Inevitably, when a long-lived, traditional mom-and-pop Italian restaurant closes its doors, and new restauranteurs move in, nostalgic patrons may be critical of the new establishment. Rossi’s Italian Eatery recently opened at 5800 W. 38th Ave., the space where Mama Sannino’s served memorable meals for a decade.

I never ate at Mama Sannino’s, so I chose to leave the comparisons to others and just enjoy an evening at a new restaurant. The atmosphere is a definite step up from nostalgic Italian-American: frosted windows facing the street, black tablecloths and napkins, real glassware, no kitsch.