Trattoria Milano

We were in Sacramento for the weekend and decided to drive up to Auburn and Grass Valley for some wine tasting and sight seeing. We stopped in here for dinner based on the reviews and we were not disappointed!

We started with the Caprese which was fresh and flavorful! My husband loves lasagna and it did not disappoint here! They make the pasta in house and it had layers of cheese, sauce, and meat. I had the shrimp and risotto, delicious and perfectly cooked.

We couldn't close our meal at a delightful Italian restaurant without dessert and coffee. The key lime pie and dark chocolate mousse are made in house and were amazing, capped off with real Italian coffee and espresso.

This gem wasn't expected but we were glad we stumbled on it!

We were able to get in on a Friday night without a reservation, but I recommend you make a reservation because I think we got lucky.

We really loved everything about eating here. We love the historic building which houses the restaurant, learning about the Milanese employees and Chef, and, of course, the food.

My husband had the fresh handmade pappardelle with tomato bacon cream sauce, which was exquisite. My crespelle were also very well made. The salad was flawless, the bread was wonderful, the dipping sauce was tasty, and the key lime pie for dessert is not to be missed.

Great meal! Our favorite on this trip to Nevada County.

On an evening out we saw this place across the street from our hotel. We met with some friends and gave it a shot. The host gave us a great overview of the menu and explained how to pronounce the names of certain dishes.

We wanted authentic Italian food and we got authentic Italian food. The food was not saturated in butter and oil, but instead it was light and flavorful. They don't sacrifice quality for quantity. The portioned were perfect size and the you can really taste the quality.

The venue is warm and inviting. It almost feels as if you've been incited into someone's home for dinner. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed.

Allready half way through the lobby, did I feel like I was back home in Europe. As many other times, in the cultural blending pot California is, was this night, at a for me, new restaurant, not only a cullinary sensation, but also a culture kick!

Italian food really tast very Italian when it's cooked and served by Italiens in an environment created by Italians.
A perfect restaurant for a romantic dinner or a celebration! Would have been even more romantic if the lamp by our table had had a softer light. Though the bright lamp, we will come back for more cullinary and culturall kicks at Trattoria Milano, truly Italian!

I ordered the fisherman's stew for pick up. It was fine, but what wasn't fine was the lack of attention I received from the servers, who kept switching on me and left me hanging without saying a word. I'm sure the place is doing ok in a small town but they might want to get their act together service-wise.

Man I am on the fence in whether I want to out 3 or 4 stars. This place was very cute and the waiters and hostesses were very professional, informative, and nice. There are a few reasons why I placed a 3:

I felt that being new comers we were a little less taken care of. There were a few people who when they requested for more bread it was out quicker (idk why u said quicker...we never got ours lol) and they were asked for Parmesan the instant their meal was provided. I was halfway through my meal before being asked. I felt we were more over forgettable which wasn't a nice feeling especially when my BF was trying to take me somewhere nice and quaint for dinner after a long days work.

On the positive note my meal was very good, I tried the al fruitti dish ( see below pictures) I felt it had the right amount of flavors and satisfied my seafood craving.

Again the waiter was very knowledgeable on the meals as well as what wine complimented each meal. I wouldn't mind coming here again...

We had an excellent dinner in this beautiful and surprising house! We come from France and really enjoyed the european taste of the meals (delightful lasagnas for instance, excellent tiramisu and key lime pie), delicate, not oversized, balanced, perfect! The service was also very nice and friendly, but classy too. We highly recommend!!

Made a reservation, got in earlier even though the place is packed.

Noise level is quite high, don't be supposed if you find yourself almost yelling at your company, fairly small space packed with tables, could hardly hold a conversation!

As for the food, I was initially turned off when the server stated she'd bring bread with the olive oil + basil and it never arrived. The meal itself was ok, though not as flavorful as I had hoped for.

Price - $$$ fairly pricy, wine bottle ran $32 for a $12 wine, and after leaving I was still hungry (and ate a large lunch earlier!).

Bottom line - I'm glad we tried this place out since it had opened up not long ago, but it'll be our first and last time. They have a lunch menu which has antipasta, and I tried ordering Caprese Salad (you know, mozzarella + tomatoes + olives) which was on the lunch menu, can't get it with dinner. For a place that's owned by Italians it was a bit of a shock. I will say the service was good aside from forgetting our starter bread, and the entertainment included an Italian singing a song beautifully, that I must say was pretty cool. Just doesn't outweigh the other negatives noted to want to revisit.

Been let down more than once on over cooked lamb shank and chop. Is your lamb frozen? 4th time at Milano and each time has been worse than the first. I really wanted to like this place, but looks like back to the ghetto Safeway nearby for Mac and cheese.

Most annoying part by far is the 50+ year old head waiter. Stop talking please. For the sake of everyone, stop. Why are you so frazzled on a Tuesday night? 2nd time in a row you are taking away from our experience.. We are local and want to come back but will not for a while.

Milano owners!
1. Hire another server to help.
2. Have a chat with over chatty waiter.
3. Why do we have to ask for bread?
4. Take lamb off the menu if you are going to butcher it. Seriously! "Bahhhhhhhhhhh!"

To another reviewer? It's veal. Ossobuco is veal shank, not lamb shank. Just sayin'. Maybe if you got that straight you'd be able to write a better review. Or not.

As for our experience? We had a wonderful meal. The ossobuco (which is veal) was impeccable, as was the risotto which accompanied it. I started my meal with the Bresaola, which was outstanding. And they don't skimp on the portions here. Took the waiter's wine suggestion for the Mon Ross Barbera d'Asti and it was delicious. My partner had the ravioli of the day, and the nummy noises from across the table were witness enough that he was enjoying every bite. For dessert, I had the panna cotta - heavenly - and he had the Key Lime pie. Every bite of the meal was *outstanding*.

The service was warm and welcoming, and both the head waiter and the chef were happy to chat, to answer questions, and to share their enthusiasm. Some people may find this intrusive. I find it really adds to the experience, but I'm an ambitious home cook, and have the time of my life when a chef is happy to share recipes and technique (not to mention a couple of glasses of wine that showed up on our table, "to try".) Our table was right by the coffee/bar/kitchen, and we will always want that table, even if we have to wait for it.

We recently bought a home in nearby Penn Valley, where we will eventually retire. This has definitely become our favorite restaurant in Grass Valley, and we look forward to many more wonderful meals and good times here.

Amazing food, amazing service, wonderfully Italian.