Our one night in Milan was a Thursday, and since our hotel was located only two blocks from one of the main shopping streets, we figured there would be plenty of action in our neighborhood. Luckily, I'd read about Osteria del Treno in my Let's Go guide, and we headed there since it was close by. I was glad we'd had the reference, since it seemed like everything was pretty dead quiet! It took us a little while to find the restaurant, since the streets were pretty dark, and at first it seemed like it must be closed as well. We walked into an empty dining room, but after a minute, our hostess came out and guided us to the back, where a half-dozen tables were arranged on a quaint open-air patio/garden. It was definitely unique, and we easily forgot that we were in the middle of a busy, noisy, smelly city.
There were a few other couples there, but they seemed to be locals. Our hostess spoke little English, but a younger male waiter was nearly fluent and helped answer our questions. Both of them were very friendly, and we eagerly ordered wine and our primi course. All the food was very good and radiated that homemade taste that makes most Italian restaurants so fabulous. Erik had pesto pasta, which was a bit oilier than what we'd had on the coast, and my cheese pasta was tasty and filling, despite the fairly small portion. For secondis, I had the duck to switch things up a bit (I'm usually a chicken or steak girl), and the best aspect of it was the plummy sauce. Erik ordered a steak dish, which was tasty and more substantial. We were too full for dessert, but we definitely enjoyed the red wine we'd ordered off the impressive wine list.
Overall, the highlight of the restaurant was definitely the ambience--quiet, outdoors, and exuding a local feeling without being intimidating for foreigners. I'd certainly recommend it for a couple or small group looking to get away from the bustle of the city. Just be patient in locating it as it's not incredibly obvious. (Osteria del Treno is located near the Piazza della Repubblica, off of Via Vittorio Pisani and close to the Stazione Centrale.)