You're perfect for our drinking issue, since Trattoria Mitchelli serves food till 4:00 a.m., and this neighborhood is notoriously drunky.

"[Laughs.] Oh yeah, I've got stories. Drunk people will come in after 2:00 a.m...."

...and are those post-2:00 a.m. folks bad tippers?

"Actually, no. People who come in late at night eat out late habitually, so they know to tip well; and often we get a lot of people from the service industry--cocktail waitresses, the door guys, bartenders--who always tip really well. And some of the drunk people tip really well too. They're just SO happy to come in here and have something to eat. So [late-night tips] have actually never been a problem."

Even during Mardi Gras?

"We actually didn't get a lot of people in here during Mardi Gras... there were so many cops down here, I think a lot of people just didn't bother coming [this year]."

What's the most popular item people order when they're wasted and hungry?

"Our fettuccine with chicken, garlic, shallots, roma tomatoes, and hazelnuts topped with a sherry cream sauce; it's really good. Or, after 11:00 p.m., we serve breakfasts, and they'll get eggs and hash browns. People love eggs and potatoes when they're drunk... the carbohydrates kind of 'settle' everything, you know?"

Do you ever get drunken frat boys coming in here, giving you trouble?

"Nope, not so much. Like, a couple weeks ago we had a group of guys come in from [nearby Irish pub] Owl 'n' Thistle--they were an Irish band from Portland, and they ended up coming in here after their set. Which was awesome, and they ended up singing songs in here until late into the night."

That's always nice--drunken Irishmen in good spirits. What's your personal morning-hangover cure?

"I drink KMX. It's an energy drink, but not like Red Bull, 'cause there's no caffeine [in KMX]; it's with ginseng, guarana, and B-vitamins, and it tastes like orange soda. I drink one every day. That'll get you through any hangover."

Interview by Min Liao