N'ombra de Vin Milan: Milan, Italy

Date:  8 decembre 2010

Location:  Via San Marco, 2
20121 Milan, Italy
http://www.nombradevin.it/chi_siamo.asp?lan=IT

This is the perfect spot for a wine afficionado!  You enter into a small cafe resembling that of a French Bistro.  Then, you are taken down a flight of stairs on the right leading directly into the main dining hall - which is also a huge wine shop area.  This was once the dining hall of Augustinina friars (they knew how to live, apparently).  The space is absolutely warm and inviting.  I couldn't wait to sit down and have my very first dinner in Milan! 

You'll love their communal dining approach wihch simply furthers the "at home" feel of this dining room - a welcome invitation coming in from the cold of snowy winter Milan night.  This is a very cozy and romantic place, perfect for an intimate date or best friends reuniting. 

Beautiful wine list!  Always starting with bubbly in the local country, hence Prosecco tonight!  Onwards to a white from Lebanon, a red Cavalli, and another red (I will updated this blog soon as I find the menu!).  They serve delicious Jamon and truffle, and beautiful cheese plate served with truffle honey (marvelous). 

Unforunately I did not get to spend enough time in this place to research its Italian wines. However, I do know that its wine shop (dining room) has dedicated years to its search for high-quality wines, achieving an extensive range of labels of rare prestige.

A MUST TRY for first timers to Milan, lovers, and best friends!!

Panini Giusto: Milan, Italy

First eating experience in MILAN!  Thanks to the coolest Jcat who performed much due diligence prior to landing, we knew exactly where to catch a perfect FIRST BITE in our Milanese eating experience!  Having just touched down 8am local time (red eye flight from JFK and Frankfurt), we drove into Milan, checked into our swanky boutique hotel, got ourselves unpacked and situated, quickly caught up on work emails.. then off to noon lunch for a brief getaway in between more international conference calls (buzz kill!! but we are troopers and keepin it cool in between!).... yeaah cuz, we are just international cool kidz like that!

Bank holiday today in Milan, streets calm and empty.  Love the smell of moisture, drizzling rain, fog in the air.  Gray is what we see, and it's still so sexy cool.  I love Europe....  Soledad feels at home here! 

Very cute cafe.  Delicious house aged parma ham panini.  Savory tasting and fresh ingredients.  Rocket in Europe has such a distinctive taste!  Crunchy, characteristic tinge of bitterness, a litte sweet at the same time.  Ahhh and the TARTUFO PANINI Jcat ordered consisted of house parma ham seasoned in langhirino 24mo, brie cheese, tomato, arugula, TRUFFLE OIL... MMmmmmmMmMm!!!!!!  Sole's RE SOLE PANINI consisted of house parma ham seasoned in langhirino 24mo, mozzarella cheese, arugula, basil, arthichokes cream.  Paired with a sip of noon Prosecco... and finally un cafe to top it off! 

Jcat et Sole = GRAND CRU to the max, here to represent in MILANO!  Adventure just beginning... more to come in upcoming days!