Rochester, NY

[mrmagee]

So whatever happened to Le Lemon Grass, and/or his outpost over by the Public Market?

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PM Sent

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Don't want to necessarily push for info -- should I assume it won't be coming back?

I liked that place.

[GordonCooks]

Opening this weekend.

Rocco's

165 Monroe Ave

Rochester NY

Local Chef Mark Cupolo (formerly at Max's Chop House and former owner of Victor Grilling) is forging ahead with the type of place he's always wanted to do. Rustic Italian grilled, braised meats, risottos, pizzas, etc with an italian wine list. Mark has an uncompromising culinary point of view which is good for his customers. I've never found anything on any of his dishes I would have added or subtracted.

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Gordon, great info as always. Any first impressions?

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It's a winner. The food at Rocco's was as expected - top notch. The pizza oven needs a few cycles to cure the bricks so they were less than enthusiastic due the fact it was fired for the first time that day. A salad of roasted beets, oranges, pistachios, house made ricotta, a salad of grilled potatoes, roasted red peppers, sopressata, arugula, meatballs, arancini, marinated olives, red wine risotto, grilled lamb over mushroom panzanella, cannoli, pistachio gelato with fennel seed brittle, etc. Pizzas and pastas next time.

[Ciao Ling]

Opening this weekend.

Rocco's

165 Monroe Ave

Rochester NY

Local Chef Mark Cupolo (formerly at Max's Chop House and former owner of Victor Grilling) is forging ahead with the type of place he's always wanted to do. Rustic Italian grilled, braised meats, risottos, pizzas, etc with an italian wine list. Mark has an uncompromising culinary point of view which is good for his customers. I've never found anything on any of his dishes I would have added or subtracted.

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Gordon, great info as always. Any first impressions?

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It's a winner. The food at Rocco's was as expected - top notch. The pizza oven needs a few cycles to cure the bricks so they were less than enthusiastic due the fact it was fired for the first time that day. A salad of roasted beets, oranges, pistachios, house made ricotta, a salad of grilled potatoes, roasted red peppers, sopressata, arugula, meatballs, arancini, marinated olives, red wine risotto, grilled lamb over mushroom panzanella, cannoli, pistachio gelato with fennel seed brittle, etc. Pizzas and pastas next time.

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Thanks- can't wait to try it. Always looking for true artisanal pizza. I have recently salivated over the pizza porn images coming out of NYC of late at the baker Jim Lahey of no knead bread fame's new place Co.

[GordonCooks]

If you pick up a copy of Rochester Magazine this month, Adam Wilcox does a great article about local pizza.

[philadining]

If you pick up a copy of Rochester Magazine this month, Adam Wilcox does a great article about local pizza.

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I haven't seen that article, but I had some pretty terrific pizza at Tony D's in Corn Hill. They've got a coal oven that does a great job creating a tasty crust, with a touch of char around the edges. It's not quite the same style as the NYC coal-oven pizzarias: that Patsy's East Harlem - Grimaldi's - Lombardi's school does a thinner crust, and is lighter on the toppings. I prefer that style by a little, but Tony D's made a very tasty pie. The thicker crust and heavier toppings were in pretty good balance, and it's hard to know whether a more minimal approach would fly in RaChaCha.

The guys at Tony D's are obviously very dialed-in on how the oven is running, I think the crust was cooked perfectly.

We got one white pizza with clams and sausage, which was a very nice flavor combination, but the clams were a little over-cooked. I imagine that's tricky, but I've had clam pizzas that managed it.

We also had a sausage and hot pepper pizza, which I thought was more successful.

It's not going to push Patsy's out of my coal-oven top spot, but it's pretty darn good, and if I'm in the mood for pizza in Rochester, this is going to be my go-to place.

Of course, I still have to try the pizza at Rocco's...

[GordonCooks]

If you pick up a copy of Rochester Magazine this month, Adam Wilcox does a great article about local pizza.

