Has anyone eaten at Rao's in New York? I heard its extremely difficult to get a table. Also its apparently popular with Mobsters and Celebs, anyone tell me if its good? thanks guys
Re: Anyone eaten at Rao's in NY?
[Re: NickyScarfo]
#607514 07/12/1110:10 AM07/12/1110:10 AM
I've eaten there twice and the food was no better than twenty other family style Italian places in the city that have none of the silly pretensions associated with Rao's. You'll get the same "atmosphere," but better food at Dominick's on Arthur Avenue, or Bamonte's out in Williamsburg. Plus, you could walk into either of those places and be seated in less than an hour. It sure beats waiting two years .
Rao's is on the corner of 114th and Pleasant. My Dad grew up on Pleasant Avenue, between 117th and 118th Streets. When my grandmother died in 1991, she was one of the last Italian born residents on the block. The neighborhood is almost entirely Latino today. Not that I'm judging. Times change, demographics change .
"I got news for you. If it wasn't for the toilet, there would be no books." --- George Costanza.
Re: Anyone eaten at Rao's in NY?
[Re: pizzaboy]
#607516 07/12/1110:21 AM07/12/1110:21 AM
I guess, but I think you're more likely to run into an actor or a screenwriter than a mob boss. Like I said, the neighborhood has really changed. Years ago, it was an Italian American stronghold, and the block was crawling with mob guys. They're just not there anymore.
The mob guys that still frequent the place probably go out of either pure nostalgia, or just to flaunt the fact that they can get in. The owner, Frank Pellegrino, is the biggest mob wannabe this side of Joe Pesci .
"I got news for you. If it wasn't for the toilet, there would be no books." --- George Costanza.
Re: Anyone eaten at Rao's in NY?
[Re: pizzaboy]
#607521 07/12/1110:51 AM07/12/1110:51 AM
Rao's markets a line of pasta sauces that, though expensive (at least by my definition of the word), seem to be well-regarded in many foodie circles. The blog The Watery Gourmet compared Rao's to a line of jarred sauces marketed by Chef Mario Batali and preferred Rao's - albeit slightly.
Anyway, those sauces are probably about as close as most of us average citizens (read: peasants) are going to get to a table at Rao's.
Pretty good selection of flavors, too. Makes me wonder, though, how it must have sounded when they were deciding how to market some of the flavors with appropriate descriptive slogans. Imagine when they were discussing the Puttanesca:
"Hey, I got it! We'll say, Try Rao's Puttanesca Pasta Sauce - Just Like Your Mother Used To Make!"
Bet that guy's sleeping with the fishes.
Signor V.
"For me, there's only my wife..."
"Sure I cook with wine - sometimes I even add it to the food!"
"When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies?"
"It was a grass harp... And we listened."
"Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it? Every, every minute?"
I don't know about "Rao's Homemade" sauce -- it's probably not even made by them but licensed, I don't know. But at like $10/jar, no thanks. I do wanna try it once, though, just to see. But can it be better than homemade?
There are some decent jarred sauces in Italian specialty markets with real ingredients that aren't bad. So is the readily available Francesco Rinaldi brand. I usually have a few jars of their "ToBe Healthy" line on hand.
I studied Italian for 2 semesters. Not once was a "C" pronounced as a "G", and never was a trailing "I" ignored! And I'm from Jersey! lol
Whaddaya want me to do? Whack a guy? Off a guy? Whack off a guy?--Peter Griffin
Actually, the folks from Rao's worked with someone from my office when they were looking for a distribution center. Not sure if the sauce was going to be manufactured there as well, but he got some free samples and said they were delicious. Of course, he makes Stove Top and uses canned gravy on Thanksgiving, so I can't rely on his taste.
I wouldn't want to eat in any exclusive restaurant that would have me as a guest.
DITTO! Fuck them! I ate there several years ago and I'll tell you what? I wasn't that impressed. While it was very good I wouldn't "die" to go back there / get in there. There are plenty of excellent restaurants that I would put up against it......restaurants where you don't have to be made to feel that they are granting you the 'privilege' of 'allowing' you to eat there.
They can kiss my ass because I refuse to kiss theirs!
Don Cardi
Five - ten years from now, they're gonna wish there was American Cosa Nostra. Five - ten years from now, they're gonna miss John Gotti.
Re: Anyone eaten at Rao's in NY?
[Re: NickyScarfo]
#607856 07/15/1101:32 AM07/15/1101:32 AM
Then I guess we're all gonna convene at that three-star trattoria Chez Malta's in New Jersey for the sit-down!
"Come over here, Geoff, learn something. You never know, you might have to cook for twenty guys someday. You see, you start out with a little bit of oil..."
Signor V.
"For me, there's only my wife..."
"Sure I cook with wine - sometimes I even add it to the food!"
"When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies?"
"It was a grass harp... And we listened."
"Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it? Every, every minute?"
Then I guess we're all gonna convene at that three-star trattoria Chez Malta's in New Jersey for the sit-down!
"Come over here, Geoff, learn something. You never know, you might have to cook for twenty guys someday. You see, you start out with a little bit of oil..."
Signor V.
Don Cardi
Five - ten years from now, they're gonna wish there was American Cosa Nostra. Five - ten years from now, they're gonna miss John Gotti.