Good Luck

My central argument for this post will be that Good Luck is the best restaurant in Rochester (that I've ever been to). So if you get too overwhelmed with the giddy superlatives or doubtful of my ecclesiastical endorsement, feel free to skip a paragraph, cleanse the palate with some acerbic wit (maybe Oscar Wilde or Christopher Hitchens) and just remember the thesis I'm positing here: Greatest. Restaurant. Ever.

Ok, probably not "ever." Probably in Rochester, of the places I've been to, in my current state of mind. And still, just probably. But if I had a restaurant (let's call this "the restaurant in my mind") it would be sort of French countryside-inspired. It would have high ceilings with exposed beams. It would have speciality cocktails with crazy seasonal ingredients. It would have a wild fusion menu. And a laid-back vibe. It would have a lot of those funny little idiosyncracies that made Good Luck so charming. At this point, the RIMM would be straight ripping off Good Luck. Because I loved the dish cloth napkins, the fresh herbs, the antique industrial mixer, and the little hand mirrors in the ladies' room. I loved the precious library check-out cards for the wine list. And the (real silver?) antique-y mismatched silverware. And I really loved the "food to share" concept-- though they need to really spread the word on how that works. ["Food to share" isn't family-style or tapas, it's like each dish is enough to feed one person, but they bring them to the center of the table at varying intervals so all can be shared. And there are sides like salads and fries mixed into the menu as well].

So let's get down to it: the food. I have to admit I went here on the premise of doing the Restaurant Week prix-fixe. But that option (pizza) wasn't all that appealing after our fabulous calzone night (see below). I didn't see anything I was immediately entraced by. I loved the idea of ramps and nettle pesto (two very in-season green things that aren't really farmed, but just plucked from the ground, and thus adored by foodies right now). But I didn't really want pasta. None of the meat dishes really grabbed me: the hamburger seemed too pedestrian (although it looked like the vast majority of their business) and the black cod seemed too heavy. The Boy went with bone-in pork loin and I got two vegetarian dishes: chickpea and eggplant fritters and butternut squash curry. The pork came with basmati rice and a red lentil sauce, so our meal turned out to be very Indian, though totally unintentionally. And it was also better Indian than I've had anywhere, including the stuff I've made at home and been quite impressed with. (You'll note in the picture that my plate has been scraped clean).

You can really taste the freshness, the quality ingredients, the multiple layers of flavor. These dishes are thought-out and show a certain amount of inspiration (well, for Rochester anyway). I am totally going to put cashew butter in my next curry, that's for sure.

Now, I'm cynical enough to know nothing is perfect; restaurants are never all that consistent, so all other experiences (including more of my own) will likely differ. The service was a bit rickety, so it could be more of a problem on other occasions. We didn't have the best seat in the house, so I could see when being squeezed so close to another table would be maddening. And there have got to be times when the prices seem extravagant. They teetered over to the reasonable-high side last night. But we left relaxed (and not a little jubilant), with that wonderful not-too-full feeling. And even the rain didn't ruin it. I think we had Great Luck.

Good Luck is at 50 Anderson Avenue, which is a tiny hidden street just before Village Gate off Goodman (coming from University). There is parking just past the restaurant, which has a black awning with no obvious signage. It is open 5-2am Wed-Sat. They have a huge bar, and a late-night menu.