Good Fortune Co.
GFC Wings
GFC wings with Szechuan buffalo sauce
They say fortune favors the bold. Chefs Sarah Cai and Arturo Leighton embraced that philosophy wholeheartedly, departing from kitchen jobs at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando to pursue their own independent, collaborative culinary project. Now in Memphis, the two are hard at work opening Good Fortune Co., home to handmade noodles, dumplings, and a creative cooking spirit.
“We’re pretty excited about this,” says Leighton. “We’ve got some work left to do on the space, but we’re still on our original timeline to open in late July or early August.” After teasing Memphis with their food at pop-ups around town, Good Fortune Co. signed a lease for the former SOB space at 361 S. Main St.
Going into business together was a no-brainer for the pair. “Kitchens are usually very tense areas,” he says. “But when Sarah and I first worked together, there was a natural flow to things. Since we work so well together, we thought, ‘Why not join forces to pursue this dream that we both share?’”
The restaurant will focus on dishes that Cai learned about while living abroad. “I actually grew up in Memphis,” says Cai, “but I moved to China with my family when I was 13. I traveled a lot through Southeast Asia, and the food there influenced me a lot. When we decided to open a restaurant, I looked at the food and beverage scene here and thought it was missing the type of things we specialize in.”
The menu is stuffed with classics like pork wontons and shrimp and chive dumplings. For noodle dishes, Cai and Leighton are focusing on chicken as the main protein. But, to cater to more diners, there will be vegan versions of most dishes. And while making everything by hand might be more time-consuming, the two are committed to their craft.
“We had to import a machine from Asia for the noodle-making process,” says Leighton. “It’s a little bit lower hydration than your typical Italian pasta, so we needed something that could handle high amounts of pressure.” While Good Fortune Co. will focus on ramen noodles, Leighton and Cai are workshopping other noodle varieties, like udon, which they plan to add to the menu down the line.
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The folding and filling process for dumplings.
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Wontons
Classic chili pork wontons.
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GFC's classic big city chicken ramen.
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Xiao Long Bao recipe testing, a dish Leighton hints may be a special in the distant future.
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Cookies and cream Taiyaki
Diners with a sweet tooth will be delighted by house-made soft-serve ice cream for dessert. The confections will be served in taiyaki, a fish-shaped treat that has cultural significance in Japan and China. “Eating that fish [tai] was seen as good luck,” explains Cai, “but many people couldn’t afford it because it was a special luxury. So people started making the face of the fish in waffle form stuffed with red bean paste, and that’s where that design came from. We’re going to make it in a newer style, with soft serve and toppings.”
Good Fortune Co. will also host five signature cocktails (in addition to the usual suspects), such as the lemongrass mojito. A riff on the classic cocktail, the drink uses Thai basil and lemongrass in place of the traditional mint. “It’s a really refreshing cocktail with some exciting flavors,” says Cai. “I’m also a big tea drinker, so we’re playing around with tea infusions to see what other cool cocktails we can create.”
Once the doors are open, the restaurant will feature what Leighton calls a “classic look,” with simple finishes and woodgrains. But the big aesthetic showpiece will be a 27-foot mural by local artist Ivy-Jade Edwards. The design is an homage to renowned Japanese animation company Studio Ghibli. “I had a lightbulb moment one day,” recalls Leighton, “and I thought it would be great if the little forest spirits from Princess Mononoke were dumpling spirits instead, to go along with the theme of our restaurant. There will be a few anime-styled ladies with ramen, and the little dumpling spirits will be floating around them.”
There’s still some R&D to be done on the final menu, but whatever makes the cut is sure to be tasty, and a full embodiment of Cai and Leighton’s passion for the craft. “Noodles from scratch? That’s certainly a labor of love,” laughs Leighton. “We really care about the food we’re making and we’re going to put love into everything. We’re going to take the time to make sure everything is done right, and we’re so excited to be able to share that with people.”
Good Fortune Co., 361 South Main. goodfortuneco.com
Good Fortune Co
Mural Teaser
A sneak peek at part of Ivy-Jade Edwards' mural.
