By Olivia Scheck
DNAinfo Reporter Producer
MANHATTAN — How much is a reservation at New York's most exclusive restaurant worth?
Through June 2, the National Italian American Foundation will be accepting bids for a four-person dinner reservation at Rao's, the all-but-impossible-to-get-into Italian restaurant in East Harlem, with the eBay auction beginning at — wait for it — $5000.
While 5K might seem a bit steep for dinner (the deal includes food and wine), an organizer of the auction told Eater.com the organization wasn't worried about attracting bidders.
"This is really a once-in-a-lifetime chance for many outside the small circle of Rao's regulars," the organizer said, according to the website. "I seriously doubt this opportunity will open up to the general public again."
The $5000 starting bid had already been met as of Friday after noon.
Diners who attempt to reserve a spot at Rao's the old-fashioned way will be sorely disappointed. " As of the moment, 2010 is completely filled and we are not accepting any reservations," the restaurant's outgoing voice message stated on Friday.
While there are a few reasons for Rao's exclusivity – the restaurant only has 10 tables, and they only serve one round of meals per night – the most significant reason is the restaurant's peculiar reservation policy.
As their website explained, each table at Rao's is "'owned' like a condominium," giving the restaurant's small group of regulars the right to eat there each night or offer it to friends. Only when a regular gives up the table, does it theoretically become open to the public.
But don't despair, the rest of us can enjoy a taste of Rao's from the comfort of our homes. The restaurant's canned pasta sauces sell for $18 each on their website.
