Went to Rocco's last night with my cousin, and was pleasantly surprised: the food was really good! I had plain old spaghetti with marinara, and she had the penne vodka, which was really good. Bread with dipping oil - delicious. The only thing I didn't care for was my "chopped mixed salad." I thought it would be green, but it was just a huge plate of chopped up white stuff. Afterwards we tried a "digestif" which was like drinking Listerine, but I have to say it did help settle all ten pounds of carbs in my stomach.

True to my cousin's outgoing, gregarious charm (she's an associate producer at the Maury Povich show), she had "Mama" sitting at our table for a half hour, actually probably a little longer as she kept getting up and coming back. She had some zeppoli brought to our table, which was so good, and then my cousin also wiled out an apertif from one of the hosts. So anyway, "Mama" was all over my cousin and telling her "Rocco needs a girl like you!" and gave her her home phone number and said she was going to take her out to lunch at Rocco's other restaurant, Union Pacific. She then brought a copy of his book to the table and asked if she'd buy one, which I found to be a bit awkward, especially after the free zeppoli. So of course she bought one, but "Mama" could't make change for it and said she'd give her her change the next time she saw her!

So overall, I'd definitely go back to Rocco's. Oh, and it gets points for playing Cat Power, but the stack of his books right at the front door at the hostess station, so not classy.