The Landwehr Report

Crystal River, FL
August, 2009

ROCCO'S LAYS AN EGG

By Sheldon Landwehr

Rocco's twin-level dining room offers an exceptionally handsome contemporary environment outfitted with a copious open kitchen prominently show-casing its pizza oven as wall as a counter displaying a wide range of antipasto appetizers. Comfortable seating flanks tables sheathed in slick black oil-cloths, backgrounded by vivid wall murals depicting scenes of Italy.

Rocco's, though generally braced by good word-of-mouth, was found to be seriously wanting in service execution and overpriced for the comestibles proffered.

Considering its a neighborhood venue in a strip-mall, the bill-of-fare is rather ambitious, encompassing such stalwarts as Sicilian white vegetarian pizza at $20.99; zuppa di pesce at $19.95, along with a variety of salads, soup, pasta, chicken, veal and seafood.

Perhaps because it was a busy Saturday night, the quality and service fell into disarray, almost grinding to a stop, turning sloppy, lackluster and indifferent. We ordered the $20 Supreme Pizza whose toppings had its rough edges, and was not nearly as interesting as the price would indicate. We also ordered the $24.95 Osso Buco. After waiting roughly an hour, without a word of explanation from either the waiter or kitchen regarding this inexcusable lethal delay, we exasperatingly and morosely voided the no-show dish.

So far as we can tell, the kitchen and servers need a good deal more polishing to make it worth the cost, especially given the chic surroundings. But be that as it may, I can only advise you to pass up any dish that sounds too challenging and don't expect much from the ilinformed wait-staff.

Rocco's Cafe, 6612 West Gulf to Lake Hwy., (Bella Vista Plaza), Crystal River, Fla. Phone: 352-563-0442. Open daily, lunch and dinner. Entrees $10.99 to $24.95. Accepts major credit cards.

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