October 30, 2008

Luckie's Has The Formula For Fun

Newest Power Plant Live! spot offers glossy looks. Luckie’s Tavern is the newest addition to the Power Plant Live! complex. There’s a Rat Pack-era theme, conveyed mostly by the sexy clothes worn by the cock-tail servers and by a thorough and nifty remodeling, which does a good job of creating handsome, clubby spaces within a vast interior.

Gorgeous new old-Vegas neon marquee and sea of red leather aside, this is still principally a place for young people to flirt and drink with a hundred of their closest friends.

Luckie’s is brand new, but it was clicking when we visited. The core staff, including general manager Billy Peterson and chef Justin McGuann, worked together at Towson's Vin, and everyone seems invested. It was heartening to see multiple examples of good teamwork and such simple but effective gestures as being offered a menu while waiting at the bar for friends to arrive, and sincere apologies when a huge office party descended on what had been a quiet side lounge.

The menu offered a wedge salad, french onion soup and milkshakes. Then there are one or two items that feel like chef’s showcases, namely a terrific fried oyster appetizer with bacon lardon, wilted spinach and a Dijon remoulade, and a seared rockfish with honey-lemon drizzle and basil oil. But most of the menu is the familiar stuff that every place has these days: quesadillas and calamari for appetizers, baby back ribs and crab cakes for entrees.

McGuann’s oyster appetizer was smashing; it was one of the best I’ve ever had. The oysters had been handled just perfectly - crispy breading, tender inside - and its traditional accompaniments were sassily updated. And I liked the Pit Boss salad, too, an entree-sized pile-up of hand-dressed greens, chopped tomatoes, bacon and shrimp.

Steak frites was a very good choice. Made luscious with a red-wine butter, the grilled hanger steak was tender with a good, strong beef flavor. The fries at Luckie’s are good and crispy, and they’re served with chilled ketchup that has been poured into pretty white vessels. Ketchup, when it’s cold, is awesome, we all decided at length. This was the kind of classy touch that Luckie’s could play up even more.

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