It’s always fun to try out new restaurants, so it wasn’t hard for Brian, our amazing Office Manager, and I to decide on Lucky Cricket in St. Louis Park. West End is an area we both frequent for dinner and drinks, and we were curious about the new establishment.
We headed over to Lucky Cricket on a Thursday evening after work. It was very busy, but we only had to wait a couple minutes to get a table. The hostess at the door set the tone for a night of incredible customer service. We had a great server who helped us navigate the menu, letting us know what seemed to be “customer favorites” and what seemed like something we might enjoy based on our likes. He had a good sense of humor. Each person that stopped at the table to drop off food or clean off plates, was pleasant and accommodating.
The restaurant is like a giant, dimly-lit Tiki Bar that just screams “fun and relaxation”. I would say that the décor and ambiance is what really makes this place special. Everything is bright and bold, yet warm and welcoming.
We kicked off the meal by ordering Tiki Drinks. They come in adorably fun glasses, making it hard to not want one – haha! I ordered the Mai Tai (rums, curacao, almond, & lime) and thought it was fantastic. It was blended and sweet and paired well with the Chicken Wings we ordered. Brian went with the Jet Pilot (rums, falernum, cinnamon, grapefruit, lime, & bitters) because he was intrigued with the ingredient combination. Much to his surprise the drink was exceptionally tasty and rather well-balanced, with neither the cinnamon nor the grapefruit jumping out like we thought it might.
We also ordered two appetizers. The first one being the Chicken Wings (chile, soy, sugar, rice wine). These had incredible flavor – they were the perfect balance of sweet and bitter. This is going to sound strange, but the first thing I said after taking a bite was, “Is it just me, or do these taste like mini donuts?!” Somehow, they do, I promise! These were cooked perfectly. These were my favorite that night.
The second app we ordered was based on our server’s recommendation, the Shrimp Toast Rolls (shrimp, crisp bread, chile dipping sauce). We liked the concept and the shrimp was definitely yummy, but we were not completely sold on the breading on the outside. The dipping sauce was good and did help give them some more flavor depth.
We set the apps aside to try the Crispy Glazed Ribs, Hand Cut Noodles, and Fried Rice next. The Ribs (with Hunan chile peanut sauce) were a bit overcooked, but made up for that by being smothered in an incredibly flavorful sauce. The Hand Cut Noodles (Xi’an style spicy braised lamb, cumin, bean sprouts, cabbage scallions) was Brian’s favorite dish. The noodles were cooked well, not too soft. The lamb was moist and had a good texture. Just a touch on the spicy side, this dish tasted phenomenal. Plus, there was a ton of cilantro on top, which I appreciated. We’d both order this again. It would be wrong to not try the Fried Rice (pork, bean sprouts, egg, scallions, peas, carrot), so we ordered a small to give it a try as well. It was a good texture and mixed in well with the other dishes.
We thought the prices were reasonable based on the quantity of food you get with each plate. We had a lot of leftovers, which served as a good Friday lunch.
We had just missed Happy Hour, but we agreed that this place would be great as a Happy Hour destination, featuring the funky Tiki Drinks and Chicken Wings at a reduced rate… because who doesn’t love a deal!?
We encourage you to check it out! We had a good time!
Lucky Cricket Star Ratings
Food: 4
Atmosphere: 5
Price: 4
Overall: 4.25
1607 West End Blvd, St Louis Park, MN 55416
(952) 206-6830
www.luckycricket.net
