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bad restaurant in baltimore

updated mon 21 mar 05

 

Vince Pitelka on wed 16 mar 05


I don't know how many NCECA attendees are monitoring Clayart. Local =
restaurants are always a popular topic at the conference. My studio =
assistant Wes Smith is up there running the Craft Center table in the =
Exhibition Hall, and things are going well. But last night Wes, his =
girlfriend, and four friends from Texas Tech University all went out to =
dinner. They are staying at the Wyndham Inner Harbor, and asked the =
concierge for a recommendation for good Italian food. The consierge =
recommended Rocco Capricio, locally referred to as Rocco's. So they =
went to Rocco's, which is apparently pretty shi-shi, way upscale. They =
got some odd looks going in, and could tell that most of the patrons =
were dressed to the teeth, but they were shown to a nice table with no =
hesitation. They got some odd looks again while they were ordering, but =
no one objected to their presence, the food was very good, and they had =
a good time. But then, after over an hour, when they had finished their =
meal except for desert, someone other than their waiter came over and =
announced to Wes and his group in a very officious manner that they did =
not meet the restaurant dress code and behavior requirements, and that =
they must pay their bill and leave as quickly as possible. Wes told =
this officious bastard that they intended to have desert, but the SOB =
responded that this was not an option, and that they must leave as soon =
as they pay their bill. If it had been me I would have readily done as =
he said, but without paying a goddamn cent. Wes and friends were not =
comfortable doing that, so they paid for the expensive meal. I hope =
that they didn't leave a tip!=20

Wes is a very good guy, and he was really upset by this. He went =
straight up to the front of the restaurant and asked to speak to the =
manager. The person at the desk took one look at him and basically =
refused to bother the manager, and told Wes to leave. =20

When they got back to the Wyndham inner harbor, they reported to the =
concierge, who was very upset and appologetic. She called Rocco's and =
yelled at them, but what good will that really do? At any rate, if =
anyone at NCECA is following Clayart, don't go to Rocco's. Spread the =
word. For me and you and everyone we know, Rocco's is off limits. =
Screw 'em. As far as I am concerned, there's no room in the world for =
ANYONE who treats people that way. =20
Otherwise, best wishes to everyone.
- Vince

Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft, Tennessee Technological University
Smithville TN 37166, 615/597-6801 x111
vpitelka@dtccom.net, wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/=20

Chris Leake on fri 18 mar 05


I didn't find a website for this place, but a copy of this should go not on=
ly to the establishment, but possibly to the newspapers in Baltimore. This=
kind of behavior not only does a disservice to the extablishment, but the =
reputation of the whole city.
http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-2826103-rocco_s_capriccio_baltimore-i=
;_ylt=3DAuJjWGC6EFrolhxyXWKBZqd3FmoL
Takes you to a site where you can write a review for this place.

-----Original Message-----
From: Vince Pitelka
Sent: Mar 16, 2005 6:54 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Bad Restaurant in Baltimore

I don't know how many NCECA attendees are monitoring Clayart. Local restau=
rants are always a popular topic at the conference. My studio assistant We=
s Smith is up there running the Craft Center table in the Exhibition Hall, =
and things are going well. But last night Wes, his girlfriend, and four fr=
iends from Texas Tech University all went out to dinner. They are staying =
at the Wyndham Inner Harbor, and asked the concierge for a recommendation f=
or good Italian food. The consierge recommended Rocco Capricio, locally re=
ferred to as Rocco's. So they went to Rocco's, which is apparently pretty =
shi-shi, way upscale. They got some odd looks going in, and could tell tha=
t most of the patrons were dressed to the teeth, but they were shown to a n=
ice table with no hesitation. They got some odd looks again while they wer=
e ordering, but no one objected to their presence, the food was very good, =
and they had a good time. But then, after over an hour, when they had fini=
shed their meal except for desert, someone other than their waiter came ove=
r and announced to Wes and his group in a very officious manner that they d=
id not meet the restaurant dress code and behavior requirements, and that t=
hey must pay their bill and leave as quickly as possible. Wes told this of=
ficious bastard that they intended to have desert, but the SOB responded th=
at this was not an option, and that they must leave as soon as they pay the=
ir bill. If it had been me I would have readily done as he said, but witho=
ut paying a goddamn cent. Wes and friends were not comfortable doing that,=
so they paid for the expensive meal. I hope that they didn't leave a tip!=
=20

Wes is a very good guy, and he was really upset by this. He went straight =
up to the front of the restaurant and asked to speak to the manager. The p=
erson at the desk took one look at him and basically refused to bother the =
manager, and told Wes to leave. =20

When they got back to the Wyndham inner harbor, they reported to the concie=
rge, who was very upset and appologetic. She called Rocco's and yelled at =
them, but what good will that really do? At any rate, if anyone at NCECA i=
s following Clayart, don't go to Rocco's. Spread the word. For me and you=
and everyone we know, Rocco's is off limits. Screw 'em. As far as I am c=
oncerned, there's no room in the world for ANYONE who treats people that wa=
y. =20
Otherwise, best wishes to everyone.
- Vince

Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft, Tennessee Technological University
Smithville TN 37166, 615/597-6801 x111
vpitelka@dtccom.net, wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/=20

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gina mars on mon 21 mar 05


Hi, I also had a bad experience at Rocco's expensive restaurant. What =
kind of restaurant charges for bread? As an italian from New York, I =
know the difference between garlic bread and "texas Toast". This place =
was not what i would concider good italian food and the staff was slow =
and rude. I ended up paying $50 for pasta and no alcohol. If i were back =
home i would have made a stink but with friends and Janet Mansfield =
sitting next to us, i let it go. Live and learn. Gina Mars