 |
Surf's Uptown
It might be a little more kid-friendly than its Warehouse District predecessor, but the new LUCY'S RETIRED SURFER'S RESTAURANT & BAR still makes the hours happy.
WHAT: Lucy's Retired Surfer's Restaurant
& Bar
WHERE: 5961 Magazine
St., 895-0240
WHEN: Lunch weekdays,
dinner daily, brunch Saturday and Sunday
HOW: Credit Cards
RESERVATIONS: Not Accepted
New Orleans' original Lucy's Retired Surfer's Restaurant & Bar,
a Warehouse District retreat for Cal-Mex food, beachfront furnishings
and blended drinks, is most notorious for early-evening happy
hours that spill out into the street and all too easily stretch
into the happier hours of late night. The new Lucy's, which
opened in Uptown in June, is a close approximation of the original
in its surfer theme, its cocktail card and its kick-back attitude.
Well into its fifth month, however, its role in residential
Uptown is somewhat more parental, though not necessarily more
subdued. At 2 p.m. one afternoon, kids composed the customer
majority, many wiggling around to Tone-Loc's "Wild Thing." The
following evening, their parents in tow, another young brood
waged a coloring marathon; a gallery of crayon masterpieces
hangs on a wall of corrugated tin near the entrance. This kid
factor is most remarkable because it has little effect on the
restaurant's overall vibe. Just like at the beach, cocktail
hour and recess are practically indistinguishable at Lucy's.
If happy hours tend to lag at the new outpost, the high-octane
cocktails don't. Bloody Marys are properly spiked and spiced,
and garnished with pickled green beans. When I waffled between
the Bikini Bellini and the Pink Pussycat, a waitress settled
the score by insisting I try the Purple Rain -- a half-and-half
get-up of sangria and blended margarita that tastes like cranberry
juice but feels an awful lot like tequila. An unfortunate margarita
on the rocks turned out, like a prom dress, abrasive in all
the wrong places. Still, as a friend pointed out, the orange
plastic mermaid swimming on top "makes up for a lot." She slipped
the mermaid into her pocketbook and continued to drink. A fun,
bare-midriff crowd often gathers around Lucy's glossy wooden
bar after sunset.
The same crowd seems to have spawned much of the service staff,
a collection of young women with sunny demeanors, names like
Orchid and a knack for disappearing at precisely the only time
they're needed. This happened often enough to create suspicion.
And yet, from the droll menu descriptions to the grass-skirted
restroom sink to the "surf tools" (aka silverware) tucked into
paper bags printed with surf prayers, it's almost embarrassing
to take anything here too seriously.
Including the food. If you fail to fall in love with any one
dish, it's probably still in your best interest to find one
that's worth ordering again -- because odds are most diners
will be back. Consider generous opening hours, that kid quotient,
the beer selection, the large-group friendliness, the location,
the parking lot, the sunny day surfing murals. For many neighborhood
customers the entire package will prove too agreeable to disregard
simply because the smoked chicken enchiladas tasted soapy or
because the kitchen sometimes ignores the menu and makes portobello
mushroom fajitas with button mushrooms instead (I experienced
both indiscretions).
For starters, then, take brunch. The Tom Blake Breakfast Burrito
(named for the inventor of the surfboard fin) is watertight:
a warm flour tortilla rolled around downy scrambled eggs, sliced
red potato, spiced breakfast sausage and cheese. Free baskets
of hot, fried tortilla strips coated in cinnamon sugar precede
all brunches; coffee, though just standard brew, comes in the
sort of deep, narrow-bodied, thin-lipped mugs I personally adore.
One lunchtime a salad of blue cheese, bacon and pale green
lettuce chopped to confetti was so satisfying in texture and
crispness that I only noticed after the fact that three main
ingredients -- radicchio, heart of palm and cucumber -- had
been missing. The Juicy Lucy burger is a solid, 8-oz. patty
that lives up to its name. Diners for whom a burger is an excuse
to abuse condiments will go mad from all the choices: blue cheese,
chile con queso, guacamole, grilled onions, sprouts, green chile
sauce, and so on.
Todos Santos fish tacos have no competition, as far as I tasted,
anytime. When made with soft tortillas (versus hard ones) and
grilled (versus fried) white fish, the clean, moist fish harmonizes
in freshness with garnishes of sweet tomato and crunchy red
cabbage. Tartar sauce served on the side should be added in
moderation. A six-layer chocolate cake made off the premises
with fudgy frosting is an appropriately outrageous way to continue
not taking yourself -- or any additional thoughts of moderation
-- too seriously.
This is not authentic Mexican food but rather southern California
Mexican surfer food, a genre that's often overrun by egregious
amounts of bland melted cheese. Anyone excited by this prospect
should consider the Serious Nachos, the Whitey Harrison huevos
rancheros and the cheese enchiladas, all of which have potential
but too much cheese to taste it. Po-boys and various salads
are available for diners who wish to steer clear of the genre
altogether.
All things considered, though, the basics of Cal-Mex cooking
-- rich and salty refried beans, savory black beans, chunky
salsa and lime-touched guacamole -- are well represented at
Lucy's. These create a solid foundation for most entrees that,
given the right attitude (or cocktail), can turn out as enjoyable
as happy hour.
Other Stories This Week in Cuisine:
Wine of the Week
2001 Tiziano Chianti
Tuscany, Italy
$5-$9
Food News
Other Stories by Sara Roahen:
Food News 09 30 03
Food News 09 23 03
Food News 09 16 03
Sara Roahen Archives
|
|
