...The Milan branch of Obikà (Via Mercato, www.obika.it), a rapidly expanding chain of hip mozzarella bars, where chefs sliced the cheese into small pieces and set them out on a buffet.
Then I came along, in the midst of a frugal-themed visit to the city. A sampling of the mozzarella revealed that it was rich, creamy, briny — and free. And the complimentary goodies didn’t end there. In the rare moments when I wasn’t stuffing myself with fresh mozzarella, I consumed its smoked cousin, a kind of ratatouille, and a dense lasagna-like mound of pasta, all also free. Honestly, I’d have felt guilty about eating all the buffalo mozzarella I wanted, if I hadn’t been in a roomful of people doing the exact same thing.
But that’s just how it goes when you have aperitivi in Milan. Loosely translated as cocktail, aperitivo carries an additional meaning there and through much of Northern Italy: At restaurants all over the city, for the price of a single drink, you get unlimited access to a regularly replenished buffet of fresh food. O.K., so it’s not technically absolutely free — a for-pay drink is required — but for frugal travelers, it’s about the best meal deal in Italy.
Great Milan Venue for Food, Read the ful article in The New York Times
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