LUCKY RED

In mid-November, The Hubby and I found ourselves downtown in need of dinner and craving fried chicken. We decided to head over to Lucky Red in Chinatown to satisfy our rumbling stomachs. Lucky Red Shop comes from the same guys behind the incredible Banh Mi Boys and was originally intended to focus on baos with a twist. First opened in July 2014, the shop closed after only two months to be re-worked. Lucky Red 2.0 opened in April 2015 with a new expanded food and cocktail menu.

Atmosphere: A cold Thursday night at 8pm wasn’t exactly peak dinner time but a handful of tables were filled at Lucky Red. Diners ranged from college students having dinner to suits enjoying drinks and snacks. The decor was modern, featuring lots of natural wood and bold red accents. We sat near the doors of the restaurant and unfortunately each time they opened, a gust of cold air swept in.

Service: Service was great. Our server was friendly and attentive. Each dish arrived quickly from the kitchen and she helped us make room on the table as each was served.

Food: In total, we ordered 4 dishes, 2 were great, 1 was ok and 1 was pretty meh. The price of the fried chicken though (4 pieces, basically half a big chicken, for $11) was a great deal. We started with freshly fried chips and an eggplant dip for $7. Simple and satisfying. We were also offered more chips after we polished off the first bowl. Next was an order of the Duck Gravy Poutine. This was my meh dish. I found the duck gravy a little heavy on fat and light on flavour, and weighed down the fries.

The steamed Pork Belly Bao was amazing. Sweet, rendered pork belly with a touch of acidity and crunch from the pickled onions was harmony wrapped in a soft bao. I should’ve skipped the poutine and ordered more baos. When the fried chicken arrived, I was blown away by the portion size. Two drumsticks and two thighs were plated with lime wedges and baby dills. The chicken was juicy and tender but my tastebuds were confused from the sugar in the batter. With each bite I expected salty, and instead was greeted with bursts of sweetness. It took some re-training but after the first piece, I was eager for the second.

Overall, with a couple of beers our bill came to about $30 each. Far from an expensive bill, but high relative to their neighbours, although not for similar fare. Lucky Red 2.0 was good and a hair from great.