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I haven't seen that article, but I had some pretty terrific pizza at Tony D's in Corn Hill. They've got a coal oven that does a great job creating a tasty crust, with a touch of char around the edges. It's not quite the same style as the NYC coal-oven pizzarias: that Patsy's East Harlem - Grimaldi's - Lombardi's school does a thinner crust, and is lighter on the toppings. I prefer that style by a little, but Tony D's made a very tasty pie. The thicker crust and heavier toppings were in pretty good balance, and it's hard to know whether a more minimal approach would fly in RaChaCha.

The guys at Tony D's are obviously very dialed-in on how the oven is running, I think the crust was cooked perfectly.

We got one white pizza with clams and sausage, which was a very nice flavor combination, but the clams were a little over-cooked. I imagine that's tricky, but I've had clam pizzas that managed it.

We also had a sausage and hot pepper pizza, which I thought was more successful.

It's not going to push Patsy's out of my coal-oven top spot, but it's pretty darn good, and if I'm in the mood for pizza in Rochester, this is going to be my go-to place.

Of course, I still have to try the pizza at Rocco's...

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Tony D's is currently the top spot. I laugh because they originally had the temp and char down perfect but too many people complained about the "burnt" pizzas (including a local, novice food critic) They've made a happy medium.

Edited January 6, 2009 by GordonCooks (log)

[philadining]

Tony D's is currently the top spot. I laugh because the originally had the temp and char down perfect but too many people complained about the "burnt" pizzas (including a local, novice food critic) They've made a happy medium.

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I can imagine! Gotta be frustrating for someone operating a coal oven.

I would have been fine with a touch more char, but it's pretty close to perfect in my book. I certainly wouldn't have wanted it any lighter. The clams, well, those could have been in for a little less time...

[philadining]

Also hit up a tiny little place in Henrietta: El Dorado (not to be confused with Dorado on Park Ave.)

It's a hole-in the wall spot in a tiny, faceless strip mall, between a weird liquor store and Peddler's bike shop. Which is to say, exactly the right kind of location for a couple of young guys doing a pretty authentic taqueria kind of thing.

Pork Tamale, a Cecina Taco, and a Chorizo Taco.

Enchilada platter

As you can see, the tacos and such are smallish, but they're very inexpensive, less than $2 each, and they're quite tasty. The tortillas are soft and fresh, the tacos are not loaded down with cheese and sour cream and all that crap, just some meat, some onion and cilantro, maybe a little spray of lettuce. They might dress them up more for you if want, I'm not sure, I happen to like straight-up tacos like they serve them.

The cecina had a nice concentrated flavor, and the chorizo was just the right level of greasy: enough that it was flavorful and moist, but not so much that red oil was dripping off my elbows! The tamales were a little on the plain side, like many tamales I've had in my life, but a dose of the spicy salsa, made with chiles de arbol, perked them right up.

I didn't get a taste of the enchiladas, but my dining companions liked them. There were also raves for the regular shredded-beef tacos. And there are more elaborate platters as well: Carne Asada, Guisado de Puerco, we got to try a little sample of a very juicy and flavorful Pollo en Achiote.

It's mostly a take-out place, they only have paper plates and plastic silverware, but you can eat-in too, there's a counter with about 10 stools. While you wait, you might get some nice warm chips, and fresh salsa. Just watch out for the spice in that salsa de arbol!

El Dorado

2513 East Henrietta road (near Calkins)

[Ciao Ling]

Also hit up a tiny little place in Henrietta: El Dorado (not to be confused with Dorado on Park Ave.)

It's a hole-in the wall spot in a tiny, faceless strip mall, between a weird liquor store and Peddler's bike shop.  Which is to say, exactly the right kind of location for a couple of young guys doing a pretty authentic taqueria kind of thing.

Pork Tamale, a Cecina Taco, and a Chorizo Taco.

Enchilada platter

As you can see, the tacos and such are smallish, but they're very inexpensive, less than $2 each, and they're quite tasty. The tortillas are soft and fresh, the tacos are not loaded down with cheese and sour cream and all that crap, just some meat, some onion and cilantro, maybe a little spray of lettuce. They might dress them up more for you if want, I'm not sure, I happen to like straight-up tacos like they serve them.

