Another terrific dining spot—also a great bar scene—next to La Scala and around the corner from my hotel in Milan was the Trussardi Cafe, downstairs from the more formal Michelin spot.
Airy and accessible, the Cafe was always open for espresso, wine and meals—small and large.
One lunch there was memorable for its lovely creation involving halibut on a bed of shaved asparagus, with a luscious asparagus puree over the top.
As beautiful as any of the dishes was the basket of bread (above) that arrived along with my balloon of dark Sicilian wine. Housemade crackers, two or three varieties, a soft white roll and crunchy breadsticks all made waiting for the main course a lovely event all unto itself.
Italy just owns style, and more than that: no meal is presented with anything less than pride and a sense of artistic flair.
It’s true. From the most humble trattoria to the Michelin-starred establishments, pride and extraordinary style. In Puglia, the pride quotient is almost over the top, but it’s provided us with some amazing experiences because our Pugliese hosts don’t want to cheat us out of anything, ever. And you know what they say about the Milanese: “Ogni vero Milanese ha un nonno Pugliese” (Every true Milanese has a Puglese grandfather).