Canyon Lake - Lucky's Kitchen & Cocktails

My new year's resolution to bring my blog back up and running has now fallen about 15 days late. So much for NY's resolutions..

Anyway, back to the good stuff. I have been working though to compile info about the places I've visited over the past couple of months so I've got a lot to report. Back in November I mentioned I had eaten at Lucky's Kitchen & Cocktails, which is now my favorite eating and happy hour spot at Canyon Lake. It's a welcome upscale change with a bit of class from the usual eateries in the area, but not someplace to shy away from if you're in shorts and a t-shirt. Once again it's one of those places I feel Jimmy Buffett could call home (are you picking up a pattern here? I seem to seek out these types of places).

My first visit a couple of years ago was for happy hour. I sat at the bar (really cool bar) and watched the bartender juice about 40-50 limes for the margarita machine. No pre-made mix in this place. Good tequila was added and simple syrup, just the way margaritas were intended to be made. My first drink was a glass of wine...and my second was naturally a frozen margarita. It's been a long time since I've tasted a really good margarita. And none of this watered down stuff either which also made me realize I should have skipped the glass of wine and stuck with just one margarita.

Besides the friendly wait-staff and the kick-back-and-have-fun ambiance of the place, the next impressive point made was the menu. It too had class. Example: Mini Shrimp Rolls (5 fried wontons rolled up with shrimp, ginger, carrots, cabbage and garlic. Served with a mango ginger habenero sauce). See what I mean? I think you'd be hard pressed to find another restaurant in the area that made a fresh mango ginger habenero sauce.

My favorite appetizer was the Texas Caviar (Texas jumbo lump blue crab meat perched on top of crispy crostinis & bathed in a rich browned butter sauce). I know it sounds simple and it is but those little crusted rounds were to die for. All the appetizers and entrees have special touches and are served on unique-shaped plates (usually triangular or rectangle) with iron chef quality presentations. Just a lot of extras that add class to the place.

Happy hour draws a large crowd and Thursday evenings are referred to as Bobcat Thursdays (Texas State University, about 30 min. away). Did I mention the wide variety of beer they have on tap?

Visit the website (www.luckyskitchenandcocktails.com) to view the full menu and take a look at the photo gallery. The pictures give you a good idea of just how cool Lucky's really is.

The official address is 18100 FM 306, Canyon Lake, TX 78133 but if you're traveling up FM 306 from I-35 (New Braunfels), Lucky's is past the dam at the top of the hill on the right just past the SilverLeaf Resorts.

And don't feel like you have to wait for summer to stop in. This place draws a crowd year-round. Their sister location is right down the road at the Canyon Lake Marina, Lucky Sailor Oyster Bar (post to follow shortly).