After arriving to Milan (or Milano as they say here) 4 hours later than expected, I trekked around quickly by foot then stumbled upon “Obika: the Mozzarella bar” which my friend Yasmina mentioned since I told her my love of mozzarella in Italy so far. We really had no idea where to eat since our meeting was so sporadic but it was pretty late on a monday night when everything seemed to be closed, and we were in the neighborhood craving to eat, so we went here…which turned out to be an amazing simple choice.
more pics after the jump…
Here’s the entrance to Obika the Mozzarella bar….I’d never think of coming here as a visitor as it seemed somewhat like a chain, but my friend Yasmina had been here before and I gave her my rant about going to the TASTE conference in Florence and how the Buffalo Mozzarella blew me away, hence, she brought me here late into the night…luckily they were open late…sometime around 9:30pm on a monday when everything else seemed closed.
Inside was very modern, with a dark wooden wall stacked high in proud wines, a delicate glass-lit bar showcasing varieties of mozzarella in separate tanks of water along with a sampling of greens, and a simple yet sleek set of tables surrounded by somewhat modern simple furniture elements. The staff was friendly, swift, and kind. I just came from Florence, where everything was traditional, homey, and rustic…so this felt fresh, modern, and a bit city like.
Here’s the menu if you want to take a look at the pages…they also had an entire menu on wines, but I did not get a picture of that menu though I did have wine, like every single other meal in Italy. I had a hard time figuring out what was what….but I enjoyed that for some odd reason….it made things taste better I guess.
The paper place mats displayed the various regions Obika gathered their food from. I think the buffalo mozzarella is in that dark region..I need to move there…
To start off the meal, I ordered the famous buffalo mozzarella with a sampling of meats along with some fresh tomatoes and a simple salad on the side. To be exact, this dish was on page 1 under “Mozzarella Bar”, as “Selezione di Specialita Obika: Crudo di Laonghirano, Capocolla Umbro, Cinto Sense, Moradella di Prato.”
It was delicious, especially the 2nd one to the left, which I think was the Salame di Cinto Sense. It was fabulous! I finished up this fresh plate of meats and cheese fast!!!! A small piece of Mozzarella wrapped with one of the thinly sliced meats just rocked! Ooooo so goood.
Yasmina had the same plate but just with the the Moradella di Prato (Prosciutto). She was going to get what I had, but she let me get it instead. 😉
Next came the main course. I ordered the Schiaffoni alla Sorrentina which was recommended by the waiter upon my asking. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but this Pasta was perfectly cooked al dente (firm, tender, and just the right amount of bite). This was delicious! Unbelievable…I don’t think I’ve ever had pasta like this before…I’m use to the typical watered down, inflated, soft, pasta in america. This pasta actually tasted like food, not pasta…You actually enjoyed chewing on it!…and above the perfect pasta, was the simple fresh tomato sauce along with a pinch of herbs and a strong but elegant melting cheese. Yuuuuuuummmm. I’d get this again anytime….I did however learn later on that this kind of pasta expands quickly in your stomach and you get mega full.
Yasmina had, I think, the Sartu Riso which seemed very simple on the outside, but contained tons of flavor on the inside which also had another sauce or cheese.
Finally came the dessert sampling…I was mega full and couldn’t finish this plate, but it was very nice, though a bit heavy for my tate. On the menu this plate, page 2, was under DOLCI: Degustazione di dolci: Crema di Ricotta, Torta Caprese, and Tiramisu. I’m more of a light sorbet person and this was just bit much for me..I didnt finish mine…I had half of each…we also had a sampling of gelato right before coming here which was incredible…my first in italy…I had pistachio and mango gelato which I devoured quickly…very good!
Finally…the espresso….the ending to any meal in Italy…the finishing touches to happy tummies….this was the first time however that I recognized the brand Illy. Yasmina mentioned this brand being just ok, and not the best around Italy…. Florence coffee was supreme, and yup, my tongue was spoiled by that Florence luxury. Otherwise, coffee in Italy is always petite, hot, and a bit burnt, but tasty.