The Pink Link

The last Tuesday of the month comes so quickly it seems. On 10/30/18, the pink dinner happened. I selected black owned, Southern cuisine restaurant Lucille's for our October festivities. The weather was balmy (side eye) and perfect for a fashion centric girl's night. Hardwood floors and an eclectic playlist lend to the upscale yet down home feel of Lucille's located a stone's throw away from the Children's Museum in the museum district.

Our dinner was elevated to near perfect heights by our excellent service via Chris, a beautiful woman with a warm spirit. She kept drinks flowing and made menu suggestions. I'm usually a ball of nerves before dinner and she even went so far as to assist with setup and stow away items for later.

Appetizers Rating: 10/10

FAMOUS CHILI BISCUITS - Picture this: soft, flaky biscuits.... filled WITH actual chili... topped with cheddar! Superb. Delectable. YUM! FRIED GREEN TOMATOES - Confession: This was my first green tomato. Coated in seasoned cornmeal, the tomato is thick cut and juicy. The spicy aioli added a necessary pop of additional flavor and the goat cheese lightened the dish further. Do not miss this appetizer!

Libations: 9/10

RASPBERRY FRESCA: Bombay Sapphire, Fresh Raspberries,Fresh Mint, Fresh Lemon, Turbinado

QUEEN BEE: Hennessey, Limoncello, Agave, Orange Bitters, Fresh Lemon

THE AFTERSHIFT: Bulleit Bourbon, Cinzano, Turbinado, Aztec Choco Bitters, Orange Bitters

Entrees: 9/10 SHRIMP & GRITS - Gulf Shrimp, Andouille, Sherry Tomato Broth, Stone Mill Grits

BRAISED LAMB NECK PASTA - Slow Cooked Pulled Lamb, Tomato Braising Jus, Marinated Feta

BRAISED OXTAILS - Fire Roasted Capanota, Serrano Cheddar Grits, Oxtail Jus

ROASTED GULF FISH - Sautéed Asparagus, Smoked Pommes Aligot, Pine Nut Winter Herb Salad

BAKED MAC & CHEESE - Hot and bubbly in a small cast iron skillet... this macaroni and cheese isn't your grandma's mac'n cheese.

Dessert: 10/10

WHITE CHOCOLATE-RASPBERRY BREAD PUDDING: When you go online, there are no dessert menus listed online for Lucille's.

FUN FACT: I choose restaurants based on the dessert menu.

Well, anyway, after I asked our lovely server Chris if there were desserts.... she produced this decadent, warm, moist, flavorful, tender (can bread pudding be tender?) confection as a complimentary treat to round out my month of birthday celebrations. If this dessert is indicative of the year to come, I am in for a TREAT!