TableXchange | Company Blog

Expansion

gabriel — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 16:03:14 +0000

We at TableXchange like to think of ourselves as the next OpenTable, the next Apple, even the next Google - Sergey has nothing on us. We know it’s a tall order but guys can wish, can’t we? The first step to that $100 billion dollar market capitalization and global prominence is expansion outside of our home territory of New York.Over the past few months our inboxes has been inundated with emails asking about expansion plans. Our next step is dual pronged in nature. We are proud to announce new service in Los Angeles and Chicago. Beginning July 25, residents of the Golden State and all Tablexchange users will be able to post and preview dinner reservation for the weekend of August 1. Never again will you need to wait 2 hours for a table because Tom Cruise or Paris Hilton decided to dine at Spago that evening.

We are also opening our Chicago service on August 1^st with reservations available August 8^th. Windy city residents know very well the quality of their fine cuisine. Fine dining establishments like Tru and Charlie Trotter’s will now be at your finger tips, rather than a 4 month in advance phone call away.

As always, we encourage all our users to send feedback with suggestions for our next wave of expansion.

Happy dining in cities across the country.

TableXchange Management

Dining Al Fresco: New York’s best outdoor dining establishments

gabriel — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:45:24 +0000

Restaurateurs spend millions of dollars building out their space to meet the aesthetic particulars dreamed up at the restaurant’s conception. Recently, many new comers have gravitated towards the farmhouse theme, including 100 Acres and Mas (Farmhouse). As any New Yorkers can attest, in the warm summer weather the real outdoors is better than the faux barn house facade of hay stacks and wood paneling. The creative team over here at TableXchange put their heads together to bring you a list of our favorite (dare we say best) outdoor seating restaurants in Manhattan. Al fresco has never been better and here is why:

5) River Café

We think it is only appropriate to start over in Brooklyn. Our much loved, edgy, (other) favorite borough across the river who only wishes she was part of Manhattan. The River Café is as close to our beloved isle as you can get while still residing across the river. Nestled directly under the Brooklyn Bridge, patrons have sweeping views of the Bridge, the City and the world famous skyline. On a warm weekend evening travel by land, by sea or by dirigible as this restaurants stands at # 5 on our list of outstanding al fresco dining.

4) i Trulli

Owner Nicola Marzovilla’s Southern Italian restaurant brings you the finest from the Apulian region. The very large patio out back is also one of our favorite places for a glass of wine and a lamb ragu primi. Nicola also owns Enoteca Vino directly across the street and the selection of moderately priced wines at i Trulli just makes us even more interested in dining in the fresh air. Every Thursday they invite patrons to a garden party of appetizers and unlimited wine for only $30 which we highly recommend.

3) Sushi Samba 7

Located in the heart of the village on 7^th avenue, the roof deck floor of Sushi Samba is an out door diner’s delight. Sit back, relax and enjoy the plethora of fine sake and fresh maki rolls. The Latino-Asian fusion cuisine is still one of the most innovative mash-ups in NYC and keeps people coming back for more.

2) Pastis

Restaurateur Keith McNally transplants a boisterous Paris bistro into the heart of the Meat Packing district with a delectable out door seating area. The (often celebrity) guests arrive in droves and the decibel level can at time be deafening, but the food and drinks are worth the trek. In the summer months the outdoor patio is one of the hottest seats in town at any hour of the day or night

1) Da Silvano

The crème de la crème of al fresco dining. Restaurateur Silvano Marchetto opened up shop over 30 years ago and celebrities arrive in droves for his signature dishes. What more could a TableXchange user want than sipping fine Chianti and eating succulent lobster, washed down with a glass of limoncello all while sitting outdoors next to the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow or Uma Thurman? It is al fresco heaven in the West Village.

There you have it folks, our favorite places to dine outdoors in the summer time. There were many runner ups including Blue Water Grill and Il Buco but we could not fit them all on this list. If we missed some leave us a comment and share your favorite al fresco dining scene.

Five for Five Fridays

gabriel — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:45:56 +0000

Often times people are anxious to dine out but do not know where to eat. Any one of a number of sophisticated restaurants will suffice for you and wife, or your husband, or your friend, or that lady you picked up at Rose Bar two nights prior. Maybe, just maybe, the $50 Per Se reservation is too over the top for this occasion. On evenings like this we welcome you to check out our newest offering from TableXchange; Five for Five Fridays. Every excuse you have not to dine out that evening just flew out the window. Get ‘em while they are hot. Every Tuesday at noon EST (starting 6/24), we will offer five select reservations from TableXchange sellers for the upcoming weekend at only $5! As always if you have any questions feel free to reach out to us at support@tablexchange.com. In the meantime happy Five for Five Friday dining.

