MONZA

Food & Wine:

The pleasures of eating in old Milan were illustrated by Giuseppe Arcimboldo, a painter who used foods to create human likenesses. In Italy's rice capital the saffron-tinted risotto alla milanese is served with ossobuco (braised veal shank). The city's soups include robust minestrone and busecca (based on tripe). Noted meat dishes are costoletta alla milanese (breaded veal cutlet), casoeula (pork stew),  and mondeghili (meat croquettes). Milan is known for fine-grained pork salame, that was traditionally made in the city, as well as in the nearby Brianza hills, where it rates a DOP. Panettone, a fluffy fruit cake, is a national Christmas institution.

Como's Alpine lake supplies prized persico (perch), tiny fish called alborelle, which are fried and eaten whole, and agoni, dried and preserved with bay leaf as missultitt, eaten like sardines. Other delicacies are fitascetta (pastry with red onions), polenta vuncia (with garlic, butter and Grana Padano) and miascia (bread pudding with apples, pears, raisins and rosemary).

In the Taleggio valley near Bergamo the finest cheese of the name is ripened in caves. Formai de Mut dell'Alta Val Brembana comes from the Alpine valley north of Bergamo.

Rice competes with pasta for first place on the table in this fog-enshrouded region, and often wins: it is cooked with tender spring asparagus or sweet water shrimp, tinted gold by saffron, perfumed by rosemary or sage. Lombardy relies on butter rather than olive oil, and cream is frequently on hand to make rich, sumptuous sauces. There are tortelli di zucca, squash-filled tortelli, and Brescia's casônsei, ravioli filled with sausages, potatoes, Swiss chard, and herbs. A pasta called pizzoccheri, made of buckwheat flour, is layered with cabbage, potatoes, and cheese.

Wine:

Wine does not rank high on the list of Lombardy's numerous industries. The citizens of this most populous and well-to-do region are better noted as consumers than producers of wine. Still, even though output is much less than that of neighboring Veneto, Emilia-Romagna and Piedmont, Lombardians do make some fine wine, a growing share of which is truly excellent.

Lombardy boasts some highly favorable places for vines in a region where the Alpine climate is tempered by the lakes of Garda, Iseo, Como and Maggiore in the north, and the Apennines to the south.

The region's most productive zone, Oltrepo Pavese, also ranks as the most anonymous, since much of its wine is sold in bulk to restaurants in Milan, Genoa and other cities.

Lombardy's most admired wines of the moment are from Franciacorta. Terre di Franciacorta DOC applies to a sturdy red from Cabernet, Barbera and Nebbiolo, as well as to white wines from Pinot Bianco and Chardonnay. But Franciacorta's reputation has been built on the outstanding bottle-fermented sparkling wines fashioned by estates.

Nearly a third of Italy's bottle-fermented sparkling wine is produced in the Brescia area, but only wines from select vineyards in the zone qualify as Franciacorta DOCG.

Restaurants:

The Italian government enacted a smoking ban in all public indoor spaces in January 2005, which means it is illegal to smoke in restaurants, bars and workplaces that don't have a separate 'sealed' smoking area. Offenders could be fined up to E2,000.

Monza:

Ristorante Derby Grill
Hotel De La Ville
Viale Regina Margherita, 15
Tel: 39 039 382581 
Fax: 39 039 367647 
Email: reservation@hoteldelaville.com 
Great dining in the "Derby Grill": haute cuisine including local Brianza and international dishes, is presented and served in impeccable style.

Ristorante Gigi
Piazza Citterio
Tel: 39 039 386168

Ristorante alle Grazie
Via Lecco, 84
Tel: 39 039 387903

Ristorante Prater
Piazza S.Paolo, 3
Tel: 39 039 323864

Ristorante St.George Premier
di Monza
Tel: 39 039 320600

Ristorante Treppiede
Viale Lombardia, 2
Tel: 39 039 360265

Milan:

Il Milanese Curioso Restaurant
Sheraton Diana Majestic
Viale Piave, 42
Tel: 39 02 20581
Fax: 39 02 20582058
Elegant restaurant serving Mediterranean fare in an atmosphere of casual sophistication.

Il Teatro
Four Seasons HotelVia Gesu, 6/8
Tel: 39 (02) 77088
Fax: 39 (02) 7708 5000
Il Teatro has been consistenly ranked among the city's top five restaurants during the past few years. The Executive Chef, Sergio Mei, was named the Italian Cook of the Year in 1998. There is a newly created gourmet menu everyday.

Solferino
2 Via Castelfidardo
Tel: 39 02 29005748
The restaurant has a great atmosphere and educated, tasteful Milanese guests.

Bulgari Hotel
Via Privata Fratelli Gabba 7b
Tel: 39 02 805 8051
Fax: 39 02 805 805 222
Website: www.bulgarihotels.com

Posto di Conversazione
Alzaia Naviglio Grande 6
Tel: 39 02 58 10 6646
This restaurant is one of many on the edge of the Navigli canal, which is a lively area in the evenings. The menu offers interesting traditional cuisine, including veal cutlets and a delicious chestnut crème brulée.

Savini
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Tel: 39 02 72003433
Website: http://www.savini.thi.it
As much a city landmark as La Scala, the famous opera house nearby, this well-established restaurant is considered to be the city's finest. Stylish décor and period furnishings create sophisticated surroundings that, combined with impeccable service, make this the perfect dining experience.

Papermoon
Via Bagutta 1,
Tel:  39 027 602 2297
Wonderful location in the centre of Milan, there's plenty of action when the fashion crowd come in after theatre, and a great atmosphere. It's on two levels, modern and brightly lit, with black and white photos of famous guests on the walls. The cuisine is relaxed.

Di Gennaro
Via Santa Radegonda, 14
Tel: 39 028053454

Bice
Via Borgospesso, 12
Tel: 39 0276002572
Website: http://www.bicemilano.it/

Ristorante Il Torchietto
Via A. Sforza 47
Tel: 39 02 83 72000
Email: info@iltorchietto.com

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