The cecina had a nice concentrated flavor, and the chorizo was just the right level of greasy: enough that it was flavorful and moist, but not so much that red oil was dripping  off my elbows!  The tamales were a little on the plain side, like many tamales I've had in my life, but a dose of the spicy salsa, made with chiles de arbol, perked them right up.

I didn't get a taste of the enchiladas, but my dining companions liked them. There were also raves for the regular shredded-beef tacos.  And there are more elaborate platters as well: Carne Asada, Guisado de Puerco, we got to try a little sample of a very juicy and flavorful Pollo en Achiote.

It's mostly a take-out place, they only have paper plates and plastic silverware, but you can eat-in too, there's a counter with about 10 stools. While you wait, you might get some nice warm chips, and fresh salsa.  Just watch out for the spice in that salsa de arbol!

El Dorado

2513 East Henrietta road (near Calkins)

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Philadining- nice find and as always, great pics. Here's to more authentic taquerias in Rochester. I had a late night at work and on the drive home stopped at El Dorado at 8:30PM. It was near closing and the place was empty with no activity in the kitchen, but the two "young guys" fired it up for my takeout order of chicken tacos and tacos al pastor, which were superb, none of that Tex Mex stuff so prevalent in our area. I have liked Mexican at El Rincon Dos (now Rio Tomatlan) in Canandaigua and will also go to Paola's locally. Now I have another place for a decent taco. I'll work my way through the rest of their menu, but unfortunately the young guys tell me that they are taking the tamales off the menu. Apparently there is not enough interest from the local Rochester populace. When I asked them to reconsider, they said they might carry a smaller number, but they would definitely make them for you if called in advance.

[Ciao Ling]

Opening this weekend.

Rocco's

165 Monroe Ave

Rochester NY

Local Chef Mark Cupolo (formerly at Max's Chop House and former owner of Victor Grilling) is forging ahead with the type of place he's always wanted to do. Rustic Italian grilled, braised meats, risottos, pizzas, etc with an italian wine list. Mark has an uncompromising culinary point of view which is good for his customers. I've never found anything on any of his dishes I would have added or subtracted.

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Gordon, great info as always. Any first impressions?

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It's a winner. The food at Rocco's was as expected - top notch. The pizza oven needs a few cycles to cure the bricks so they were less than enthusiastic due the fact it was fired for the first time that day. A salad of roasted beets, oranges, pistachios, house made ricotta, a salad of grilled potatoes, roasted red peppers, sopressata, arugula, meatballs, arancini, marinated olives, red wine risotto, grilled lamb over mushroom panzanella, cannoli, pistachio gelato with fennel seed brittle, etc. Pizzas and pastas next time.

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Went last night and thoroughly enjoyed the meal, atmosphere, and service. We had the roasted beet salad and the grilled octopus as starters. The grilled octopus was the standout. Perfectly cooked- tender not rubbery but also with a sweetish char that was nicely offset by the piquant salsa verde. We wanted to try the pizzas and tried two, a tomato, anchovy, olive, and chili and a white pizza with mushroom and white truffle oil. Both were quite good. The crust was not crisp like a Neopolitan with a little bit of chew and able to fold it but not as leathery as a classic NYC crust (Joe's Brooklyn In Henrietta seems to come closest for that). Apparently they use a starter for their dough. I would have to say the crust is more similar to the New Haven types although not as charred. Espresso to end the meal- that needs a little work. No crema at all. Will certainly come back, perhaps on a regular basis. Its atmosphere and price points are certainly conducive to that (similarly to Good Luck). More so with the current economic climate, opening any new restaurant can be a hazardous undertaking. We should always stick up for our good local restaurants amongst the big box chains.

[H. du Bois]

When I was up visiting recently, I had some dim sum at a place on Winton near Jefferson. Cantonese Garden? Don't remember the name. The food was surprisingly good.

[philadining]

Cantonese House

3159 Winton Road South

585-272-9126

I've heard their dim sum was good. For some weird reason I've never gone, even though I've been to other places in that plaza, like Thali of India, many times.

