THE
There’s an old platitude that defines luck as what
happens when preparation meets opportunity.
The Lucky Accomplice pushes a similar line on its website, where an ultrastylish purple and black banner reads “make your own luck.” The curious
irony here is that, in light of the pandemic, the circumstances around the opening of chef Logan Ely’s newest restaurant could hardly be described as fortunate. “I really did not want to open it during this thing, but there’s no end in sight, so we’re going to have to make the best of a weird situation,” Ely told us
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LUCKY
shortly before his new spot went live. A second irony, revealed upon dining at the restaurant, is that The Lucky Accomplice is no supporting character, as its name may suggest – it’s the ultimate symbol of Ely’s journey to date. Starting with his Square1 Project pop-ups and then at his first restaurant,
Shift, which opened in 2018, Ely searched for ways to transform familiar ingredients like apples, onions and squash into brilliant and unique components of his small plate courses. Shift became a laboratory of sorts, where Ely could experiment in a controlled environment and diners could pop in
to observe and experience his work. “I think I opened a restaurant for a very selfish reason, and that was just to learn and to grow,” Ely says, reflecting on Shift and its lauded tasting menu. “It was the next evolution and the next challenge, the next big chance to learn a lot. The only thing I was trying December 2020