Tazul Islam may have served you the last time you ate at Trellis.  Maybe even the first time you ate there.

Never heard of him?  Think again.

Pencil tucked behind his ear, green apron covering his white shirt, he has been working at this 107-seat Island restaurant for nearly twenty years.

Even so, not many know him by name.  That's not because no one cares or because he has refused to reveal his identity.  It's because everyone knows him by a nickname:  "Ali," they call out when they want his attention.

"I like the name," he says, flashing a thousand-watt smile.

The short, dark-haired, 39-year old Tazul Islam was a lanky young man when he arrived in New York from his hometown, Naozaon, in Bangladesh, in 1982.  The second child in a family of peasant parents and seven siblings, Islam was brought here by a friend.  "I don't remember his name now.  It was a long time ago," says Islam.  "I used to call him 'bhai.'  It means brother."

The friend hosted him for two years and got him a job at a coffee shop on Steinway Street in Queens.  Two years later, "bhai" got Islam a job at the restaurant on Roosevelt Island.  "It was called Green Kitchen at the time.  I did not like it then, but that may be because I used to wash dishes and could not speak in English," says Islam, who speaks with a distinctive Bengali accent even today.

Overcoming his handicap by attending English classes, Islam, who had never attended school before his arrival in the States, was promoted to busboy.  Within six months, he was working at the counter.

In his time there, a lot has happened.

One evening in 1987, a time when the restaurant went by the name of Green Kitchen, he saw the rooms fill up with policemen.  "There were about 50 of them," he says.  He panicked and called his boss, who told him to stay at the counter and deal with whatever the problem was.  "I was really worried because I had never seen so many policemen here before.  One policeman asked me several questions about two customers who were sitting here and if I had seen them do anything strange.  Then, the police asked the two young men lots of questions and finally arrested some people," says Islam.

It was a drug bust, the only time Islam saw anything like this happen.

The restaurant was taken over by new management and renamed Andy's Place.

He worked at the counter throughout the 1990s and then became a waiter.  Under Kaie Razhagi, the current owner, Islam serves as manager two days a week.  "I like to be a waiter.  Being a manager is too much responsibility.  I am a simple person.  I like to do my work and go home," he says.

Razhagi says he thinks Islam's reluctance to be a manager has something to do with money.  "This game is all about money and Ali makes more money as a waiter because he gets tips," says Kaie.

Considering that Islam sends most of his savings to his parents back home in Bangladesh, that may certainly be true.  "I lead a good life here, they lead a good life there," said Islam.  While Islam is happy renting a house and riding the subway, he says his wife of nine years, Banoo, is not.  She saves the meager wages she earns at a clothing factory in Astoria in an attempt to convince Islam that they have enough to make a down payment.  He says she is constantly nagging him to buy a house and a car.  "We don't have any children so I see no need to buy a car.  If we have children, I will buy a car," says Islam.  As for a house, he is not too sure.  "We will see."

Not one for planning for the long term, Islam is happy to live life on a day-to-day basis.  "When and if I retire, I may go back to Bangladesh," he says.  "I miss my parents."  In the two decades that Islam has lived away from his hometown, he has been back seven times, including once to get married and escort his spouse here.

There is not much time off to miss his parents.  Islam works six full days a week.  On his single day off, he watches television and reads Bengali novels.  "I hate cooking," says Islam.  "I see and smell food all day long and I don't like to be around the kitchen after that."

His employer seems to have plans for him, though.  "I think he may eventually become a full-time manager, so I give him a chance here.  It gives me a break and Ali has proven himself to be an honest, trustworthy man.  All good adjectives you can think of – dedicated, punctual, pleasant – can be applied to Ali."

"Ali is very important to Trellis.  People ask where he is stationed and like to be served by him," says Barbara Tzoulis, a co-worker.  "He treats this restaurant like his home.  He is a good worker and I have never had any problems with him in the four years that I have worked here."

Regular customers are also happy to be served by Islam or Ali, as they know him.  "He is very personable and goes out of his way to make dining here a good experience," said Monique Trebot, a Rivercross resident who dines at the Trellis frequently.

"Ali is very good," said Marian Wolfson, who eats two meals a day at the Trellis every day.  "Even on days when it is busy here, he smiles."