Server upgrades

admin — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 19:48:33 +0000

Since launching the site last summer, TableXchange has grown at an exceptional and exciting pace in nearly all areas of the business. We’ve gotten some great press, formed solid partnerships, and have a growing base of users that consistently returns for the ease and convenience of snagging that last minute reservation. The growth was hitting our servers hard though so we decided it was time for some new digs. We’ve just completed our migration from our old host to our new home at Rackspace®, and we can’t say we’ve ever been happier. The site runs smooth as ever and is lightning fast. Big thank you to the Rackspace crew. Also, to do our part in reducing the strain on the planet, we’ve decided to go with greener servers that are part of the Rackspace® Greenspace™ Initiative. All the carbon emissions produced by our servers will be offset with the help of NativeEnergy and The Green Grid.

If you have any questions about the move, feel free to contact us at feedback@tablexchange.com.

Summer dining

gabriel — Wed, 14 May 2008 20:05:33 +0000

Summer is around the corner and that means one thing in New York City - a mass exodus to the Hamptons. Whether it’s East Hampton, South Hampton, Hampton Bays, Birdgehampton or Sag Harbor everyone has the same three desires; sun, relaxation and fine food. The Hamptons is home to phenomenal restaurants and notable chefs like Scott Conant and dozens of “hot spots” are fully booked every weekend; much to the disdain of those looking fort he “elusive” available table.

Pack your linens and your whites for the inevitable parties, barbecues and hopeful invitation to P Diddy’s annual party. On every other weekend night look to TableXchange to help you find that last minute reservation. We are reopening the service in the Hamptons on Memorial Day Weekend and are looking forward to offering our community the finest restaurants on The Island. As always, if you have any questions feel free to reach out to us any time.

Happy dining and enjoy the warm weather.

News and updates: Restaurant additions and commission changes

gabriel — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:27:06 +0000

We want to announce a few changes to the site including new restaurant additions and a commission change. We consistently add and remove restaurants from our database to ensure the most popular restaurants have a presence on TableXchange. Users also often submit restaurants they would like to see represented and available on the site. New additions include: AGO, Merkato 55, Bar Blanc and Dovetail. You can find these new top rated restaurants along with all your favorite tried and true eateries any time at TableXchange.com.

Also, we opted to raise our commission rate to 20%. Monetizing a reservation is a “free lunch” and the higher commission rate should have no impact on any seller. If you have any questions about the changes please reach out to us any time at feedback@tablexchange.com.

Check back regularly for more news and updates from the TableXchange Team.

Happy dining.

By Popular Demand: Thursday Night Dining

gabriel — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 05:34:17 +0000

We started the TableXchange community nearly a year ago under the premise that people all across New York City had hectic schedules but wanted to dine out, even on short notice, at the finest restaurants. Likewise, we knew all too well that many people have reservations they could not make but are too apathetic to cancel. Thus TableXchange was born as a place for the anxious diners to meet the disinterested sellers. After months of research and development, the community opened up for use on Friday and Saturday evenings. Fortunately, TableXchange has been growing nicely and just as importantly, our users constantly send us feedback about improvements to the service. The most requested option was weekday service; ask and you shall receive. TableXchange is now open for business on Thursday nights because among other reasons, many of you need reservations for client meetings, which only take place during the week. After studying the market and learning all the nuances regarding users’ dining habits we are not just opening up Thursdays, but we are excited to do so. As always, the reservations are posted by users in the community for use by anyone interested in the post. If you have a reservation you can not use feel free to put it on the system for the community’s benefit. Remember to check back daily as the reservations on the system are constantly changing.

Happy Thursday evening dining.

The Finest Late Night New York City Dining

gabriel — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 18:45:40 +0000

The TableXchange community is all about fine dining on short notice. The restaurants on our list are the most celebrated around We are often asked our opinions on a variety of topics and this is the first of many “lists” showcasing the finest New York City has to offer. These are our favorite places to grab at bite at 2:00 AM when you want a little nosh and your stomach is empty again since your 7:30 Nobu dinner.

