tommy

that's the way to do it Sam!

sounds like you probably had some connection. i find it hard to believe that mario would "hang out" with a customer for 45 minutes unless he knew that person, or knew someone who knew that person. and, if it was only because you're a regular, then it raises the question of whether regulars get good treatment, and others get spotty treatment.

my biggest issue with babbo has always been the host, as i've stated several times on egullet. the servers are always very nice. my most recent visit was probably 4 months ago, and everything seemed "normal" to me. i hope it doesn't take a turn for the worst.

ah. but a vespa was theirs to give, which is what i was saying in my statement to human bean above.

rrrriiight i don't understand. are you suggesting that rocco promised something and then didn't follow through? besides, the article claims that vespa supplied "a trendy Italian scooter". i saw several lined up out front. and i've heard nothing that suggests that vespa took it or any back.

i'm in.

sam, you knew what the poster meant to begin with! seems like the usage was efficient enough.

So not only was the Vespa just more product placement, it wasn't really even his to give to the disgruntled bartender. Sheesh. but what if the restaurant simply bought one? who cares if it was the one sitting out front or a new one.

maybe it was well water? yuck!

for real? no wonder the place was moving like molasses. that must have taken a while! rocco hasn't cooked "italian" in a professional capacity, but i'm sure the guy has made some italian dishes in his day, no? i mean, i'm not even a chef and i have. thanks for the insight uzay. but i wasn't trying to be funny.

it's an uphill battle in my experience. i don't know if it's a combination of high heat, moisture, and whatever else, but it's a hassle. their site recommends *not* cleaning after use. you might try that if you're not already. but, that's just to keep oils and whatnot on the grates, and clearly the whole grate isn't covered when cooking. also, once rust starts forming, it takes a *lot* of work to get it all off. if you don't get it all off, seasoning most likely won't help. it'll just spread again. i usually go for a full-out burn-off at that point. then i scrape the hell out of it. i was doing this by hand for a while, and then finally realized that a wire brush on a drill helps the process. i also squirt oil on it whenever i'm done cooking, and when i start. and, if i happen to be near the grill when i'm *not* using it, i squirt some more. i'm ready to re-season mine, and i'm thinking that i'm just going to do it in the oven, as i would any cast iron cookware. i can't help but think that if they are sitting in the oil to some extent, that it has to help. unforunately, making a pound of bacon every once in a while isn't an option with a grill.

for real? no wonder the place was moving like molasses. that must have taken a while! rocco hasn't cooked "italian" in a professional capacity, but i'm sure the guy has made some italian dishes in his day, no? i mean, i'm not even a chef and i have. thanks for the insight uzay.

i'll throw in a vote for Girl and Fig. the evening was quite enjoyable on the back patio. i don't remember what i had, but i remember enjoying it, and i recall the staff being very friendly. also, there's a thai place around the square that was very nice for lunch. looking at yahoo, i'm thinking it was Rin's, on E. Napa street. again, there was outdoor seating. and in an effort to continue jumping on a bandwagon, this time beachfan's, i'll second the restaurant at Sonoma Mission Inn. great views of the pool and grounds. a little pricey as i recall. good service on my one trip.

perhaps. but he's in the kitchen almost every time i go. although i agree that one shouldn't expect rocco to be making their meatballs. that's what all of those other nice people in the kitchen are getting paid to do. and i'm guessing they're qualified. if anything, perhaps rocco, or the restaurant, was lacking leadership. but i don't think that comes in the form of rocco rolling meatballs and delivering squid to tables. i can't wait to see how this place runs now, after all is said and done.

yeah, if i'm not mistaken, the sign is quite visible in the entrance way throughout the program when they show the hostess station. this practice is widespread, and you often see it at concerts and whatnot that are being filmed for whatever reason.

that was my take as well, not that the editing really suggested it. topher seems to be one of the more professional and reasonble characters, both on the show, and here on egullet, where his post had dignity and respect for others.

i'm assuming that post is being worked on?

i worked with a guy who wanted to leave the company, as he had an offer which was paying a bit more, and he wasn't particularly thrilled with his current position. he approached the VP, who instantly offered him much more than the other company, and reworked his bonus package for the year, including a "stay bonus" if he stayed through 6 months, which was a very important transitional stage for this company. he stayed. another guy heard about this and said he was leaving because of similar circumstances. that guy was told to not let the door hit him on the ass on the way out. the moral of the story is, you don't have to pay all of your employees the same, no matter how much they cry.

i loved the part where super-rocco went down to the kitchen to save the restaurant: "before you flip the chicken, salt and pepper", as the camera pans to 15 fascinated cooks hanging on his every word.

Another reminder that people make the world go round. Thanks! yup.

original statement: care to try again?

also probably going to set a record for first-time-posters who offer nothing else to egullet. Yea who wants a bunch of different opinions. since you spoke up, i'll go ahead and suggest that you'd be a good example: you've contributed nothing to egullet except for your thoughts on this thread. i don't particularly think that's a bad thing, but rather i was simply pointing it out. if you followed my posts here on egullet, i think you'd see that i'm all about freedom of expression, and i welcome divergent opinions, as long as they're based largely on fact rather than emotion. and i'm sure that i speak not only for myself, but for others, when i say that i've appreciated your input thus far, as well as that of the other staff/actors from Rocco's, as it has been entertaining to say the least.

also probably going to set a record for first-time-posters who offer nothing else to egullet.

yup. i actually bought some skin products because of the show. to me, it was better than seeing any commercial, as i believed the guy thought they were good products and i respect his opinion. i've not used my amex since the restaurant aired, however, and i don't think i'll be starting to drink Coors any time soon.

Queer Eye does it tastefully. The Restaurant's is insulting.