Rao's

Description:

• This is a meticulous recreation of the famous 110-year-old East Harlem restaurant, which is notorious in equal measure for "Uncle Vincent's lemon chicken" and the near-impossibility of getting a seat (there are only 10 tables, which are reserved a year in advance!). It was thoughtful of Vegas to replicate it at more than three times the size, allowing common folks to check it out (though keep an eye out for famous homesick New Yorkers holding court). On the other hand, since this isn't revelatory Italian cooking, you may justly wonder what all the fuss is about, especially since the "family portions" are smaller than that phrase implies. Expect comfort food -- sweet Italian sausage, ravioli with ricotta and brown-butter sage sauce. A safe and budget way to go is to try that lemon chicken, which really does live up to the hype, and split one of their "sides" of enormous meatballs (toss in some of the complimentary bread and you've got a meatball sandwich), along with expectation-fulfilling pot au crème and gelato. That is, assuming you can get in. Reservations here are at a premium, too!

• © Frommer's 2013

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Recommended 2010