I got takeout from Rao's, one of New York City's most exclusive and iconic restaurants, during a pandemic. Here's what it was like.
- Rao's is one of New York's most iconic restaurants.
- In non-pandemic times, it's nearly impossible to eat there, as all 10 of its tables are held by regulars with standing reservations.
- With restaurants forced to shut down everything but pick-up and delivery due to the coronavirus, Rao's is offering takeout for the first time in its 124 years of existence.
- I ordered takeout during the pandemic to see what it was like and I was not disappointed.
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Rao's is so exclusive, even the famed billionaire investor Warren Buffett has reportedly been turned down for a reservation.
"You would have better luck getting invited to dinner at the White House," New York magazine wrote, reporting that Martin Scorsese and Bill Clinton have held tables.
When New York forced restaurants to shut down dine-in service on March 17 to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, Rao's decided to offer takeout for the first time.
Though it took more than a week for me to secure a takeout meal from Rao's, it was a memorable and worthwhile experience that brought some joy during an otherwise grim and scary time.
The Christmas decorations hang all year long. Diners are squeezed into the restaurant's small one-room dining room.
That's because the 124-year-old restaurant doesn't answer its phone. Its 10 tables are booked every night by regulars who hold a standing reservation, which recur anywhere from weekly to every four months.
On an average night before coronavirus, Rao's would seat about 15 tables worth of patrons, with a first seating around 7 p.m. and a second round at 9 or 9:30 p.m.
By 9 a.m. the following day, it was decided the restaurant would offer takeout.
Initially, takeout was only available to regulars and then opened up to everyone else, Gatto told me.
The offer wasn't cheap, but it seemed within reason for takeout from one of New York's most iconic restaurants. A "Taste of Rao's" for two would set me back $80. The menu, which featured many dishes I tried back at the restaurant in October, included salad, penne with sauce, two meatballs, and lemon chicken.
The streets were virtually empty.
We also noticed a number of high-end cars, including a Maserati, two Mercedes-Benz, and a Porsche, idling outside. Those must be the "regulars," I thought.
When I spoke to him a few days later, Gatto confirmed that many regulars are still stopping by for takeout and that they can order from a limited version of the restaurant's usual menu — not just the "Taste of Rao's" menu that was offered on Instagram.
Due to the shutdown of table service, the restaurant was forced to cut back its staff from about 15 people to seven.
Those seven include Marc Mel, a waiter, who is handling the influx of DMs from hopeful customers looking to try Rao's for the first time via takeout.
In the window, we noticed a sign that read, "this establishment has been disinfected."
I also saw the staff who were interacting with customers frequently sanitize their hands.
When we were called, we took our food and handed over cash in return (Rao's is a cash-only establishment).
With our masks on, the whole interaction felt far more nefarious than it really was!
Driving back down 2nd Avenue, we were pleasantly greeted by the sounds of New Yorkers cheering for first responders at 7 p.m. We rolled down the windows and joined in.
After cooking pretty much nonstop for seven weeks, I was ready for some restaurant food.
The top container held a half lemon chicken. Below that were two giant meatballs (each about the size of a baseball) and penne marinara. We also got a salad, dressing, and Parmesan cheese.
The dressing was a simple mix of red wine vinegar and olive oil.
In the restaurant, each guest is served an individual serving of penne on a small plate, and the meatballs come family-style for the table. I tried to emulate that experience as best I could at home.
The penne was pretty standard but provided a good vehicle for the sauce, which was fresh, tasty, and plentiful. The meatball was incredibly soft and almost melted in my mouth. It was just as good as I remembered it being in the restaurant.
It's no wonder the meatballs are one of Rao's most popular items.
Served in a container of delicious schmaltz-y lemony sauce, the charred chicken was a lot more flavorful and juicy than the one I tried back in October.
Though it wasn't the same as eating at the iconic restaurant, the Rao's takeout experience was undoubtedly special and will definitely be one of the things I remember most from this incredibly strange and challenging period we're living through.
Until they can open at full capacity, Gatto says they'll continue to do takeout only.
For a fan like me who will likely never secure another seat at the restaurant, that's nothing to complain about.