The above – beef stroganoff with gravy, buttered noodles and a dollop of sour cream – was one of the specials on tonight’s menu at Lucky’s, a dining spot in Montecito that’s a favorite of celebs and regular (albeit well-heeled) folks. Michael had the stroganoff and I had the halibut special, but the restaurant is best known as a steakhouse; my friend Melodie had a filet mignon and said it was delicious.
Normally, we save Lucky’s for special occasions, and tonight was no different. Melodie finished her novel and signed with a literary agent to represent her. Given how tough the book business is these days, her double accomplishment was cause for celebration and we splurged on her behalf. (Also, we were hungry and eager for a really good meal.)
What boggles my mind about Lucky’s, other than how insanely expensive the menu items are, is how crowded it is – all the time. Economic downturn? Not at Lucky’s. Foreclosures? No evidence at Lucky’s. Belt tightening? Not a chance at Lucky’s. When we showed up, the place was packed and the only table-for-four was in the bar. Which would have been fine except the noise was deafening and we had to scream at each other to be heard.
We had figured that between the first night of Passover and the start of the Easter holiday, people would be home with family. Wrong. They were all at Lucky’s – from single women looking for love and unattached men looking to score to foodies like us who oogled the couple making out at the next table while we stuffed ourselves with the tasty offerings.
Lucky’s is always a scene. It’s a lot of fun, but we won’t be back until either they lower their prices or we win the lottery or somebody else takes us there and picks up the tab.
