Redd — Restaurant in City of Rochester

Wow. Impressed by execution and little details, as well as the food being knocked out of the park. Nice reno on the interior if you were familiar with the prior establishment. Open visual floorplan, low enough ceiling to feel cozy, tables spaced well, intimate feel without bumping elbows. Wheelchair friendly, I would think. Great evening sunlight on the tables near the entrance.

A seemingly simple menu helps narrow your decision, and allows Chef's techniques to shine. We sampled- Tuna tartare: perfect cuts and meltaway quality fish. Crisp and refreshing with a hint of heat, balanced. The pork belly on the menu was offset by a special, and no one turns down pork belly buns. Larger than expected, the appetizer would hold on its own as a light lunch. I used a fork, and normally I'd just dive in. Slaw and sauce were on point. I might say a touch high on the salt but my gosh, savory deliciousness. Roasted chicken, polenta, mole, cheddar, corn- this was her dish so I only got a bite, but man, I would not have expected the flavor. Crispy chicken skin, tender meat, spice, and just enough sauce to keep it all cohesive. Skate wing, curry, jasmine rice, clams, chorizo: honestly never had skate before. To me, it was crispy skinned fish with soft, tender meat. The foam on the dish was impressive. That jasmine rice had a killer almond/coconut feel that was nearly dessert, somehow working perfectly with the fish and clams. Started with a fork and ended with a spoon, wanted it all. Followed this up by going for each of the dessert options: A butterscotch pudding of which I cannot recall their name for it, but fantastic. If you've ever had Rocco's budino, it's similar in flavor but stands on its own. Creamy, sweet, salty, savory, all in one. A hazelnut Blondie: this is described poorly by me, as, some deliciously soft and yet crunchy baked good on top of a sauce of I'm not sure what, topped with creme fraiche, and I wanted all of it. Chocolate ganache torte: this is rich and decadent. It's heavy on the straight-cocoa flavor, and perhaps a touch salty. A dollop of the creme fraiche found on the other desserts would be excellent. The crust though, superb. Just right. We also did wine based off our servers advice, pairing well with the food. I went for cocktails, as so many places have 'craft' cocktails these days. Nothing wild for the sake of wild- and it was duly noted that the quality of glassware for each variant was well above standard. Thin edges, light feel, narrow stems. Sage sour- an egg white cocktail. Beautiful foam, so, whomever was shaking, nice work. Sage was a light background flavor which is how it should be, unlike so many garnish-forward trendy things. The Manhattan- I think it's Anne's Manhattan, but a light variant on the classic with a brandied cherry. That brandied cherry could be on top of the hazelnut Blondie, just saying. Excellent. I also got a pour of bourbon, but that's my thing, and rather than get into a silly hobby topic with my server (who was exceptionally attentive) I got a simple pour of bulleit. Served neat in a proper rocks glass with good cut and heft.

Prices overall, were what I would consider -very- reasonable.

The check is brought to you in a tiny french cookbook. This is by far one of the most unique and pleasant methods I have seen. I should have taken more time to learn French.

Summarily: new place, short menu, high quality, pleasant atmosphere, exceptional staff, everything hitting it's mark. Can't wait for the...

Two Words: Consistently Amazing!!!!

I’m a foodie, I love good food and fine dining. There aren’t many restaurants in Rochester I haven’t tried but “REDD” takes the cake (by far). We have several great restaurants in Rochester but no one matches the consistency I continue to experience at REDD.

I only leave reviews once a restaurant has proven to be amazing across 3 separate experiences. I’ve been to REDD 7 or 8 times now, and they never cease to amaze me. Let’s start with the exceptional customer service……

Customer Service: There’s always someone at the host station when I arrive. Engaged with a warm smile and a very welcoming culture. I’ve never been asked to wait for my table, upon arrival my table is readily available. The combined attentiveness of multiple staff members makes for a very efficient dining experience. My drink never sits empty without a server asking if I’d like a refill. Empty plates never left sitting on the table making it crowded. My favorite waiter is this gentleman named Mason. This guy not only remembers my name but memorizes every detail of every order I make, he’s “the” perfect example of incredible extraordinary service. A+ Customer service

Food Quality: When I heard we had a Michelin-starred chef in Rochester, I couldn’t wait to see if the food quality matched the accolades. I was SOLD the moment I tasted the Risotto (then Lobster/Now shrimp). I love a good Risotto but this is no ordinary Risotto, the combination of lemon and truffle elevates this dish to new heights. Knowing how easy it is to over/under cook Risotto, they’ve executed the consistency correctly EVERY TIME.

