[Fredslist] The annual report on "Boys' Night Out" at Rao's Restaurant

Wed Aug 6 13:21:24 EDT 2014

The annual report on "Boys' Night Out" at Rao's Restaurant 

August 2014 edition  

We'd thought that last August's bacchanal and food fest at famed Rao's at
114th St. and Pleasant Ave. in East Harlem (reputedly the toughest
restaurant ticket in the country) would be our last, hence my report last
year was entitled "The Postscript."  Minor miracles do occur, and here we
were, last night, back again in the historic home of great Neopolitan
(southern) Italian food.  

To avoid repeating the storied history of this place, and other background
information, I respectfully direct the gentle reader's attention to my
preceding four reports (2010 - 2013), as well as David Henry's separate
report about a different dinner (for four) at Rao's with Fred.  

http://www.gothamnetworking.com/page/reviews 

With the proviso that "what happens at Rao's, stays at Rao's," I report here
on (some of) what transpired last evening at what has become a time-honored
tradition for Fred and his band of merry men (none of whom wore tights, I'm
happy to report).  

I drove three of us into the city from L.I., and met up with the other five
participants at Rao's bar, before dinner.  Those of us who hadn't seen each
other in a while got to catch up, and Fred got to start kibitzing
(umm.commenting) with everyone.  And inevitably, the photo-taking began.
See four attached examples.  The place is a bit kitschy, old-fashioned,
down-to-earth, and unique.      

There were eight of us: John, Marc, Odey, Lonny, Dave, David, Fred, me.
Fred wondered whether it meant anything that 5 of the 8 at the table had
beards.  (One guess: A majority of NY Jews at a table at an Italian
restaurant?  Even if one of the bearded ones wasn't Jewish..)  I wonder how
we had 3 Davids at a table of 8.  (Same possible answer?) 

This year's newbie was Marc Webb - he's the director of the most recent, and
next, Spiderman movies (Google him).  Fred retold, for Marc's benefit, the
story of how Fred became "connected" to Rao's thru Ronnie Straci, one of the
owners. You've gotta hear it from Fred himself.  Marc's from Bloomington, IN
and Wisconsin.  He's 39 (so why did Fred suggest setting him up with my
daughter...who's 23?  Because Fred's Fred, which is the answer to a lot of
questions.)  BTW, Marc highly recommends seeing the new movie, Guardians of
the Galaxy.  So, Fred's expressed question now is: Will Marc Webb join us
next year?  Perhaps Marc's e-mail to the group this morning might provide
some potential insight into the possible response to that question: 

You Guys!

That was such a pleasure.  Thanks for including me in one of the most fun
nights I've had in a long, long time.  I don't know how you guys are on
email so early - I'm still in bed sleeping it off.  Great wine, great table,
great stories.  Best dinner in New York that night, I'm sure of it.

Thanks Again,

Marc

John Pavone, master of storytelling, kept us laughing, including by his
retelling of his infamous "rodeo sex" joke.  But remember that "what happens
at Rao's, stays at Rao's."

Lonny brought several bottles of excellent Italian and Napa wine from his
collection, and I strategically brought a bottle of Fernet Branca, a
digestif (FB is a unique after-dinner libation -- look it up!), to aid the
revelers in dealing with the inevitable excess.  Lonny's wines were, in the
order they were opened, a magnum (1.5 liters - double-sized bottle) of Merus
2000, a cult Napa Valley California Cabernet (blended with a bit of Merlot
and Petit-Verdot), a bottle of Lupicaia 2000 (a Super Tuscan blend of
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit-Verdot), and one of Marchesi Antinori
Solaia 1999 (a classic Super Tuscan blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet
Franc, and Sangiovese).  

The food.  All courses are served "family style."  Maitre D' Joey recites
the menu, and we all chime in to reach accord on what to order for each
course.  News flash: Fred, our host, is not shy.  

First course: Salad (simple but excellent), seafood salad (one of my
perennial favorites here), baked clams (always good), softshell crabs (my
first time having them here, and they were delicious).  

Second (pasta) course: Filetto de Pomodoro penne (elemental and al dente),
meatballs (unique, and possibly the best I've had, consistently each year),
orchiette with broccoli rabe and sausage (delicious).  

Main course: Steak (eh - not my favorite here - the weakest dish of the
bunch, in my opinion), chicken (quite good - tender and tasty, even though
I'm not usually a fan of lemon chicken), escarole ('atsa nice), shrimp
parmigiana (another favorite here).

Dessert: A platter of selected flavors of black cherry, chocolate, coffee,
and vanilla ice creams (homemade and stupendous), as well as espresso, the
Fernet Branca, and complimentary Anisette (we wisely decided to forego the
cheesecake and other offerings at this point). 

In the men's room, there's a photo on the wall of Dean Martin and Frank
Sinatra, sitting at a table at some club, dressed in tuxedos; it's
accompanied by the inscription of quotation from Frank: "I feel sorry for
people who don't drink.  When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as
they're going to feel all day." 

If you add eating great food, and mixing it with conviviality, friendship,
atmosphere, and banter, that general concept just about sums up the Rao's
experience. 

Respectfully submitted, 

David 

Gotham L.I. 

David J. Abeshouse

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