Claudio...
Think you could take off...
your glasses for me?
Sorry to keep you waiting.
Here is tonight's dolce.
How did you know that today was my birthday?
I heard it from a customer here, one year ago today.
I remember it was raining that night.
You were with some close friends, Madam.
You remembered that?
I'm glad it's not raining this year.
Happy birthday.
Thank you.
Another year has come and gone, it seems.
Indeed it has. You're welcome to stop by anytime.
This mysterious restaurant is on a road just a little ways from the center of Rome.
Oh, if that's the place you're looking for,
just take a left at that corner and it's right up the street.
Grazie.
Do you have a reservation?
It's a popular spot, so you probably won't get seated without one.
Good luck.
It's really that popular?
Ristorante casetta dell'orso...
This is it.
Buonasera.
Do you have a reservation?
No, I don't.
I'm afraid we're entirely booked tonight...
Umm...
Is the owner in?
He should be here any minute.
Forgive me, but who might you be?
Well... I'm the daughter of an acquaintance of his!
In that case, please have a seat and wait over here.
Grazie.
Allow me to take your coat.
Excuse me.
Grazie.
Is this your first time in Rome?
My first since I was a little girl.
I was actually born here.
Fantastic.
I really came here.
For you.
My, he looks so kind.
Grazie.
They're all older men with spectacles...
What kind of restaurant is this?
Owner!
You have a guest waiting for you.
Oh?
Who might it be?
What the hell are you doing here?!
I have something to tell the owner - your husband.
About the fact you're really a divorcee with a twenty-one year old daughter.
Oh no, you don't! No way!
I could care less what you think.
Listen to what your mother says!
I've never once thought of you as my mother!
Fine. Then you aren't my daughter.
How about you take this conversation inside? You two must be cold out here.
Be right in!
OK.
Look, just leave me alone tonight. We'll talk this over tomorrow, OK?
OK?
I've really never considered her my mother.
She got divorced from my father fifteen years ago and left.
She left me at my grandmother's.
Look, Mommy really wants to get married to someone,
but he told me he won't get married to someone who's been divorced.
So you understand, right?
But...
I'll come back to see you.
Ciao.
I can literally count the number of times she actually came to see me.
I grew up without ever saying a word about it,
but I've run out of patience.
I'm gonna tell him tonight.
What's the matter, Nicoletta?
You're quieter than usual tonight.
Oh, this is that 1994 I ordered last month...
Guess again.
He seems a little strange.
So, how do you two know each other?
Umm, the truth is...
She's Nicoletta, the daughter of a friend of mine!
She's on vacation here in Rome.
Huh?
I'm gonna take good care of her while she's in town!
Thank you.
My mother would be so happy!
Excuse me.
This is the man from before...
Yes, this is our head cameriere, Claudio.
This is Nicoletta.
She's the daughter of one of Olga's friends.
Seems she's sightseeing here in Rome.
I see. So that's how you know each other.
Th-That's right.
This is tonight's antipasto.
He's so graceful in his work.
Please take your time to savor it.
I see. He's a real gentleman.
What?
What kind of restaurant is this?
Everyone's got googly-eyes.
This is delicious!
Yes, our chef is quite talented.
No wonder it's popular.
When I walked in, they told me I'd need a reservation.
Yes, most of our customers come to pursue the waitstaff.
Huh?
We get bombarded with women infatuated with real gentlemen.
It's like this every single night.
It's like a different world to me.
Excuse me for a moment.
We have a customer who doesn't eat beef,
so please prepare one portion of the antipasto accordingly.
Understood.
Miss, the restroom is the door to your right.
Thank you.
Oh, this is our chef.
The antipasto was fantastic.
Thank you very much.
Another pair of spectacles...
Spectacles must be required wear here, huh?
I suppose you could say that.
You won't be hired here if you don't wear them.
Huh?
My vision is fine, actually.
See?
Wh-What?