The Glazed Pork Belly is unthinkably delicious, the sauce is heavenly and the tenderness of the pork belly is impossible replicate, don’t you dare use a knife to cut into that, your fork is more than enough. On my fourth visit I tried the Thai chili glaze wings. I thought to myself “upscale restaurants typically do a lousy job when it comes to a good chicken wing”. Ha! Not this chef! I still don’t know how he does it. To put that amount of sauce on a wing and still maintain the crispness of the skin is not easy.

The steak is unmatched (Finally, someone understand the true temperature of a medium steak). The scallops are caramelized to perfection! Last and certainly not least, the dessert. HOLY JESUS! I wish I knew the exact name of this dessert I had, it’s almost like a custard and the flavor is Butterscotch. I’m not a fan of butterscotch anything but this dessert is ridiculously good. It’s served in a small bowl and its chilled A+ Food Quality

The Price: The prices are exactly what I expect to pay for fine dining. As they saying goes “You get what you pay for”. Relative to other places I frequent, like Tournedos, Rose Tavern or Next door Bar and Grill, REDD prices are very fair. The price matches the value received A+ Pricing

This place has quickly and easily become my go to restaurant of choice. From ambiance/decor to exceptional execution of everything I look for in a great restaurant experience. I’ll end this review the same way I started it…….Two words: Consistently...

Absolutely great. From the people, to the design, to the food; of course.

We had not been before last night which was a shame as I guess we stick to our normal places too much. But from the moment we walked in, every staff member was a absolute delight.

Scott our waiter was very attentive, friendly, and helpful. We started with the REDD Wings. They are Thai Chili coated with sesame seeds and spring onions. They were perfectly cooked with an amazing crunch. We couldn't have been more happy with the perfect balance of sweet and heat, and the decadent flavor.

Personally I was torn between two specials, and the classic steak on offer on the regular menu.

The one special was basically a comfort food; the classic beer battered fish fry, which ultimately Scott recommended since it was a special that is only available during Lent.

This choice was amazing. He was right in that it was a basic fish fry, but elevated. The fish was tender and flaky, with a perfect beer battered shell that had a great crunch. The fries were great and handcut with a pillowy softness to them, but the tartar sauce was absolutely killer. And while the fish fry was an absolute stand out on its own; that tartar sauce just pushed it to the stratosphere! Get this if you see it on their menu.

My wife got the Wild Fluke with Clams. The presentation of the dish was amazing, with a creamy sauce, tender clams, a flaky fish, and a rice base that absolutely was creamy and delicate holding onto the sauce. She usually sticks to basics, but went off her beaten path, and she was glad she did.

For drinks we tried a couple of their specialty ones. My wife had the spicy margarita which was amazingly complex, and not too spicy. But it is a back of the throat spice if that sort of thing bothers you. I had the Negroni which was great as well. I've found you can tell a bartenders skill based on how well blended their Negroni is, and this one was masterfully crafted.

Before I get to the deserts, their desert spoons have what seem to be a dent in them. It's supposed to be there. It's a French Sauce/Desert spoon that is supposed to allow the sauce or glaze of a desert enter the spoon without having to tip it too far and lose your bite on the utensil.

Also, you may notice a small fork with a thick tine on it. That's a desert/pastry fork. The thicker tine is meant to replace you having to use a knife to cut the cake or pastry. The more you know.

For desert was the decadent chocolate cake for my wife. It was rich and creamy with a scoop of ice cream. Great stuff. I had the Sticky Toffee Pudding which was fantastic as well, with the same requisite scoop of ice cream.

So, after all that, just to once again say, this restaurant and it's food and people are well worth the visit. If you haven't been due to sticking with your normal haunts, you owe it to yourself to try it. Or, if you just only do a nice yearly sit down for a special occasion, make it here. After my friends and family all raving about REDD, I just wish my wife and I had...