“New York City of My Dreams”

Camila Fowler 

Photo courtesy of Debra Ente

Debra Ente is a working class undercover agent: as soon as the sun sets Ente bolts home to change out of her bland business attire, required for her job as a paralegal, and slips into a glimmering, tight and glamorous dress deemed perfect for a night of singing and dancing. Her sidegig at Puglia’s began 14 years ago, when an occasional performance turned into a secondary job title. 

This glimpse into Ente’s talent is not an unknown one, music has always been a predominant component of Ente’s life. Her career began as a lead singer of a wedding band and continued to advance as more opportunities arose; this including performing at the Duplex, Puglia, and different events such as the New York University Law School Holiday Party. Not only has Ente exhibited her talents on a stage, but she has additionally been featured on episodes of TV shows and radio stations.  

Walking through the front doors of Puglia, is like walking straight into what feels like a movie set of the most stereotypical Italian restaurant there is. The classically styled restaurant, accompanied by murals and a lowlit glow, is filled with waiters floating from one table to another, luxurious smells of Italian dishes, and a sea of people all seated in a lunchroom styled seating area. Among the lively setting are two singers: Debra Ente and Jorge Buccio. It’s easy to spot the seemingly unlikely duo, both coming from completely different backgrounds and having met by chance, for they are dancing around singing and waving napkins in the air all over the restaurant. Her bubbly personality shines throughout the course of her performance, dancing from table to table isn’t an easy task, Ente does so flawlessly. 

While indulging in the classic Italian cuisine, guests are captivated by Ente’s beaming stage presence, powered by a positive attitude and her dreams of being on Broadway one day. Ente and Buccio perform both original songs as well as covers, Ente’s favorite song being “New York City of My Dreams.” Ente is a city girl from Brooklyn, but has dreamt about making it big in the city since she was a little girl. “Jorge thought of the song and I just added to it and eventually it became more mine than his. It’s a song about my dreams and what my life is like here in New York.” Ente said. 

A life in New York City is a life full of adventures, these adventures at Puglia have been documented specifically on the wall of photos plastered with smiling faces of guests, singers and celebrity visitors. Celebrity guests include Leonardo Dicaprio and Adam Sandler, these encounters are one of Ente’s favorite aspects of her job, among many others. A driving force of 

Ente’s love for performing is her perspective on relationships, specifically meeting, making and performing for newfound friends from around the world. As Debra continues to make friends and music, she will also continue to achieve her dreams, aiming for wider horizons such as landing a gig on Broadway and expanding her performing sphere throughout the city of her dreams. 

This year was Puglia’s 100 year anniversary, marking a century of success for the popular restaurant that can be found in Little Italy, New York City. The family owned and operated Italian restaurant has been a classic venue on Hester Street since day one, serving as a hotspot for thousands of people from all around the world. The restaurant’s ownership has traveled down the bloodline of the Garofalo family, beginning in dreamer and Italian immigrant, Gregorio Garofalo’s hands, now in the hands of his grandson, Joey Garofalo.