[GordonCooks]

Cantonese House

3159 Winton Road South

585-272-9126

I've heard  their dim sum was good. For some weird reason I've never gone, even though I've been to other places in that plaza, like Thali of India, many times.

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I'll second Cantonese House for their quality and consistency. Much better than Golden Port.

[GordonCooks]

Had a very nice carb fest at Rocco's over the weekend. Re-lived the salads I had previously as I enjoyed them that much and ate the better part of 3 pizzas. The marguerite was delicate in flavor and a great way way to start. The stars were a previously mentioned pizza of tomato, olive, anchovy, and chili and a pie of clam and pancetta. I spent the meal going between bites of each quite happily. I was thrilled to see an addition to the dessert menu - Butterscotch Budino. A thick yet creamy pudding topped with a light caramel sauce and whole almonds.

[Ciao Ling]

This post is for Rochester chocolate lovers. I attended the 3rd Annual Slow Food Chocolate Dinner last night at Max of Eastman Place. Tony Gullace in his typical superb fashion came up with an inventive menu incorporating chocolate/cocoa into each course. The main reason for the post is that there was a chocolate tasting following the dinner featuring the chocolates of Renee Suzette Chocolates. Renee Suzette, a local choclatier, was in attendance and served and described an incredible selection of dark chocolate treats that she had made that day for the event. One incredible truffle "bite" was a rasberry truffle consisting of 64% dark chocolate dusted with bittersweet Scharffenberger cocoa. There was also candied fresh mandarin orange peels dipped in dark chocolate as well as a truffle incorporating Glenora vineyards wine. She tries to use as many local prducts as she can, including cream from the Pittsford Dairy and butter from Byrne dairy. I had an opportunity to chat with Renee. She has been a pastry chef for 21 years since high school first gaining practical experience and also attending Johnson and Wales and the CIA. She had a stint in NYC helping Jacques Torres open his own chocolate shop in Brooklyn but returned to upstate NY where she grew up. She has been the pastry chef at the NY Wine & Culinary Center in Canandaigua and still teaches courses there but now has placed more focus on her chocolate business based in Waterloo, now open for about 1.5 years. She has several wholesale accounts and many of the Fingerlakes wineries have asked her to incorporate their wines into chocolates. She recently won the silver medal for her creation for the recent Chocolate Ball charity event at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center. She has no retail shop yet, but tells me that she would like to open one in Rochester. For now, you can visit her website, RSChocolate.com, and shop on-line for some of her creamy creations.

[Ciao Ling]

Tony D's is currently the top spot. I laugh because the originally had the temp and char down perfect but too many people complained about the "burnt" pizzas (including a local, novice food critic) They've made a happy medium.

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I can imagine! Gotta be frustrating for someone operating a coal oven.

I would have been fine with a touch more char, but it's pretty close to perfect in my book. I certainly wouldn't have wanted it any lighter. The clams, well, those could have been in for a little less time...

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I finally tried Tony D's pizza. I got two for takeout. One Margherita and one Bianca. The Margherita was superb. Top notch ingredients. The mozzarella had that great fresh dairy flavor that only fresh can offer. But in the end pizza for me is all about the crust. The Margherita had one of the best crusts in Rochester for artisan type pizza for flavor and chew (I ate a slice or two in the car while driving home to avoid the pizza box steam effect). Crust was done perfectly with nice blisters and the black leopard spot charring that a coal fired high heat oven can provide. That said, the pizzaiola who tended the Bianca left it in too long. My Bianca did not have any really wet components and would be more prone to problems with inattention. At least half of the crust was carbon- by that I mean a slice could have a bottom that was a pure black triangle, no brown too be seen. I didn't check the pies until I got home, or else I would have showed them. Even so, the carbon layer was thin enough that I ate the pie happily anyway- I do like my high heat pies. I visit my sister in Connecticut once a year and always go to Frank Pepe's. I can understand, however, if others have complained about too much char. It may not be just be naive Rochesterians. I've got to try more pies, but I think a little more quality control to achieve consistency and they might very well earn the top spot in my book.

