Sorrento's Dining Bliss: Zi'Ntonio Restaurant Slideshow

Destination: Sorrento

After trodding many miles and several hours down perilous Italian roads through Seiano, Meta, Piano, and S. Agnello, we arrive in the visual magic of Sorrento.

On the Road to Sorrento

We walk on the narrow sidewalks down a hill, stopping to gaze at the landscape across the blue water as maniacal scooters, cars, and buses whoosh past.

Sorrento

In Sorrento, Italy, a hotel sits on the side of a hill above the Gulf of Naples with views of the city and Capri to the left, Ischia in front, and Mt. Vesuvius to the right.

Zi’Ntonio ristorante and pizzeria

What we find is a "ristobar" with an interior as colorful and softly lighted as a cathedral.

Dining Bliss

Chandeliers of hams hang from the ceiling of the three-floored Zi'Ntonio ristorante and pizzeria.

Let the Meal Begin

Our meal, shared by the three of us with a bottle of Chianti Castiglioni and a bottle of Morellino di Scansano, begins with impossibly thin and succulent prosciutto treccia and lightly fried calamari and shrimp, fresh from the Gulf of Naples.

Main Course

The main courses include a just-caught grilled fish fillet with extra-virgin olive oil and lemon; veal escalope in white wine sauce; and chicken breast Milan-style that is moist with a crispy outside.

Dessert

Dinner is punctuated with a soft, rich, and tart lemon cake for dessert.

The Grand Finale

Leaving and walking through the purlieus of Sorrento, I think to myself, Zi'Ntonio is a memorable feast. It is the culinary rhythm of Sorrento, a hymn to Italian food with its grandeur and simplicity.