Frank Sinatra's Patsy's Classic

A Night at Patsy’s

Picture a cold New York night in the early 1960s: steam hissing from subway grates, yellow cabs leaning on their horns, and the neon glow of Midtown buzzing into the sky. Slip through the door at Patsy’s on West 56th Street and the dining room softens into white tablecloths, waiters in jackets, and the smell of an Italian kitchen spilling from the back. Upstairs there is a corner table that stays ready because when Frank Sinatra arrives his order of veal Milanese with a rocket salad is already half made. Today we are cooking that favourite dish exactly the way Patsy’s serves it on his birthday every year.

House Breadcrumbs

Start with stale ciabatta torn into chunks and pulsed into fine crumbs. Toss them with chopped parsley, grated parmesan, a pinch of oregano, salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. Patsy’s published recipe uses veal cutlets, but in the UK veal escalopes are easier to source and behave the same: thin slices from the leg that just need a quick pounding to an even half centimetre.

Bread and Fry the Veal

Season the veal on both sides and set up the classic breading line of flour, beaten eggs, and the seasoned breadcrumbs. Coat each cutlet carefully and fry in a shallow bath of butter and extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. You want the coating golden and crisp while the meat stays tender. If your pan feels crowded, cook them in two batches rather than compromise on crust.

Sinatra’s Rocket Salad

While the veal sizzles, whisk a quick dressing of good olive oil, the juice of half a lemon, salt, and black pepper. Toss peppery rocket with halved cherry tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, and shaved parmesan. Multiple sources, including Patsy’s themselves, note that a simple arugula salad was Sinatra’s preferred side, and the acidity is essential for cutting through the rich cutlet.

Plating Like Old Blue Eyes

Serve each cutlet with the salad, extra parmesan, and plenty of lemon wedges. Finish the night with his favourite digestif, the Rusty Nail: equal parts Scotch and Drambuie stirred over ice with a strip of lemon peel. It is sweeter than you might expect but the slow, warming finish makes sense if you imagine Frank leaving a smoky Midtown club for his regular table at Patsy’s.