I like to say my in-laws are the luckiest people in the world. I very, very rarely have bad dining experiences with them. They have amazing luck when it comes to just picking the best restaurant on any street. Il Sorrentino was a restaurant very near the Eiffel Tower that opened right at 7:00. It was true Italian. The cursive signage was hard to read and for most of the meal we thought it was "Il Torentino."

We were greeted by 8 individual garlic toasts with bruschetta topping that was absolutely amazing. But then, I'm a sucker for most any bruschetta. Paul and Larry ordered a Pizza Margheritta (which they shared with their wives). The coolest thing about the pizza was the chili oil present at the table. I have come to assume this addition will be present at any quality pizza joint in Paris. The strength is differing, but the flavor is exciting. I hope to find a recipe to make some of my own. I had a salad with two varieties of rocket/arugula, including a narrower one with a sharper flavor than what we grow in our herb garden, dressed with a great balsamic vinegar and olive oil. My folks shared a salad and some amazing cheese ravioli. Paul's Mom and Gigi had a zucchini parmesan that was on the menu as an appetizer, but was a good size for an entree with a salad. And Paul's dad had the ravioli. Everyone was raving about how wonderful and authentic it tasted. Paul said his pizza was one of the best ever, and the ravioli pasta tasted freshly made from pasta to sauce.

Any time a couple ordered a dish to be shared, the kitchen would split the portion onto two plates so the couple would not have to cross over or switch plates. Paul and I like to do that. We order two items and trade plates when each of us has eaten half.

Paul's folks ordered a tiramisu for dessert, which came in a bowl like pudding, that they say was one of the best ever in comparison to one they had in Siena, Italy, once that they compare every other tiramisu to. Mom and Dad shared a beautiful chocolate cake, and Gigi had ricotta napoletana (like a cheesecake).

Il Sorrentino comes highly recommended by all of us who know and believe in true Italian dining. The staff was very kind and gracious (and English-speaking, but I'm sure they were glad to see us go. In the process of dining, we noticed that they were catering a party that Saturday night and watched the parade of boxes of food walk by our table. A few of us had seen the open boxes in the kitchen as we made our way to the WC to wash our hands. Even the to-go menu looked wonderful, traditional, and tasty.

Cost for Dinner for 8

Remember, the cost of the meal was in euros at an exchange rate of $1.26. We picked a good time to travel!

• 19,00 Zucchini Parmigiana (x2)
• 28,50 Rucola Salad (x3)
• 22,00 Tomato Ravioli (x2)
• 23,00 Pizza Margherita (x2)
• 4,00 Limonade
• 7,00 Tiramisu
• 6,50 Chocolate Tart
• 8,00 Ricotta Napoletana
• 118,00 Total

Sales tax is added to the cost of the meal, but to make sure you know about it, restaurants mention the percentage and amount on the sales receipt. Our tax was 19,34 euros.

For details about the rest of our exciting day, including our two experiences with pickpockets, read PARIS-Day Two.