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The Atmosphere:
With an intimate setting, Lucky’s is perfect for gossiping over Sunday brunch with friends or enjoying a book during a leisurely weekday lunch. Part of the Tremont ArtWalk, the cafe currently is exhibiting abstract works by artist George Graham. Although our party of three had no problems getting a seat at noon on a rainy Monday, I am sure Lucky’s can get rather crowded on a sunny weekend. Fortunately, about a dozen picnic tables are available to customers wanting to dine alfresco. At first glance, the doo-rag-wearing staff might appear to be slightly unorganized (drink orders were taken at the same time as lunch orders and refills were never offered), but they make up for it with friendliness and knowledge about the café and menu. The Menu:http://luckyscafe.com/breakfast_lunch_menu.htm At Lucky’s, everything is homemade. And I do mean EVERYTHING. From the sauces and gravies to the breads and pastries, the food is created in-house using mostly Ohio-based provisions. The menu consists of a wide range of pastries—muffins, bagels, scones, cookies, brownies, cupcakes, and tarts all can be seen in a glass case by the entryway—which can be purchased even if the kitchen is closed. The kitchen menu, which is served from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, consists of a small selection of sandwiches, two salads, and a macaroni-and-cheese entrée. The brunch menu, available from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends, includes a few of the kitchen-menu items as well as housemade granola, waffles, pancakes, biscuits, and omelettes. A specialty-drinks list features organic flavored teas made specifically for Lucky’s. The Food:
We began with a few of the specialty-drink selections: Bubbly Pellegrino poured over a mixed-berry concoction made for a deliciously frothy treat, but the mango tea was described as “good, but without much mango flavor.” I ordered the baked macaroni-and-cheese (with bacon, of course), which came with a side of homemade applesauce and a bunch of red grapes for about $12. Baked in an individual ramekin, the four-cheese mac was creamy and flavorful, but for an additional $1.60, I expected more than just a smattering of crispy bacon.
The Innocent Bystander ordered the grilled cheese of the day, made with Vermont cheddar and caramelized onions (mushrooms were left off at the Bystander’s request), and accompanied by a creamy tomato soup. The grilled cheese was appropriately crunchy on the outside and gooey on the inside, but the caramelized onions were too sweet and tended to overpower the other flavors. The soup was more cream than tomato and could have used more spices. EAT co-founder Chris West started with the soup of the day—cream of potato—which came with toast points rather than the typical plastic-enveloped Saltines. He then chose the menu’s lone burger, which was topped with caramelized onions, bacon, cheddar cheese, and a fried egg, and served with sides of housemade chips and slaw.
Unfortunately, the burger was a bit of a disappointment. The caramelized onions once again tried to be the star of the show, and the egg was overdone. The whole point of topping a burger with a fried egg is to enhance the beef with the richness of the yolk; if the yolk has been cooked too long and gels, it cannot run into the meat itself, negating the effect, and leaving you with, in this case, an underseasoned breakfast item that no longer can rule its lunch-time roost. The only one to order dessert, I picked from the aforementioned glass case a lovely looking lemon-curd tart topped with a vanilla crumble. The lemon curd was not sharp enough for my liking, and the pastry shell was exactly like dozens of others I’ve tried over the years. I was underwhelmed, and I wished I had saved the $4.25. The Departure:Lucky’s makes it easy on its clientele by simply assigning each table a letter. Don’t worry about waiting for your server to bring a check; instead, simply take your appointed letter card to the register. The hostess then can divide the orders and take your cash or credit, as needed. Would We Go Back?Good question. At about $20 for a typical lunch, Lucky’s is a bit pricey for a regular non-special-occasion weekday. Some of the food wasn’t as tasty as I had anticipated, but my Fieri-fueled expectations might have been a bit high. However, I would go back for brunch. The clincher: On the way out, I spied a fellow diner’s gingerbread waffle topped with whipped cream, apples, and caramel sauce. The ensuing weakness in my knees meant I’d make a return trip eventually. |
