Rocco's not-so-modern pizzeria.

Having enjoyed Rocko's Modern Life, I appreciated the clever title of this Observer restaurant review. More importantly, I appreciated its kind words for a South Bend institution I came to love in my time at Notre Dame. I generally failed to appreciate South Bend's finer points when I lived there, hung up as I was on the city's comparative isolation and often foul weather. In retrospect, however, I sometimes find myself missing little things about South Bend and vicinity - things like Bonnie Doon ice cream, a couple fairly good used bookstores (Erasmus Books in South Bend and Casperson's up the road in Niles, Michigan), the Vickers Theatre in Three Oaks, dorm Masses at ND, and restaurants like Rocco's. The message, I guess, is a trite, old one - you seldom appreciate what you've got until it's gone. And now, for a shameless commercial plug, visit Rocco's when you're in South Bend. You'll be glad you did. AMDG.