Unlucky

We recently went for breakfast at Lucky's Cafe in Tremont.

Short version:
We won't return.
1) Food is decent.
2) Service sucks.
3) Prices are laughable.

Long version:
We ordered biscuit with sausage gravy ($14) and pierogi with sauerkraut (~$19) -- price of my pierogi dish was calculated from the total check of $40. No drinks were ordered (I'll discuss this later).

Biscuit with sausage gravy

First, the flavor of each dish. Scallion biscuits and sausage gravy together were fine. Texture was fine, neither under nor overcooked, floury, greasy, nor lumpy. Bug thought it was all right, but not out of this world. The one cube of potato I tasted, tasted like...a potato. It wasn't as crisp as I would prefer. I didn't want to take another cube or I would have eaten one-fourth of them.

My pierogi were all right. I should have known better than to order something new from the menu. There probably wasn't much time to perfect the platter. The pierogi were doughy and bland. I admit that I am being picky on this point, but I also prefer pierogi to be crisp in such a way that they have a light crackle on the front end of the bite, followed by a chew, similar to gyoza.

The corn and peppers were all right. Texture was at least spot-on, crisp. The sauerkraut was fantastic - not too sweet or sour. The orange rind sprinkled atop was a creative idea. We took this idea home when we made our batch of red cabbage sauerkraut.

Pierogi and red cabbage sauerkraut

The service wasn't serviceable. I'm not sure why I left a tip. I usually walk out of a restaurant if we are not acknowledged within 5-7 minutes and it is sufficiently staffed; what we have done here previously.  If we're interrupting someone's day by our presence, then why bother?

Bug was very patient and asked me to calm down. We waited 15 minutes before we were acknowledged and inquired about our drink order. As a result, even though he wanted to order coffee with his breakfast, he decided against it fearing that he would end up choking down his meal on a bone dry coffee mug.

Granted their niche is local sourcing of ingredients. Even if the potatoes, wheat, corn, cabbage, and grapes, were organic and sprinkled with droplets of Himalayan water from a leaf, this breakfast experience wasn't worth $40.

We're lucky to be in Cleveland where there are an abundance of restaurants to not have to return to unsatisfying establishments.

- Cassaendra

Lucky's Cafe
777 Starkweather Ave
Cleveland, OH 44113
Tel: (216) 622-7773