By Brian McCurdy
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| front of restaurant |
Dalesandro's was established in 1990 by Buzz Dalesandro. He
had just lost his job, he put his savings together and borrowed $10,000 from a friend
and opened a tiny Italian lunch spot downtown Tulsa at 6th and Main.
About seven years ago his son Sonny took over the majority ownership and now runs
the show at the current location 18th and Boston.
During my time spent with Sonny it was clear that the
restaurant was not a business to him, it was his family. The bartender, the
hostess, the chef and even the dishwasher were all in good spirits when Sonny
was around. One reason for this is because Sonny does not sit in his office while
everyone works for him. Sonny was on the floor greeting the regulars as they
came in with his friendly smile. He was in the back helping prepare the plates
and clean the dishes. He even showed off his bartending skills and made me a
delicious cocktail while we chatted.
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| Sonny vs Saul |
“Sonny is not just my boss, he truly is my friend first," said
the bartender, Saul. Saul has worked with Sonny for over five years. “Saul is one of the biggest reasons people
come in for dinner,” Sonny told me. Saul
was quick to greet a couple that sat next to me at the bar and without even
asking, he poured their regular drink and put in their order. The couple and
Saul chatted as if they were all out to dinner together.
Angie, the head waitress, has also worked at Dalesandro's for
over five years. She echoed the same thing as Saul. “Sonny is weirdly like a
combination of my boss, my dad, my brother and my worst enemy,” she said. "He
really does make work enjoyable for us all."
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| numerous awards over the years |
Sonny takes pride in the family atmosphere his restaurant
provides for the patrons. “Quality and consistency
are the staples my father taught me the most,” he said. Pair those two with hard work and good recipes and you have one of Tulsa’s best Italian
restaurants.
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