When you walk into Lucky Lupitas, you might notice a note on the wall which tells you that people don't each burritos in restaurants in Mexico. I had always suspected that they don't have pinatas hanging from the ceiling in Mexico either. I think that must also be right because at Lucky Lupitas there is not a pinata (or any other kitsch 'mexican' decoration) to be seen.
We eagerly awaited the opening of Lucky Lupitas. The small shop previously contained another favourite of ours 'Ping Pong' which served delicious, simple and very cheap asian food in a very slick space (bentwood chairs, etc). We were disappointed when Ping Pong suddenly disappeared, but soon had something else to look forward to.
Austin loves ribs. I love mexican. We both love interesting fit-outs. Cue our first (and certainly not only) visit to Lucky Lupitas.
It look two trips to Lucky Lupitas to get a table on our first visit. Luckily we live 5 minutes down the road. We had a similar experience on our second visit. Apparently, it is best to get there early - otherwise be prepared to wait.
Ask for a recommendation as to an appropriate amount of dishes for your group. Lucky Lupitas offers starters, small plates (street food), hamburgueas, larger plates, ribs with your choice of sauce and a mix of sides. On our first visit we did not order enough, but the waitress promptly delivered an extra plate once we discovered our mistake and ordered more.
The grilled corn with a thin covering of chipolte mayonnaise, cheese and lime is a must. A cheesy, tangy taste sensation, which doesn't overpower the fresh flavour of the corn. Tostones - twice cooked plaintain chips - are excellent, almost fritter-like, with a dry sweetness.
We followed our starters with couple of tacos - which do not resemble the tacos you get in boxes in the supermarket. Rolled, soft and served not quite hot - a drizzling of lime juice sets off your choice of filling. The braised beef is good.
Chicken Nachos come in a generously large serve, with chunks of tender chicken but otherwise light on the cheese so the dish does not become a sloppy mess and feels a little less naughty. The ribs are not the fatty pork ribs I had imagined. I expected my fingers to get sticky, but it was a far more civilised affair. Wood-smoked beef short ribs. Not fatty, but perfectly cooked, tender and slightly stringy. Your choice of sauce, but to us, chipolte bbq seemed appropriate. Austin and I are not big meat eaters - one to share is plenty for two, with a mix of other dishes.
The prickly pear margarita is almost too drinkable for its $40 price tag. Served in tall glasses with a salt rim.
All in all, Lucky Lupitas is a gem. And since it has opened up in our area, where there isn't much happening on the dining scene, we feel pretty lucky too.
Prices: (our average visit with a pitcher of prickly pear usually lands between $75-$90 for two, but we don't hold back on a variety of dishes)
Starters $4.50 - 10.90
Small plates $9.50 - $15.90
Hamburgers $11.90
Larger plates $15.90 - $21.90
Ribs $23.90.
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