Luc’s Bistro Means Meaty Comfort Food

Editor's Note: Patch's vegetarian column was retired. And now, in an effort to cater to all Powegians, we’re introducing Extra Meat, Please—the meatiest column you’ll ever find. Ever.

It’s funny that my friend, Hoa Quach, thinks she’s taxing me by asking me to do Patch’s Extra Meat Please column. I recently discovered I’m eating for two, so this whole eating-out-and-doing-a-review thing is a total no-brainer. Easiest. Job. Ever.

I’m quite ashamed to say as a big food lover that I have not been to before. Even my friends who don’t live in the area have been there with many good things to say. Any time a food lover like me hears about a solid restaurant within a two-mile radius of my house, you’d think I’d be their No. 1 customer. I have no excuses for myself. However, I can tell you I now have many reasons to go back! Luc’s Bistro was a winner!

I’ll start by saying my husband and I had the most delightful waitress. She was very sweet, perfectly attentive and knowledgeable, so when I told her I’ve never been there before and needed to know what their top meat dish was, she didn’t hesitate to provide an answer.

However, no meal is complete without a starter, so we tried their crab cakes ($7.75). This was a big step for me because I’m a bit of a crab cake snob. Having grown up on the East Coast amid some of the best crab and crab cakes ever, it’s hard to find anything in California that compares.

I will say these weren’t the best I’ve ever had, but they were presented in a creative way and perfectly cooked, so they deserve points for that. The cakes were formed into quenelles instead of cakes, which, for you non-foodies, means they had a football-shaped appearance. They were coated with panko bread crumbs, perfectly fried and served with a lemony guacamole. I was impressed that they resembled a perfect, golden brown hush puppy but were actually crab cakes. It was a good start to the meal.

For dinner, both my husband and I ordered something with meat to make sure we got the most meat exposure for our first visit. Our lovely waitress recommended I try their short ribs ($17.95). Yes, I’m well aware that short ribs are very 2009 but I’m a meat lover and can always appreciate a good short rib, so I went with her suggestion. My husband, being the unfussy person that he is, got the wagyu “kobe” beef burger with fries ($12.00).

The verdict? Two thumbs up on both entrees: yay! To better qualify my opinion, I will say that there wasn’t a lot of fancy culinary hooplah going on in either dish, but when a simple dish is done really well, that deserves praise. After all, countless restaurants have mastered the art of screwing up simple food.

The delicious short ribs were, in fact, fork tender. I never had to use my knife since they easily fell apart with my fork. They were topped with the red wine reduction, which added the perfect touch. The ribs were accompanied with mashed potatoes, a dollop of wilted spinach and lightly steamed carrots and turnips. Ordering steamed veggies always makes me nervous because so many places steam them to the point of mush, but these were not. They were soft on the outside and crisp inside. They jumped into my belly nicely.

The only sour spot of the night was the mashed potatoes which were way too salty.  How does one mess up mashed potatoes of all things? I prefer to assume the cook was a little heavy with the salt shaker that night and that they’re not always like that.

As mentioned before, the burger was nothing fancy, but done well. It was both juicy and tasty and had the right level of balance between the bread and toppings. The best part was the caramelized onions, which added just a hint of sweetness. The fries were everything that fries should be: cooked fresh with a slight crunch on the outside and a sprinkle of salt.

The dessert menu isn’t a place to find meat, but I indulged anyway. Did I mention I’m pregnant? Yep, no chance I’m gonna pass up dessert.  I’ve heard Luc’s had a great red velvet cupcake, which my husband and I split. Note to readers: I don’t recommend splitting this cupcake. It’s so good, you’ll want the whole thing to yourself! And at $3 a piece, you may want to get two of them. 

You can tell the owners of Luc’s Bistro spent time in Alabama since this was reminiscent of real, southern red velvet cake. It was nothing short of perfect.

Luc’s Bistro is a true gem in Poway. If you’re into hearty comfort food, this is a great spot. I’d rate it a 10 on a scale of 1-10, for it’s true meat-friendliness since there are a lot of beef, chicken, seafood and pasta selections on the menu. Even their baked mac & cheese sounds divine, so I may have to try that next.

I nearly forgot to mention that kids eat free on Wednesday nights with the purchase of an adult entree (yes, they have a kids menu). Family friendly and delicious: That’s my kind of place! If you haven’t been there yet, you’re missing out on the best food Poway has to offer.