5. Allen and Delancy - Late night menu until 2:00 AM

Allen and Delancy is the latest entrant into the late night fine dining scene. The restaurant oozes Lower East Side panache with dim lighting and thick red velvet curtains. The menu speaks of sophistication as Chef Neil Ferguson brings with him the haute cuisine of Gordon Ramsey. The late evening supper menu lacks the full elegance of the dinner menu yet braised lamb middlenecks with a garlic pomme puree will do wonders after a few of their pisco sour specialty cocktails.

4. The Spotted Pig - The kitchen remains open until 2:00 AM

See and be seen at The Spotted Pig all hours of the night. The Spotted Pig exemplifies the New York City gastropub scene with micro beers and specialty cocktails. Float in early at 11:00 PM before you hit the clubs for a Jerusalem Artichoke Salad with Goat Cheese and Hazelnuts or pop in closer to 2:00 AM to recap your night over a Chargrilled Burger with Roquefort Cheese & Shoestring. Either way, do not be surprised if the fashion model at the next booth over graced the cover of last week’s Esquire magazine.

3. Pastis - Supper served until 3:00 AM

Keith McNally understands the science of maintaining a restaurant’s viability and social status. The late supper menu at Pastis further corroborates this fact. Pastis hits on all cylinders: 1) McNally backing 2) Location 3) Fantastic menu 4) Cracking energy 5) Celebrities.

Guests arrives in droves to share bites to eat at the bar dining room and recant stores of romance and lust from a long evening at one of the areas many clubs and lounges.

2. La Esquina Brasserie - Full menu until 2:00 and the Taqueria remains open until 5:00

The Generation X’ers (ourselves included) love cheap, fun eats after a night in the Lower East Side. The Brasserie serves a full menu until 2:00 AM. Getting through to the receptionist to snag a reservation is as hard as reserving a tee time at Pebble Beach. For those 8:00 PM reservations check out TableXchange. Otherwise, stop by any time before 2:00 AM. And for those really late nights visit the La Esquina Taqueria until 5:00 AM. Late night eats never tasted so good.

1. Blue Ribbon - Gloriously serving food until 4:00.

Blue Ribbon is often regarded as the premier late night dining experience in New York City. The eclectic menu reflects the varied tastes and imaginations of its chefs and owners, Bruce & Eric Bromberg.

Restaurateurs across Manhattan regard Blue Ribbon as a “Chef’s” restaurant - a place for the city’s finest but often less appreciated chefs to go with coworkers, compatriots and friends for a few (or many) beers and fine food after their shifts have ended at 1:00 AM.

Mario Batali has been known to grace the tables of Blue Ribbon until the wee hours of morning. His presence alone should make it worthwhile of the # 1 position.

New York City’s most coveted reservation

gabriel — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 18:09:17 +0000

One name stands out above the rest – Babbo. Everyone knows Mario Batali. The most popular chef in Manhattan had been a common face on the food network until they recently gave him the boot. Regardless, we all know the difficulty of snagging one of these coveted reservations. Reservations open up one month in advance at 10:00 AM. Unlike other restaurants, Mario does not have a dozen receptionists manning the phones to record the reservations at Babbo. Instead, would-be diners often hear busy signals for over an hour only to find a fully booked restaurant when the phone finally rings through. The outrage is palpable – trust me, I know as it’s happened to me too.

The food is sublime and worth the pains of getting through to the receptionist. As with most of the New York’s finest restaurants, reservations pop on tablexchange regularly if you covet that last minute steal. Otherwise, try calling for a Sunday or Monday evening when it’s slightly (and only just so) less busy. Also, if you do not mind eating a little earlier you can usually get a walk-in table if you do not mind arriving by 6:00. When you finally make it in to dine be sure to order the Mint Love Letters. You will not be disappointed.

SMS Confirmations

admin — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 18:11:46 +0000

A few days ago, we added the ability to send an SMS confirmation of your purchased reservation to your mobile phone. We offer the option to send the restaurant’s address along with the reservation info so you have easy access to it while you’re on the move. As with emails and user information, we do not sell or distribute mobile numbers in anyway. Everything is and will be opt-in or controllable within the My Account section.

The feature was added in response to the growing requests for mobile support around our site. We’re pretty excited about this and the other mobile projects we have underway! There’s more to come…