When I think of a classic New York Italian restaurant, I think of something identical to Coppola's. With a wood-burning stove in the back and a cozy, warm interior, the restaurant exudes old world charm. It is, in fact, one of the older restaurants on the block: Salvatore Coppola, the owner and chef, opened the restaurant in 1986. Though born in the States, his upbringing was steeped in Italian culture and cuisine from his Naples-born parents. And it is his family's recipes that Salvatore used to build the restaurant's menu. Coppola's won a 5 Star Diamond Award in 1997, an event which was followed a year later by the opening of an East side location, a slightly more upscale version of the original.
I spoke with Marian, the General Manager and Sal's partner, who has been with him since 1996. He helped open the East Side location and has become a fixture in both restaurants. He knows his customers well, and told me that at least half of the diners at any given time are regulars. He added, however, that because the neighborhood is changing and rents are getting steeper, sadly many familiar faces have had to move away. Marian then brightened up to tell me that one woman who works on 70th street orders the Eggplant Parmesan from Coppola's to be delivered to her almost everyday.
Marian has the utmost respect for Sal. "He's always improving himself," he said, adding that Sal travels to Italy frequently for research purposes. "He's a smart guy," he noted. Marian started as a food runner at Coppola's. He had been a waiter and a cook in his native Romania before moving to New York in 1986. Today, Marian is in charge of everything, from scheduling the employees to putting together the wine list - he is, himself, a collector of fine wine. Even after all these years, Marian regularly eats at his own restaurant. Like his customer on 70th Street, his favorite dish is the Eggplant Parmesan. "I can eat that seven days a week," he said with a smile. "It's better than the steak for me."
Marian had the kitchen prepare a couple dishes for the Manhattan Sideways team to photograph. In the meantime, we sampled the fresh rosemary focaccia that is warmed in the wood-burning oven and placed on each table at the start of the meal. The kitchen brought out a beef carpaccio, pink and garnished with lemon, and a full lobster, glistening amongst a feast of other seafood.
Before we left, Marian shared with me that his eleven-year-old son often comes to work with him when he does not have school. The boy says that he wants to be in the restaurant business. Proudly, Marian told me how his son could even train the employees on how to answer the phone, since he has been doing it for quite some time.
