"Located in Boston's North End, this warm, old-school Italian-American dining room became the author's after-school ritual and emotional refuge. The pesto alfredo—made with homemade fettuccine, a garlicky, basil-laced cream sauce, broccoli, and massive chicken cutlets larger than the author's hand—was a defining comfort dish, and the kind, unbothered service let the author linger with books and friends. Over time the place grew into a space of community and belonging where the author imagined family and home." - ByCleopatra Zuli