F.L.X. Table

Having grown up in Rochester, this restaurant in the Finger Lakes has had my attention for quite a while. It has received very solid reviews while being literally hundreds of miles from any similar establishment. Though my friend was unable to join me, I was glad to be able to experience this for myself.

"FLX" stands for Finger Lakes, 5 finger-like bodies of water within New York State. It is a terrific region filled with wineries, small town and beautiful lakes. Most of those in attendance tonight were spending time winery-hopping around the area. F.L.X. Table sits in the quaint town of Geneva at the top of Seneca Lake. It's a quick 20 minute from Canandaigua - the crown jewel of the Finger Lakes. 

This restaurant is communal. 13 of us sat around a big table and had dinner together, served all at the same time from a small kitchen in the same room. Staff was the chef, a kitchen helper (dishwasher...maybe sous chef too...?) and the sommelier, who was absolutely tremendous. Clearly passionate and knowledgable. The wines were excellent.

In fact, they have really smart pairings. 3 levels of global wines, the FLX pairing with wines from the Finger Lakes region, a beer pairing and a non-alcoholic pairing. I got the "Baller" pairing - the 2nd of the global wine pairings. His descriptions of each were outstanding, as good as I've experienced in some of the best restaurants around the world.

 The food here, while a bit hit-and-miss, far exceeded my expectations. The opening Farmer's Board is just beautiful, with a generous amount of accoutrements and a focaccia to die for. And I don't even like focaccia. Sure, most of the vegetables were clearly store-bought, but the overall impression and diversity was truly enjoyable. The 4 accompanying sauces were terrific and varied.

The dishes here definitely missed the full refinement of a Michelin starred restaurant (not that this is Michelin-rated...the guide doesn't cover this area), but is far and away better than I expected to find here in the Finger Lakes. The first dish - tuna and potato - was a play on Salade niçoise was well-conceived, but damned by a consistent temperature throughout each component. Had the tuna been cold and the foam warm, the dish would have sung. 

The handmade pasta dish was so simply and showed a very deft hand, allowing very simple ingredients to play so well together. The rabbit had terrific components and was beautifully supple. And the final tart was outstanding. For $89, you are not likely to find a better and more diverse meal...all the while having the pure enjoyment of meeting new people.

I do need to give a brief thank you to four of my dining partners. As mentioned above, my friend was unable to join me. So I went solo - something I am quite comfortable doing. Sitting in the ante room along a long bar, I took a seat at one end and browsed my phone, enjoying the playful and boisterous antics from the 2 couples at the other end of the bar. 

"Are you here on your own??" one of them asked in a clearly British accent. 

"Yep. My friend was unable to join me."

"Well you're not along any longer. Slide down here and join us!!"

While I truly am happy dining solo, it's even better when shared with others. The generosity of these four folks (one couple from Leeds, the other from New Jersey, if I recall) stretched through dinner and will be remembered for a long time.

F.L.X. comes highly recommended. I chatted with the chef a bit and he has no formal training. He has never worked in a Michelin place. Given the quality of his food, I found that quite surprising and told him so. He lauded the benefits of being a guy that has simply hustled, knowing the commitment it takes to produce food like this. 

I can't really argue. 

I can definitely recommend the Finger Lakes to you, having been in the area and spent many weekends traversing these wineries with friends. And if you're here, put F.L.X. Table on your itinerary. Perhaps I'll see you there. I'm sure to return whenever I'm in town.