The New York Diet

Carmine Agnello Is a Grown-up Gotti at Rao’s

At Grotta Azzurra.
At Grotta Azzurra. “You go from a boy to a man


It was a big week for Carmine Agnello Jr., grandson of John Gotti — he has just finished cutting his debut hip-hop album, his 22nd birthday is coming up (“you go from being a boy to a man and that’s it,” he says), and his father, who just served almost ten years, made a rare dinner appearance, an event that was filmed for an upcoming reality show that will bring fans up to date on goings-on since Growing Up Gotti. We’ve heard that Agnello, who lives in Old Westbury, Long Island, can’t move around the city as freely as the average diner, given his family history, but that doesn’t mean he can’t score a table as Rao’s.

Friday, March 21
I usually have the same routine in the morning. I have eggs and OJ, some vitamins.

For lunch I eat healthy — maybe a salad.

Dinner is my big meal. We went out to Rao’s. We’re family friends with the owner [through] my grandfather, know what I’m saying. They have great food. I’ve been going there a couple years — my mother is in there all the time. I get the Mama’s Meatballs. I don’t really pay attention [to other diners], I just go there, eat, do my thing. I’m minding my own business. They come over, most of them say, “I couldn’t even recognize you, you’re so different now.”

Saturday, March 22
Saturday I was out with a couple of my friends, D., the CEO of Rough Riders, Salese… We went out to eat in Long Island at Prime Steakhouse. They have great steak — I always get the porterhouse. I like the cream spinach on top of it. I’m at Peter Luger all the time. It’s right up there with it.

Mike Bibby, one of my friends, plays on the Atlanta Hawks. He called me on Saturday. We stopped by Strata, had a couple of drinks, and left.

Sunday, March 23
I don’t eat breakfast on Saturday because I know my mom’s cooking. The first thing I smell when I wake up is the sauce. She’ll make the spaghetti with sauce. She might even make steak, spinach, this, that, potatoes. My favorite is her ravioli. She makes it herself — that’s why it takes all day.

Monday, March 24
I went to a place my grandfather liked, One if By Land, Two If By Sea. I’d never been there. I had the beef Wellington. It’s nice — right away I thought of my grandfather. I like going to places he liked. He liked the burgers at P.J. Clarke’s. Every time I’m in the city and it’s late, I’ll go there. They’re all good guys — right off the bat they give me recommendations on what food. They always come up with something.

Tuesday, March 25
My mom made one of my favorites — chicken rotini. She makes it with mushrooms. I like it with sautéed mushrooms on it.

Wednesday, March 26
For the first time in a while, my dad ate with us. He just got home now. We talked about everything. He was there at 6 p.m. I had to run up to the studio in Yonkers to pick up a CD — I got back in time for dinner. He’s been out [of commission] for ten years. He’s 47 and he’s in the best shape of his life. The number one thing on his mind was food. He couldn’t wait — we had rigatoni with the spinach and broccoli rabe. He loves it. After we ate, we stopped by Matteo’s to get dessert and cappuccino.

Carmine Agnello Is a Grown-up Gotti at Rao’s