The Dignity of Nourishment by Small, Furry Animals: Lucques, I Am Your Father

On Friday afternoon, I got a text from one of my oldest friends, MF. Although we live in the same town, we don't see as much of each other as we should, and BoW and I have been needing to connect with him ad his new wife L for some time now. This was the perfect weekend, as his mom was in town, and he suggested a late dinner at a restaurant that was just around the corner from their place in WeHo. When we spoke on Saturday to discuss the details, I found out that our destination was to be none other than local celebrity chef Suzanne Goin's Lucques.

The place is small and active, but not crowded despite being full on a Saturday night. There is a small bar in the front, and wood and brick fill the open space that spills out into the ivy-walled back patio where we were immediately seated. It was not quiet, but we did manage conversation. We got the ball rolling with selections from the typical list of traditional cocktails one finds in American restaurants these days while we munched on a plate of roasted almonds with sea salt and a handful of the olives from which the place takes its name. We had started with vodka martinis before we left the house, and I had already made my first course decision, so I went with the gimlet.

L had the arugula salad, which I did not sample. I did have a taste of MF's squash soup, which had a full-bodied sweetness and nuttiness well accented by hazelnuts and complemented by slightly bitter greens and good salty bacon. BoW had the duck sausage.

It was savory and delicious, redolent of fall flavors like fennel and sage, with just the right sweet touch to balance the earthiness of the liver and cabbage. The sausage was tender and had a satisfying texture that made it seem like there was more to the plate than met the eye.

My kampachi was a simple, bright dish of wonderfully fresh fish. Understated flavors of cucumber and citrus bolstered it against the sharpness and aroma of the purslane, which was like the best marjoram you've never tasted before. It was the perfect light start and made me feel all smart about my cocktail choice.

I was also tasked with wine. The list was extensive and really ran the gamut in terms of quality, origin, variety, and price. Nothing too obvious, but nothing really lacking as I looked for personal faves that I thought would be appealing to a variety of palates and pair with the five different entrees that would be coming to our table. I selected a Dolcetto that was quite reasonable, and the waitress agreed that it would be a solid winner. She was right about its lightness, and it exhibited that sweet-tart berry flavor that one expects from the grape. It had character, but was definitely willing to step up stage during the soliloquy.

Main courses came from the fall menu that was both typically contemporary American and traditionally fall-themed. The black cod, lamb shank, and beef ribs were all precisely executed, satisfyingly rich and savory, and well-portioned if not exactly eye-opening. That said, Goin should be credited (at least in part) for founding this trend in cooking even if we are starting to see many of these same dishes on menus over and over.

My veal was no exception, and despite its near-perfect preparation and exquisite level of ingredient quality, it was not particularly life-changing or even memorable. I didn't post anything about the roast filet with maderia and mushrooms that I made for dinner last Sunday, but I guess I was hoping for something from Luques that was not just more polished than my own cooking but beyond its conception.

The one true disappointment of the evening was BoWs rabbit. This cuddliest of woodland creatures is a super hot menu item in LA right now, and we have been ordering it at every opportunity, including the tender and delicious iteration at Palate, the dry and entirely underwhelming attempt proffered by Ford's Filling Station, and the delicate and exquisite new Tuscan variation skillfully assembled by Chef David at Fioretto Trattoria. While the Palate dish must be considered somewhat of a rip-off of Lucques', the sausage was bolder and the rabbit more tender. Here, as with the veal, the sauce was meant to star and the protein was a delivery device.

Having said all of these Lucques-warm things, it's only fair to say that the overall experience was of top quality. Service, atmosphere, bar, and kitchen all combined with professional aplomb, and the place is friendly and comfortable while still providing a true fine dining experience. If I am tough on the menu and the food it is only because I expect so much. The Hungry Cat has been hugely successful, and I look forward to seeing Goin take Lucques another step beyond when she decides to update. (Hint, hint.)