[GordonCooks]

Probably had the best meal Rochester had to offer Sat night.

Went to MAX of Eastman for some dinner with a good friend (and fellow glutton)

Apps and split 4 Entrees for a pseudo tasting menu - A bottle of Pine Ridge "Dijon Clones" chard and a Bottle of Dumol Syrah. Food, wine, and service was flawless. It's my go-to spot but I'm always amazed in reflection that this place does it's job so well. Hit Rocco for all the desserts (Butterscotch budino, fresh filled canoli, sorbet, gelato, etc) and then Good Luck for an after dinner cocktail, then The Strath for a bottle of dessert wine. This was a meal I could have had in any big city but right in my hometown was comforting.

[kreed]

Not a fan of many places discussed in this thread.

IMO, best pizza in town is either Nino's on culver (get a white pizza with the fried garlic "chips") or the Gate House in Village Gate.

Best restaurant in Rochester in my opinion is the newly opened Good Luck at village gate. Absolutely best meal I've had in Roch.

[GordonCooks]

Not a fan of many places discussed in this thread.

IMO, best pizza in town is either Nino's on culver (get a white pizza with the fried garlic "chips") or the Gate House in Village Gate.

Best restaurant in Rochester in my opinion is the newly opened Good Luck at village gate. Absolutely best meal I've had in Roch.

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Nino's is the best take out pizza in Rochester. I like the foccacia style with all the trimmings. Good Luck is putting out excellent food - Dan Martello is one of best in Rochester.

[GordonCooks]

Was at Rocco Saturday night - another stellar meal.

A tasty meat and cheese pairing of soppresetta and a hard sheep's milk cheese I can't recall. The marinated olives are always a must, the mushroom and white truffle oil pizza, beet salad with citrus and ricotta, meatball bruschetta, Scallops over a chunky deconstructed minestrone soup and pesto, Lasagne, and a Bistecca all Fiorentina that would be enjoyed at any steak house in town. Cannoli, Butterscotch budino, and gelato to boot. Throw in a bottle of falanghine and Ornelliai, No one ate better in Rochester than I did that night.

[philadining]

I finally had a chance to eat at Good Luck recently, and I'm sorry it took so long for me to do so. I'd dropped by for some very good cocktails a few months ago, but this is the first time I had a chance to have dinner. I found the food to be creative, interesting, and most importantly, delicious. (Sorry, it was a little too dim for photos - next time I'll try to go earlier!)

We started with a couple of specials. One was a vegetable stew that featured asparagus, fava beans, peas, morel mushrooms, artichokes, and probably a few other green things that got lost in the swirl of flavors. A creamy sauce and a touch of truffle oil added some richness, but the overall effect was one of lightness and fresh spring flavors.

The second special was one of Cardoon Cutlets. Although not an especially spring-like vegetable, this dish was vibrant, with grape tomatoes, sauteed greens, a dollop of fresh-tasting tomato sauce, and a few nuggets of pancetta atop the panko-coated crisply-fried cardoon. This had a very pleasing range of flavors and textures, and was one of our favorite dishes of the night.

The other favorite was Black Cod with roasted beets and potatoes over a cauliflower purée. The fish was perfectly-cooked, nicely moist beneath the seared exterior. Accompaniments were simple but acted as good companions.

I was curious about their pizza, so we ordered the Neapolitan, just a simple tomato sauce with cheese and basil on a thin, crispy crust. The crust was very dense and crackery, exhibiting good structural integrity (no tip-droop!) and while I prefer that to a limp, bready crust, it could have used a little more flavor, and some air. The whole package was good though, and while I wouldn't rank it as a destination pizza, I could easily picture sitting at the bar and eating one as a snack or a starter or even a light meal.

For better or worse, the Good Luck schtick is that all the dishes are plated to share, and will be served as they're ready. This was fine with us, we like eating that way, and my dining partner and I were planning on sharing everything anyway. Our dishes came out in something resembling two courses, which worked pretty well, although in a perfect world I might have liked the dishes in a different order. Now that I think of it, I didn't ask, next time I might mention it if I have a preference. I'm not sure if it would have changed anything, but it can't hurt to ask...

