Where They Ate: Authors, Eaters, and Food and Travel Writers Tell Their Favorite Eating Experiences of 2010 {Gadling}

Dec 19th 2010 3:54PM My best meal was in San Francisco I was back visiting friends. I decided to go to north beach. I went to a tiny little hole in the wall Italian pasta house. The owner was an elderly Italian woman. I ordered a simple dish of pasta pomodoro. She had an open kitchen. I watched her make fresh pasta dough. Run it through a pasta machine. Watched her make the sauce from beautiful heirloom tomatoes. It was a bit of a wait. Yet the huge bowl of fresh pasta. Was just stunning. It cost a mere $4. Was a huge portion. Perfection in simplicity. I wanted to hug her. She made me think of my long dead grandmother and her wonderful meals. I think that the true essence of any good meal is one done in a humble manner. It was like tasting love.