Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

I was lucky enough to dine at the French Laundry back in 2001. I essentially did the same thing. I wrote it in my appointment book to be free when the phones opened so when I got back to the office from lunch (1pm Est.) I immediately started dialing. It took me 15 minutes to get threw with constant redial and waited on hold 10 more minutes. By that time they had only one table left. It is the same with most places, in 1999 it was a $65 phone call to book a reservation at Alain Ducasse in Paris. Some other time I will tell you about me being drunk when I was at the French Laundry (from winery tours all day) and falling down in the stairs in the middle of the restaurant.