Frank Sinatra Always Ordered This Minimal Salad In New York City

Frank Sinatra was no stranger to the kitchen — he knew how to whip up a quick and easy tomato sauce, and he also enjoyed fettuccine Alfredo enough to include it in his 1996 cookbook "The Sinatra Celebrity Cookbook: Barbara, Frank, and Friends." But when it came to going out for Italian in New York City, he had a dining destination that he frequented: Patsy's. While there, he'd often order veal Milanese (breaded and fried thinly sliced cutlets), old-school stuffed artichokes, or littleneck clams posillipo, which combined the mollusks with aromatics and tomatoes. However, to start the meal, Ol' Blue Eyes' preference was a simple arugula salad.

Sinatra's salad choice was an exercise in minimalism. It combined the peppery greens with olive oil and red wine vinegar. For a little fresh flavor, a bit of basil was tossed in as well. While the salad doesn't appear to be on Patsy's menu today, salads at the time clocked in at $0.75 to just shy of $1.

Crafting a dupe of the Sultan of Swoon's salad at home is easy. First, whisk up the vinaigrette using the 3:1 rule: Combine three parts olive oil with one part red wine vinegar. Then, toss it with fresh arugula and basil, and it's ready to be served. And for anyone who wants to bring a bit of Patsy's to the table, on its website, the restaurant sells olive oil in a charmingly rustic ceramic container that can be shipped straight to your door.

Patsy's has been a family-run New York staple for over three-quarters of a century. Pasquale "Patsy" Scognamillo opened the doors in 1944 and served as chef and owner. Later, his son Joe took over in the kitchen. Then, in 1988, Joe's son Sal stepped into the role of chef and is still at the helm today. In addition to leading the kitchen, Sal has also appeared on numerous local broadcasts in New York, "The Martha Stewart Show," and the "Today Show." He also authored "Patsy's Cookbook." Published in 2002, it features a foreword by Nancy Sinatra.

Patsy's has seen a fair share of celebrities in its dining room, but Frank Sinatra is the one the restaurant credits in its tagline: "A New York Landmark Made Famous by Frank Sinatra." In fact, on the "Jim Masters Show," Sal credited the crooner for the restaurant's success, saying, "You couldn't ask for a better PR person than him" (via YouTube).

Sinatra clearly appreciated the meals at Patsy's, but there was a defining interaction that solidified his devotion. In the early 1950s, on the eve of Thanksgiving, he was at Patsy's feeling poorly about his professional and personal life and expressed that he wanted to dine there for Thanksgiving. Patsy himself took the reservation and arranged for staff to work and their families to dine on the holiday, despite the fact that the restaurant had been slated to be closed. The singer didn't immediately uncover Patsy's act of kindness, but when he did years later, it undoubtedly played a part in his love for the legendary establishment.