LUCCA CAFE

Our final stop on this week-end's OC Restaurant Week tour is the Lucca Cafe in Irvine (http://luccacafe.net/). Got a good write-up in Orange Coast magazine recently and is participating in the Golden Foodies Card program; so we figured we'd head out and see "what's the buzz". Well this place is promising, but..........

We all ordered off the $30 prix fixe menu. but they were not really discounting much off the regular menu prices. First course I had the Charcuterie Platter, sweetie pie the French Onion Soup and her mother the Belgian Endive Salad. All were "just OK". Second course I had the herb crusted free-range New Zealand baby lamb chops, which were good, but also as advertised (i.e. "baby"). My wife had the trio of handmade stuffed handkerchief raviolis, which were a lovely sight and really very tasty, but overpriced. Her mother had the hanger steak with shrimp and a crab cake-really a great surf and turf combo, but she had to send her steak back because it was not hot (barely lukewarm). For dessert, at or server's recommendation, we all had the signature Bread Pudding, which was "interesting".

Final verdict, the 3 Tubby Tummys give Lucca Cafe two thumbs up (and the Golden Foodies cards helped their score).

P.S. Bonjour, mes amis!! Sweetie Pie reporting here!!! On Friday, my mother and I went to Traditions by Pascal for their Restaurant Week luncheon delight. Though no photos were taken, all the dishes were as usual fabulous. Starting with the French Onion soup which is like no other;(I should know as I have this wherever it is served!) to the Beef Bourguignon. It was like being in "foodie" heaven. The ambiance of the room which is filled with the most beautiful roses down to the lovely server, it was a lunch "divine". Dessert was Oeuf a la Neige, which was baked meringue with vanilla creme Anglaise. A perfect ending to a more than perfect lunch. Tres Magnifique. Au Revoir.