The biggest problem with this style of service is that some diners just don't like to share, or aren't in the mood for the same food. In circumstances like that, it can be uncomfortable if one person gets their food well ahead of the other.

It's also not entirely clear how much food should be ordered: there's no real indication on the menu about whether dishes are large or small. We ordered four things for two people, and that was too much, three might have been just right. But who knows, if we'd ordered different things, maybe four, even five, might have been appropriate.

There's a nice selection of wine by the glass, we found a Gruner Veltliner from Berger that matched really well with what we were eating. They also have some very interesting cocktails, and a reasonably deep bar if you want to go off-list. Their version of a Sazerac is unconventional, but tasty, so I couldn't resist getting another after first sampling it back in December. They also make a credible Corpse Reviver, and some original concoctions that bear more exploration.

We didn't have room for dessert, although we might have considered it if it had been offered. That was one of the very few slips in what was otherwise very good service from an enthusiastic and knowledgeable waiter, who we also found amusingly odd, but in a good way...

The tab for two ran a little over $100 including a good tip. We didn't drink much, but we did order too much food, so that might have balanced out. One could easily spend much less, or more.

They're only open wednesdays-saturdays, but they serve pretty late. I'm not sure when the regular menu toggles-over to the more limited late-might offerings, or even when the last food leaves the kitchen, but they advertise that they serve "late" whatever that means. Gordon?

If you can get your head around the sharing thing, and be serene with the fact that the food will come out when it comes out, I highly recommend checking out Good Luck. It's a little on the loud side, and I've sat in more comfortable chairs, but next time I'm in town I'll happily shout at my dining companion, and risk my leg going to sleep, because the food is a strong enough lure.

Good Luck

50 Anderson Ave

(585) 340-6161

www.restaurantgoodluck.com

Edited April 30, 2009 by philadining (log)

[GordonCooks]

I finally had a chance to eat at Good Luck recently, and I'm sorry it took so long for me to do so.  I'd dropped by for some very good cocktails a few months ago, but this is the first time I had a chance to have dinner.  I found the food to be creative, interesting, and most importantly, delicious. (Sorry, it was a little too dim for photos - next time I'll try to go earlier!)

We started with a couple of specials. One was a vegetable stew that featured asparagus, fava beans, peas, morel mushrooms, artichokes, and probably a few other green things that got lost in the swirl of flavors.  A creamy sauce and a touch of truffle oil added some richness, but the overall effect was one of lightness and fresh spring flavors.

The second special was one of Cardoon Cutlets. Although not an especially spring-like vegetable, this dish was vibrant, with grape tomatoes, sauteed greens, a dollop of fresh-tasting tomato sauce, and a few nuggets of pancetta atop the panko-coated crisply-fried cardoon. This had a very pleasing range of flavors and textures, and was one of our favorite dishes of the night.

The other favorite was Black Cod with roasted beets and potatoes over a cauliflower purée. The fish was perfectly-cooked, nicely moist beneath the seared exterior. Accompaniments were simple but acted as good companions.

I was curious about their pizza, so we ordered the Neapolitan, just a simple tomato sauce with cheese and basil on a thin, crispy crust.  The crust was very dense and crackery, exhibiting good structural integrity (no tip-droop!) and while I prefer that to a limp, bready crust, it could have used a little more flavor, and some air. The whole package was good though, and while I wouldn't rank it as a destination pizza, I could easily picture sitting at the bar and eating one as a snack or a starter or even a light meal.

For better or worse, the Good Luck schtick is that all the dishes are plated to share, and will be served as they're ready.  This was fine with us, we like eating that way, and my dining partner and I were planning on sharing everything anyway. Our dishes came out in something resembling two courses, which worked pretty well, although in a perfect world I might have liked the dishes in a different order.  Now that I think of it, I didn't ask, next time I might mention it if I have a preference. I'm not sure if it would have changed anything, but it can't hurt to ask...

