by Bobbin W. on If it weren't for my sister's high praise of Luckie Food Lounge, I never would've given this downtown nightlife hotspot a shot. My companion and I arrived around 8, just before the clubber demographic started to trickle in, scoring a leather booth that offered a decent view of the open kitchen. The waiter brought me a box of flavors upon my request for hot tea. "Which is your favorite?" I inquired. "I'm not gon' lie to you. I don't drink hot tea," he answered honestly. After I requested classic green, he brought me a small but heavy cast-iron pot of piping water that stayed hot throughout the evening. My companion and I chose the edamame and crab and cucumber salad as our apps. The steaming, sea-salted edamame kept me occupied during the wait for our food, although I couldn't help but steal several bites of the fresh, crisp salad, too. My samurai roll, packed with tuna tartar, salmon, yellowtail and asparagus, topped with tuna, avocado, spicy mayo and teriyaki sauce, quickly disappeared. While I enjoyed the roll overall, I could've done without the mucousy teriyaki sauce; I think I'm just not a fan of teriyaki's flavor or texture. I sampled my dining partner's charm roll--apparently Luckie's most popular. The shrimp tempura offered a crunch in contrast to the soft snow crab. Smoked salmon, shrimp and avocado rested on the top, in addition to more teriyaki sauce. For dessert, we dove into the bread pudding, topped with a caramel sauce and a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. Raspberry sauce zig-zagged across the plate as well. Bread pudding's eggy aftertaste isn't my favorite, but this dish still fully satisfied my sweet tooth. I was pleasantly shocked by the quality of food and service at Luckie Food Lounge, and glad to escape before it turned into a full-out club.
