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To a generation of theater folk who spend most of their time at Angus McIndoe, Sardi's is something of a museum; even with its refurbishment in the early nineties, the place still has the feel of something that was best experienced in a bygone era. But in that era, there was no restaurant more associated with Broadway and the folks who toiled in its industry. Vincent Sardi Jr., who died yesterday at 91, was its heart and soul. Born and bred in Manhattan, Sardi's father opened the original restaurant in 1921; it moved to its present confines six years later. Sardi, Jr., who took over in 1947, built on the restaurant's reputation as a place where stars could dine undisturbed and anyone with a love of the theater was welcome. The Times obituary has this rather telling anecdote:

If Sardi's was a club, its rules were mysterious. Only Mr. Sardi knew them, and only he could explain why, for many years, one of the best tables was held for Mr. and Mrs. Ira Katzenberg. The Katzenbergs, who by the early 1950s had attended virtually every Broadway opening for 30 years, took their seats at Sardi's at 7:15 and ordered, without fail, a brandy and a bottle of Saratoga water. Mr. Sardi called them his favorite customers.

Sardi's is one of those institutions that jaded New Yorkers tend to avoid, which is a shame: You're not going to get great food, to be sure, but spend five minutes looking at the famous caricatures that adorn the walls and its almost as if you've stepped back in time for a moment. Rest in peace, Vincent.

Vincent Sardi Jr., Restaurateur and Unofficial 'Mayor of Broadway,' Dies at 91 [NYT]