a well restored building dating more than a
century and located in the heart of downtown. The menu is a selection of
traditional favorites including house made pastas, prime cuts, homemade sausages
as well as fresh seafood, and organic salads, always accompanied with daily
baked bread.
I met Michele, our amphitrion, on the door of the Caffé on Esquerro #15, just before 16 de Septiembre, and one block back from the Malécon. As soon as I walked through the open portal into the restaurant I felt enveloped by the flair of a typical trattoria. Vaulted ceilings, sparkling white table settings, hand painted Mexican tile and bright artwork greeted my eyes.
The unmistakable aromas of an Italian kitchen waft through the dining room and onto the street, and a flash of blue flame from the open kitchen at the end of the restaurant marked the moment when white wine, extra virgin olive oil and garlic met in a hot pan to seer what soon would be my lunch.
Lei, Michele’s wife and head chef emerged from the kitchen, where her assistant was sorting the recent delivery of fresh Roma tomatoes for the evening’s sauces. “We only use selected ingredients in our menu offerings” Lei explains; “we believe that Italian cuisine is very simple and the freshness of the ingredients is what makes the difference”.
While
these vapors of palatable delights teased me, Lei and Michele told me the story
of how the Caffé Milano came to be in La Paz. Michele had been studying hotel
and restaurant administration in Bologna (Italy) and, as he neared completion of
his education he made a list of locations around the world that would provide
the opportunities for the lifestyle he sought. His list included Baja
California, Madagascar, the Atcama desert (Chile), Namibia and Cabo Verde
Island. Each offered a small city lifestyle while embracing a burgeoning upscale
tourist industry, but shortly after arriving in La Paz he felt embraced by the
warmth of this town and to the date, he hasn’t even visited the other potential
destinations.
Lei
left Hong Kong years ago traveling the world and experienced different cultures
through Asia, the United States and Europe. Although she had lived in Italy, it
was in La Paz where she and Michele met. The soul of the universe had brought
these two strangers from two opposite corner of the world to meet in this
magical place. With her love of cooking and Michele’s background in the travel
industry, it wasn’t long before the Caffé Milano was on the drawing board. “The
Caffé Milano opened three and a half years ago” Michele explained. “Lei created
each of our recipes from a combination of my mother’s Italian recipes and her
own experience”.
As lovely and inviting as the restaurant interior was, I was easily distracted from the décor when my lunch entrées arrived. I had selected to the grilled Wahoo in capers and garlic with grilled vegetables. Two ample Wahoo steaks were lightly seasoned with the sauce of Lei’s creation. Since discovering sushi several decades ago, I have always felt that presentation was as important to a dining experience as the flavor of the food itself. Between the wonderful aroma and excellent food styling it only took a moment for me to dive in and satisfy my pallet. The entire dining experience was very satisfying.
The building
which houses the Caffé Milano cements the cultural blend which Lei and Michele
have created. The now large, open dining room was once the living quarters and
courtyard of one of the earliest large
homes
in La Paz. In the remodeling process great effort was taken to maintain that
original homey environment. Lei explain, “When we peeled the plywood off the
walls and got down to the original tile flooring we found that feeling of being
“at home” was still here.” The rough masonry walls bring texture to the European
bistro colors and the vaulted ceilings and subtle lighting make the dining room
a very pleasant retreat, just off the busy side street. The stone countertop in
the washroom is from the original construction and care was taken to match the
original hand painted tile work on the restaurant floor.
The
Caffé Milano is located in Downtown La Paz one block up from the Malécon near
the bandstand plaza. They are open from 12:30 to 11:00 Monday to Saturday and
can seat between 60-80 for diner or special event.
They offer a full bar and a wide selection of fine wines. Traditional Italian desserts and coffee beverages are available. Entrees include traditional Italian pasta offerings as well as fresh seafood and prime meats. Entrees range in price from 60 to 200 pesos.
You will find the wait staff is well trained and very courteous and both Michele and Lei and multilingual far beyond the needs of their English and Spanish speaking guests.
Reservations are encouraged for their busiest nights – Thursday through Saturday or for large groups
Contact Information for Caffe Milano in La Paz.
Click here for a map for Caffé Milano in La Paz
Esquerro 15, Col. Centro, La Paz, B.C.S.
011-52-612-125-9981
Click here to email Caffé Milano for additional information