Fred

New York City is full of restaurants with a variety of food ranging from Indian, to Italian, to French, to Mexican, and the list goes on. You name it, you can find it. However, food isn’t the only aspect of the dining out experience. In a big city, it is pretty easy to spend lots of money for bad service. Scaletta Ristorante, located on 50 West 77th street, is the complete package of fine dining and great service. Conveniently located right next door to my apartment, this small underground Italian restaurant is more than just a great place to eat. As my family and I eat regularly at Scaletta, the staff now recognizes us as part of the neighborhood.

Walking down the steps into the restaurant is the beginning of the experience. The restaurants that are harder to find always turn out to surprise you. Immediately after opening the doors, you are greeted by the owner, Fred. Fred is a tall, thin man with a strong Italian accent. He is always dressed in either a black or navy suit and his balding hair is always perfectly placed a top his head. His voice is one that I have never heard before. A soft thick Italian accent greets me as he says, “Hi! How are you?” and kisses both my checks. His big grin and giddy tone make it impossible not to smile. At first I thought he was just an old restaurant owner. However, as our weekly visits became known, Fred and I learned we shared the same passion. Fred and I both have a passion for soccer. I found out that Fred’s restaurant has not been his only job. When Fred was younger, he played professional soccer. He wasn’t just good, but he was good enough to play on the same team as the legendary Brazilian soccer player Pele. Fred also played defense, the same position I do. He always asks me how my team is doing or how my games are going. He always wants to hear of good games I’ve played or discuss poor calls made by the referees. Fred showed me with such pride a black and white picture of his team by the bar, and his soccer stories and my soccer stories have led us to develop a strong friendship. As Fred and I got to know each other every Sunday, I began to feel like the restaurant employees were my family. Walking down the granite steps and pushing through the doors to see Fred’s big smile began to feel like I was greeting my grandfather for a family dinner, not a restaurant owner.

New York City is a big city. The idea of living in a neighborhood is hard to imagine when the thought of sparkling lights in Times Square or fancy boutiques on Madison Avenue come to mind. However, on the Upper West Side, in a small hole in the wall restaurant, Scaletta, I feel like I am part of a neighborhood.