My boss lives in San
Francisco, and fancies that he Knows Food. He takes me to Bay-area restaurants
to prove that my tastes are provincial. I try to show him that we can generally
get equivalent quality here, at much lower prices. The way the game goes, we
both praise the cheap ethnic joints, and mercilessly critique the high-end
restaurants (like them or not).
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย So the boss and I took our act to
Mark Cupolo, formerly chef-owner of the Victor Grilling Company, on a night
when he was covering for chef-owner Tony Gullace at Max. Oh, the boss was in a
mood to niggle. But alas, the spicy, two-minute calamari “Sicilian-lifeguard
style” gave no quarter ($11). Risotto with broccolini and prosciutto was
distressingly perfect and, sadly, the potato gnocchi with roasted tomato,
butter, and Parmigiano was even better ($8). It was his worst nightmare: He
liked it.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย At the heart of this silliness is a
sad truth: Expensive restaurants are seldom worth it. Why spend $50 for a meal
when you could spend $20 at the Seoul Garden or half that at LJ’s? Of course,
these are different experiences. The fine restaurants will have extensive wine
lists, atmosphere, pageantry, and, hopefully, style. But it’s a question worth pondering.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย My three meals at Max, though —
the others were lunches prepared by Gullace — were stellar in every way. Tony
Gullace is popular with local chefs, partly because he’s worked with many over
the last 25 years. It’s also because there is a universal respect for the man.
Eating his food, you quickly understand.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Gullace is the grandson of a Victor
farmer, and his first restaurant experience was at the old Blacksmith Shop
there. He landed at the Water Street Grill in the late ’80s, staying until ’93
when he took a year off to travel. “I went to France, Italy, and South
America,” he says, “trying to learn about different cultures and improve my
craft.” He also made connections.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย From France, he returned to oversee
dining at three Hudson Hotels, including the Inn on the Lake, which he opened.
Then it was off to Florida, where he founded and ran an enormous, successful
restaurant. Missing home, back he came, helping out at the Rio, Boom, and Victor
Grilling Company before spending some time at Tonic.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย The latest stop on Gullace’s wild
ride is Max, which he and a silent partner remodeled and opened in just 10
weeks. Max uses the whole face of the Eastman Place building, with a dining
area, a bar, and the unique atrium for events. Eating there, you look out on
the bustle of the city’s cultural district.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Back to the food. Onion soup is
seldom noteworthy, but it is at Max, made from four types of onions, slowly
caramelized to release their sweetness. Often, onion soups taste mostly like
salt, but this is complex and wondrous, the best I’ve ever had.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Tony and Mark rave about their Waygu
sirloin, and with good reason ($25). Waygu beef comes from the same breed of
cows as Japanese Kobe, but they’re raised in Australia and the United States,
making it far less expensive. Like Kobe, Waygu is densely marbled and extremely
flavorful. Cooked medium rare, the Max Waygu sirloin is a rich treat with
herbed oil, swiss chard, and potato purรฉe.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย We also had two types of fish.
Slow-roasted salmon came on top of a smoky-sweet hash of parsnip, carrot,
rutabaga, and leek, with crisp shallots on top ($21). Sea bass with soy-truffle
vinaigrette was even better, perfectly complimenting its bed of Savoy cabbage
and shitake mushrooms ($24). This dish had a delicate, fragrant earthiness that
was just stunning.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Max is also participating in New
York Wines & Dines by offering a prix
fixe menu of New York State foods accompanied by New York wines for $32.
Right now, it includes greens with a cheddar pie, walnuts, and apple cider
vinaigrette served with a Dr. Frank Riesling; a spectacular cassoulet of duck,
white beans, Rubino’s sausage, and vegetables, served with a Fox Run Pino Noir;
and pears poached in Riesling and local honey, served with a Heron Hill
late-harvest Riesling. If wine interests you, the Max list has well over a
hundred offerings from all over the world.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Tony Gullace is that rare
combination of great chef and savvy businessman, and with Mark Cupolo joining
him, Max has Rochester’s dynamic duo of cooks. If the prices scare you, try
lunch, when most of the same fare is much less expensive. But really, at almost
any price, the dining experience at Max is worth it.
Max of Eastman Place,
387 Main Street East, 697-0491. Hours: lunch Monday through Friday, 11:30 a.m.
to 2:30 p.m.; dinner Monday through Thursday, 5:30 to 10 p.m., Friday and
Saturday until 11 p.m.
Food tip
Wayne Luong recently
opened Golden Port Dim Sum at its new location, 105 East Avenue, the former
home of Savory Thyme and Haleigh’s. Get there early and look for a meter;
otherwise, park in the East End Garage and get busy enjoying many courses of
dim sum.
— Michael Warren
Thomas
Michael Warren Thomas
can be heard weekends on WYSL 1040 AM. Gardening, restaurants, and Finger Lakes
travel on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon; Toronto restaurant reviews and wine on
Sundays from 10 a.m. to noon.
This article appears in Feb 18-24, 2004.
