Luc Lac Vietnamese Kitchen - Review

Lúc lác refers to the method of cooking small pieces of meat by shaking a wok. It’s also the name of a great little restaurant that serves a Vietnamese celebratory dish called luc lac. Luc Lac Vietnamese Kitchen’s version of luc lac was absolutely delicious: tender, cubed beef tenderloin seared with Hennessey, buerre de France, garlic, and black peppercorn served over mixed greens and with tomato fried rice. At $15, it was by far the most expensive item on the menu. I figure if the proprietor names his restaurant after a dish, ya gotta try it. I was glad I did.

The location, 827 SW Second Ave, has been many things over the years, most recently a mini food court. Alan Ho gutted the place to create something much better. Simple design, one open room with concrete floor. The side and back walls are covered with oxblood-colored cushioned bench seats, which are comfortable. Two-top tables ring the outside, which are easily reconfigured for bigger parties The center, as with most new restaurants these days, consists of a three sided bar. The bar opens in the back which, intentional or not, evokes a yin yang feel when juxtaposed with the front-sided opening to the three padded walls. From the ceiling hang a number of pink parasols. For the budget spent on décor, they did a pretty good job to create a somewhat modern but still comfortable feel.

Luc Lac’s menu has many other items that looked good on paper and on nearby tables.

It’s worth a try for lunch or dinner and a huge upgrade for that space and the immediate area.