They're just for show.
Why?
Madam prefers it that way.
Pr-Prefers it?
What kind of restaurant is this?
Man, she really pisses me off.
Having all that fun living here...
Hello?
Nicoletta? It's me.
I know I promised we'd talk today, but something came up and I can't make it.
I'll call you when I finish setting you up with the apartment today.
Huh?
Ciao!
Hey!
All she thinks about is herself!
I'm lucky that she'll loan me an apartment...
But what should I do here?
Huh?
Isn't that the head cameriere?
Ciao.
Buon giorno.
Buon giorno, Nicoletta.
Out for a stroll?
He's kinda sexy.
If I had time, I'd love to show you around town a bit.
Unfortunately, I have to get to the restaurant already...
Oh, if you haven't eaten yet, why don't you come with me?
But I don't have a reservation.
You can have some of the food they give the staff.
It's actually about as good as the stuff on the menu.
Oh, perhaps it was rude of me to invite you like that.
Not at all. I want to go.
The owner asked me to show you a good time while you're here in Rome.
Just what did the owner see in her that made him want to marry her?
Wanting to be surrounded by bespectacled men...
Always pushing her selfish demands...
I understand the owner's feelings quite well.
He wants to make her happy.
She's a lovely lady.
Eh.
Why did I say "Eh"?
Are you all right?
This is a bustling town.
But try and fall in love with Rome as much as you can.
OK.
Sorry to keep you waiting.
Huh?
Please, allow me to introduce you to everyone again.
This is dangerous...
Grazie.
Prego.
Say, who's the most popular among you guys?
Well, that's gotta be Luciano.
I'd say Vito.
No, Teo has all the women waiting with bated breath for him to come out of the kitchen.
Well, I'm gonna have to say Furio.
Oh, I'm disqualified for wearing fake spectacles.
How about you, Claudio?
Me?
All the first-time customers like him.
But there are others who are more popular with the regulars.
That's not to say he isn't popular with them, too.
Why's that?
Because he's serious, he keeps his urges to himself,
and... look.
Vito and Furio are wearing rings too,
but they don't act as serious about it as Claudio does.
How can I say no to a beautiful woman?
And Furio gives cooking lessons to women.
At home, on days when the restaurant is closed.
It's nothing special, really.
That's wonderful.
Luciano is a widower.
He's always got a sour expression,
but there are some women who can't get enough of that.
Lunch today is a little too salty.
Which one of you bums made this?
See. All that complaining is aging you quickly.
So you see, we're all unique.
Though we didn't get popular until word got out about all the spectacles.
Umm, what about Gigi?
Oh, Gigi doesn't socialize much.
No, he doesn't.
Nope.
Not at all.
Now that's not true.
Well, I was a bit uncomfortable with how we attract so many strange customers...
But we got over that quickly.
And of course, we have people who come for the food, too.
They come for Teo's dolce, that's for sure.
You're too kind.
It's just whatever furniture was lying around,
so let me know if there's anything else you need.
Oh, that's right, her...
Every birthday, when I was a little girl...
Grazie, Mama.
Well, there's nothing wrong with being sent gifts.
Welcome to Rome - Olga.
Buonasera, Rome.
Is she going to be all right all alone?
She can stay with us as often as she wants.
Thanks, but don't worry.
She'll be fine.
You're cold.
Let's go warm up at the restaurant.
I wonder if everyone will be wearing glasses again today.
Oh, you again?
Nice greeting.
Oh, things just prettied up around here.
Sheesh, this isn't a playground for kids.
I have to say, I'm starting to like this place, too.
I don't care if you're friends with the Madam.
Though I haven't developed a spectacles-fetish yet.
Kids these days, I swear...
I'm different from those other women.
But...
I really like that one gentleman.
The restaurant is located on a street in Rome.
Its name is casetta dell'orso.
It means "a bear's tiny house."
Was that her idea, too?
I mustn't!