Like most 23-year-olds new to New York, Hector Rolotti had ambition and nothing to lose. So he opened a restaurant. "I can honestly say I was a little crazy," recalls Rolotti of his plan to open a European-style café in the then-up-and-coming area of SoHo soon after arriving in the Big Apple from Argentina. "I thought it would just be something to do for a while, and it turned out to be a life-long career." Rolotti is referring to his now not-so-small restaurant empire, Novecento .

What started out as one tiny cafe in what is now one of the trendiest enclaves in NYC has since multiplied into eight locations, including three in Argentina and two in Miami. Despite its growth, however, Rolotti has managed to avoid the typical pitfalls of traditional "chain" restaurants - assembly-line menu, gimmicks, uniforms with suspenders - by taking a "neighborhood" approach to Novecento: a place where one can meet with friends and experience good ambience, good service and, most importantly, good food. It's the dining trifecta all restaurateurs strive to achieve, and Rolotti seems to have it down pat.

AMBIENCE

From the beginning, Rolotti's vision for Novecento was that of a meeting place, somewhere casual and intimate that would, at the same time, transport diners to another place: in the U.S., Argentina, in Argentina, SoHo. It was, after all, the young, artsy area of NYC "South of Houston St." where Rolotti opened the first Novecento in 1991. "It was one of the first European-style cafes in the area," Rolotti recalls. "We served paninis and gelato, but eventually I decided I wanted [Novecento] to be more of a restaurant." So, in 1994, he renovated the space, opened the upstairs area for dining and added a full kitchen. It was a modest space but one that laid the decor groundwork for its successors. Rich, dark hues are Novecento's color palette - dark wood floors and furniture with deep red accents. The music is, of course, South American, and an integral element of Novencento's overall feel. It's "super important," says Rolotti, who used to work in the music business in NYC. It's the kind of place you can go to watch the game, as soccer is almost always on at least one of the televisions around the restaurant, for an after-work or after-dinner drink or on a first date. In fact, Rolotti says he has heard many stories of couples who have met in Novecento and later gotten married - proof that his "meeting place" concept is truly working.

SERVICE

"The success of Novecento is a group effort," Rolotti says when asked what he believes is the most important aspect of running a restaurant. "Everybody contributes to the energy." Which is why, he says, finding people who enjoy what they do and who they work with is so important. It's a feat Rolotti has managed to pull off since he opened the original Novecento, as he has employees now who have worked for him since the beginning, including the chef. Rolotti hired Uruguayan chef Gabriel Medici when he renovated the NYC location over ten years ago, and Medici, who approaches his cooking with a French technique, has since followed him to Argentina and then Miami, where he currently resides. The chef now at Novecento's NYC location started out as a dishwasher at the restaurant. "In the beginning, when I first decided to do the renovations to the New York location, I didn't have any money," Rolotti says of enlisting his employees to help in the construction. "All I could say to them was, 'That tile you're laying down now, you'll appreciate it more because you'll be able to say you did it yourself.'" They must have believed in Rolotti's vision because they all stayed. That loyalty, even when paychecks were slim, is what Rolotti values when it comes to service. "There are good days and bad days," he says, "and it's keeping that positive attitude, whether we're successful or not, that's important."

FOOD

"Everyone thinks meat, meat, meat when they hear 'Argentine restaurant,'" says Rolotti. Novecento, however, isn't a steakhouse. It boasts an eclectic menu that includes a little bit of everything. The only consistent element, according to Roletti, is the accessibility of every dish. "The point of having a neighborhood-style restaurant is for people to be able to come in and get a simple, affordable meal that's also quality. I have a family, so when I want to go out for a meal, I want to go somewhere I can take them to get good food without spending a fortune or getting all dressed up." No matter what you're in the mood for, Novecento aims to please. Start off with an appetizer like the Ceviche de Chernia ($7), a grouper ceviche marinated in lime juice with basil, jalapeno and watermelon; or Picada Criolla ($16), a platter of grilled sweetbreads, chorizo, skirt steak, chicken and empanadas with chimichurri sauce. Entrees like the Ojo de Bife ($29), a grilled rib-eye steak with sauteed spinach and roasted sweet potatoes; or Lomo ($29), a grilled 10-ounce beef tenderloin with butternut squash puree, endives and radicchio in a red wine demi will satisfy beef eaters. Non-carnivores can pick from assorted veggie-topped pizzas and pastas. Among the savory options: the Alcachofa pizza ($10) with artichokes, spinach, blue cheese, tomato sauce and mozzarella; or the Spaghetti Criollo ($13), a country-style spaghetti with roasted garlic, crisp pancetta, chorizo, potatoes and fresh herbs.

As Rolotti seems to have his formula for success down, he is looking toward the future, which he says will include more Novecento locations and possibly the addition of a Novecento product line: CD compilations, olive oil and wine, to name a few. For right now, though, he's content with the success he has found so far. "A lot of restaurant owners I've met, they change once they become successful," he says. "It's important to me that I stay the same person that I was when I first opened Novecento, and I think I am."