The biggest problem with this style of service is that some diners just don't like to share, or aren't in the mood for the same food. In circumstances like that, it can be uncomfortable if one person gets their food well ahead of the other. 

It's also not entirely clear how much food should be ordered: there's no real indication on the menu about whether dishes are large or small. We ordered four things for two people, and that was  too much, three might have been just right.  But who knows, if we'd ordered different things, maybe four, even five, might have been appropriate.

There's a nice selection of wine by the glass, we found a Gruner Veltliner from Berger that matched really well with what we were eating.  They also have some very interesting cocktails, and a reasonably deep bar if you want to go off-list.  Their version of a Sazerac is unconventional, but tasty, so I couldn't resist getting another after first sampling it back in December. They also make a credible Corpse Reviver, and some original concoctions that bear more exploration.

We didn't have room for dessert, although we might have considered it if it had been offered.  That was one of the very few slips in what was otherwise very good service from an enthusiastic and knowledgeable waiter, who we also found amusingly odd, but in a good way...

The tab for two ran a little over $100 including a good tip.  We didn't drink much, but we did order too much food, so that might have balanced out. One could easily spend much less, or more.

They're only open wednesdays-saturdays, but they serve pretty late.  I'm not sure when the regular menu toggles-over to the more limited late-might offerings, or even when the last food leaves the kitchen, but they advertise that they serve "late" whatever that means.  Gordon?

If you can get your head around the sharing thing, and be serene with the fact that the food will come out when it comes out, I highly recommend checking out Good Luck.  It's a little on the loud side, and I've sat in more comfortable chairs, but next time I'm in town I'll happily shout at my dining companion, and risk my leg going to sleep, because the food is a strong enough lure.

Good Luck

50 Anderson Ave

(585) 340-6161

www.restaurantgoodluck.com

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Dinner usually ends by 10:00ish during the week and 11:30ish on Sat/Sun. You can still get some of the items up until 1:00 or later (think Pizza, salad, and the fries) It's pretty packed on the weekends - I consider it a restaurant during the week and a bar in the weekend.

[philadining]

It's pretty packed on the weekends - I consider it a restaurant during the week and a bar in the weekend.

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Yeah, I'd started calling it "Good Luck getting a table" and indeed mid-evening on a saturday the dining room was completely booked. But surprisingly, on this particular saturday, 8-ish, the bar was not all that full, so we grabbed a table over in the corner by the windows, and we were quite happy there. They serve the full menu at the bar and at those adjacent tables, so there's still hope even if the dining room is booked.

I'd thought much the same thing as you - that it was more bar than restaurant on weekends, but oddly, not this particular saturday. There were still seats at the bar when we left, ten-ish. but the dining room looked pretty full.

I'd called Rocco earlier in the day, but they were booked for the whole night.

Jeeze, I thought I could take advantage of this terrible economy and at least find an open table at a restaurant in Rochester!

[GordonCooks]

It's pretty packed on the weekends - I consider it a restaurant during the week and a bar in the weekend.

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Yeah, I'd started calling it "Good Luck getting a table" and indeed mid-evening on a saturday the dining room was completely booked. But surprisingly, on this particular saturday, 8-ish, the bar was not all that full, so we grabbed a table over in the corner by the windows, and we were quite happy there. They serve the full menu at the bar and at those adjacent tables, so there's still hope even if the dining room is booked.

I'd thought much the same thing as you - that it was more bar than restaurant on weekends, but oddly, not this particular saturday. There were still seats at the bar when we left, ten-ish. but the dining room looked pretty full.

I'd called Rocco earlier in the day, but they were booked for the whole night.

Jeeze, I thought I could take advantage of this terrible economy and at least find an open table at a restaurant in Rochester!

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Rocco is very busy but you can always find spot at the bar. Good Luck is about the same but not many others are. Max and the ChopHouse are slow lately but Tony D's is still going veeeery strong.

[philadining]

Rocco is very busy but you can always find spot at the bar.

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Do they leave the bar seats for walk-ins? If so, the guy on the phone should have said so! I would have taken a chance on bar seats, but I was told the restaurant was completely booked.