Siena Restaurants

I am about to tell you about my favorite restaurant in all the world.

My first experience with Fori Porta was on a rainy Sunday afternoon. My travel partner, Janet, and I blew into Siena with a thunder storm. After finally catching a taxi to our hotel, we got a recommendation from our host to this place, "about 100 meters down the road".

By the time we got there, borrowed umbrellas aside, we were pretty darn drenched. We were seated by Paolo, who I suspected wondered if he really wanted us in the place! But how wrong I was! Paolo came back to our table with a bottle of wine which he plunked down in front of us (we had not ordered anything yet) with three glasses. Then he took Janet by the arm and off he went with her, leaving me to work on my first glass of marvelous red wine.

A little while later they returned, Janet having been blown dried and comfortable by Paolo in the back with a handy hair dryer! Janet and I tried to peruse the menu but Paolo convinced us to give them up, and just let him bring us food.

Oh and what food he brought! A starter of four delicious regional specialties had us convinced we had not made a mistake. Something done with white beans, a spot of tuna somehow blended with other things, fresh home made ravioli..... And every chance he got, Paolo would sit in the third chair he had pulled up and drink from that third glass.

I honestly don't remember what I ate that day. I just remember thinking I had died and gone to heaven. Each course (and they kept coming) was better and better. Finally Janet sat back looking like she would never ever put another bite in her mouth and then came the tiramisu. I swear she was licking her plate!

And Paolo did not let up with the wine; red, white, grappa, lemoncello..... I thought perhaps we might just have to live at that table for the rest of our lives.

Paolo was completely charming and took a photo of the three of us. We finally did leave the table. But we returned for dinner again while we were in Siena. It was just as good and again I suspected we may never get to leave.

Fast forward two years. Janet and I took a day trip to Siena from Florence. We were intent on having lunch at Fori Porto. It was a scalding hot day and we finally trekked all the way across the town to Porto Romano and down the hill. It seemed a lot farther than 100 meters this time. We were seated by a very formal elderly man who gave us a menu. After a few minutes, Paolo walked by. He stopped and did a double take. Holding up a finger as if to say "uno momento" he disappeared, returning with a photo album. And wouldn't you just know he would leaf through the album until he found that photo of the three of us!

Put down your menu and let Paolo order for you. The home made pasta will melt in your mouth. The regional specialties are so good and probably not something you'd know enough about to try to order!

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