Aug 1, 2024 - Food and Drink
My Argentinian mom tried MilaMessi – Miami's homage to Messi's favorite meal
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My mother Gloria can't believe her eyes. Photo: Martin Vassolo/Axios
I took my wonderful mother Gloria to try the MilaMessi – a breaded-steak dish inspired by Lionel Messi's favorite meal growing up in Argentina.
- The classic milanesa napolitana is an homage to the recipe that Messi's mom, Celia Cuccittini, used to feed the world's best soccer player.
State of plate: The MilaMessi is served at the Amalfi Llama in Aventura, which counts the Messi family among its investors, per a spokesperson.
- The $48 dish features a deep-fried, panko-crusted beef filet topped with pomodoro sauce and gratinated brie. It comes with fries.
- It is "an imitation of the original recipe" shared by Messi's family, the spokesperson tells Axios.
🇦🇷 Gloria's thoughts: "Perfectamente Argentino," she told me.
- My Argentinian mother, who cooks amazing milanesa herself, said she personally prefers to bake her milanesa, but the MilaMessi was so tender and made with such high-grade beef that it didn't even taste fried.
- She usually uses mozzarella, but the brie elevates it more, she says.
- The sauce is semi-sweet and not too overpowering. And the fries are "spectacular."
Yes, but: The MilaMessi was as big as her head, so she asked for a box and gave the leftovers to my little sister.
🤔 The verdict: Who makes the better milanesa — Celia or Gloria?
- I will vote Gloria every day of the week but my mom took a more diplomatic approach.
- "They're different."