And yet, two of my all-time favorite dining experiences fall into the Italian category. Whether the opportunity and availability dictated this, or the pure comfort that arises from a bite of fresh bread immersed in olive oil washed down with a mellow white aged in ancient stone barrels, were the cause of this, I know not. But when I think about the best meals I’ve ever eaten, my mind goes to two places simultaneously- Il Pirata (the Pirate) in Vernazza, Italy and A16, in San Francisco, California. … More The Best Meal I Ever Ate: Italy