Off the Reservation

By The Editors
August 6, 2013 9:00 am

There are many tables in New York that demand you call weeks in advance at a very specific hour in order to get a seat.

Like the Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare (call at 10:30 a.m., exactly six weeks out) or a white tablecloth meal at Per Se (one month out – unless you’re somebody).

It’s a rare man who can dedicate himself thusly.

And so there’s an app that books those coveted reservations, then palms them off to you: Today’s Epicure, a members-only society doling out last-minute reservations to New York’s hottest eateries, now online.

TE’s the brainchild of a former chef concierge at the esteemed St. Regis. As a well-connected cat in NYC’s cult-like culinary scene, he’s got inside access to some of the city’s most notoriously inaccessible restos.

Simply join online (memberships start at $150 for 30 days) and then use your smartphone to “grab” confirmed rezzos at impossible spots like Carbone, Eleven Madison Park or The NoMad.

The inventory at any one time can be scattershot; but then, it’s better than not being available at all.

So TE is great for when you’ve got, say, a last-minute client dinner. Or an anniversary that somehow slipped your mind.

TE also offers corporate memberships and services custom requests for larger parties.

Bon appètit.

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