Benny is right

I was talking to Benny Teresi, chef/owner of Tutto Giorno on Murray Hill in Little Italy this evening, after a wonderfully satisfying meal of Chicken Vesuvio (think rosemary, butter, garlic and white wine sauce) and house salad with excellent mango dressing about why he buys coffee from us.

"It's like I told you when you first called on me, Sarah", Benny says, "Coffee is important. Great coffee and dessert are the last thing people taste before they walk out the door. I figure after the food, if I can get them to try the coffee and Ron Seballos' pastry, they're gonna be hooked. They're going to come back." (I couldn't have said it better myself.)

Benny is such a sweetheart. He's a great customer. He runs an excellent business. He understands the concept of running a quality-oriented establishment. He is proud of what he serves and how he serves it. He works hard and he is going to be successful, sooner or later, in a big way. He has all the right qualities.

Benny spent some time in Chicago, so he is familiar with the restaurant scene there. He feels that the restaurant community there is more supportive of each other and more creative than the community here.

Tutto Giorno is off the beaten track of Little Italy. But it is worth finding. You'll love the colors and the decor, it's as creative as Benny's food. And he gets lots of compliments on his coffee.