I’ve never woken up early to take part in Black Friday before. But this year, for the first time ever, I chose to. Why? It had nothing to do with getting a deal on a mammoth flatscreen TV … and everything to do with being among the first to try out the menu at a new restaurant opened by a chef whose other restaurants I love.

Bryan Voltaggio—whose name should be familiar to regular visitors here, as I’ve told you about all three of his current restaurants: Volt, Family Meal, and Lunchbox—is opening a new restaurant. More than a restaurant, actually. An entire foodie complex.

Earlier this week, I received an email (because I’m in the Volt database as a previous customer, I assume) letting me know that Range would be open for a series of limited preview dinners December 15-17, and that reservations would be taken online starting this morning at 5:00 a.m. prior to the opening of general reservations.

So as 5:00 a.m. approached, I was at the Range homepage, hitting refresh, refresh, refresh. Nothing happened at first, and I worried there was a server glitch, but at 5:07, I was able to grab a 5:30 p.m. table for the first preview night. By 5:09, all that was left was a 9:30 slot that first night, but within minutes, the night was gone, and all that remained even on the second of the preview nights were 8:00 and 9:30.

I’m obviously not the only one intensely interested in what Bryan Voltaggio has in store for us! Check back in a few weeks, when I’ll know exactly what he’s doing.