Dinner Reservation at Rao’s Auctioned on eBay
Would you pay $5,000 for a dinner reservation? I don’t mean the price of the meal, which is not included. I mean just for the chance to eat somewhere in New York on July 27.
Charles Rao emigrated from Italy to Harlem in New York City. At that time, the neighborhood was primarily an Italian community. He opened Rao’s restaurant in 1896 and ran it until his death in 1909. Over the next hundred years, the place has become a world-class hotspot for fine cuisine.
Bids for the reservation start at $5,000 and benefit the National Italian American Foundation for educational purposes, including grants to study Italian history, culture, or language.
What’s so special about this place anyway? You may have seen it in the D.O.A. (Death of Autotune) video that Jay-Z shot at the restaurant in 2009. There is also a Law & Order episode inspired by the difficulty at securing a reservation. But chances are you haven’t eaten there, it’s one of the most exclusive restaurants in the world.
One of the reasons that it’s so hard to get a table is that there are only ten and there’s only one seating per even. Another reason is that locals have been given standing reservations during the century it’s been open, many of which are still around today. In 1977, its place in culinary history was cemented by New York Times food critic Mimi Sheraton who gave them a half-page, three-star review which made it nearly impossible to get a reservation.
The eatery’s modest website states “For reservations, call: 212-722-6709,” and offers a concession–have a drink at the bar–for those who can’t get a table. You can call (212) 722-6709 and try your hand at being one of the lucky few to get a reservation on their own. Most callers are told that they’re booked for the year and not taking any reservations right now.
Myself, I’ll be ordering a jar of their sauce, boiling my own noodles, and seeing what all the fuss is about.
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