NEW YORK - Everyone is crazy about Roscioli: ever since the gastronomic institution of Campo de' Fiori opened an outpost in the West Village in New York, the race for reservations has become a sort of Mission: Impossible.
A very difficult undertaking even for the VIPs of the Big Apple.
Jay McInerney, the writer famous for the 1980s cult novel The Thousand Lights of New York, knows something about this: last week he was about to ignore an urgent request to return to the emergency room after a brain operation because the CT scan had given results worrying.
"Come on, I have a reservation at Roscioli", he said to the nurse who begged him to give up a plate of pasta (carbonara, amatriciana or cacio e pepe?) for which he was literally ready to risk his life.
Roscioli opened in September on MacDougal Street with the same recipe behind its sister delicatessen and kitchen on Via dei Giubbonari: "Great ingredients from the meat and cheese counter make a great meal."
Like the Roman Roscioli, the New York edition also has very few seats - around forty, of which only half are open to reservations - which makes the object of desire - the tasting menu at 130 dollars per person - even more concupible.
"It's impossible to get in there," said McInerney (who ended up under the knife after a fall at home which caused bruises on his brain).
The actress Claire Danes knows something about it: "She wasn't recognized and the tables were full," a restaurant source told the New York Post after the Romeo+Juliet and Homeland actress was turned away at the entrance.
Many celebrities lined up to enter: "We have Oscar winners and candidates. VIPs from sport, politics and television", said a spokesperson.
While celebrities have their means, other less famous potential clients have no choice but to resort to booking sharing apps like Appointment Trader.
Matt Rubin, a computer scientist who lives in the area and who paid 250 dollars to get a table for three, tried.
Only to then discover, upon arriving at the restaurant, that his name was not on the list: he had been scammed.
Reproduction reserved © Copyright ANSA