Milan, however, is a city that many had long warned me against bothering with, brushing it off for being not as charming as other parts of Italy, or calling the culture cold,
work-obsessed, and cosmopolitan without character.
Beyond the occasional mention of their risotto alla Milanese—the city's signature dish—some osso buco, and panettone, I hadn't heard much about the cuisine, even from friends in the food industry.
While I had visited Milan once in college, mostly I just remember seeing the ornate, Gothic façade of the Duomo and getting some good street food at night with friends after the bars closed.
