What You See is What You Eat.

Last night was the Anti-Prop. 8 Protest In Which, Contrary to Everyone at Work’s Expectations, I, Disappointingly, Did Not Get Arrested.  Instead, after some contemplation and venting of frustration at those idiots who use children as proxies for their homophobia and the anti-gay rights movements’ success in co-opting the gay rights movement and turning it into a singular issue of marriage, the rally ended – so early and without any violence – disappointing – a good number of people gathered and headed down Sunset and ended up around the CNN building in Hollywood.  We marched down Melrose and ended up at Lucques.  Whoops.

I’ve been to Lucques at least four or five times now, almost always for the Sunday Supper (if you can afford it, the pre fixe menu for $45 is easily, easily, easily the best deal in town for the quantity and quality of food you get).  Each time, I walk in and feel warmed by the lovely exposed brick, seduced by that damned beautiful patio, and also a little discomforted by solemnity.  I think sometimes I get so used to music blaring at restaurants and/or people screaming at each other because of poor acoustics that I forget what it is like to just hear the peaceful hum of people talking in their indoor voice as they clank their knives against the plate.   It is a little startling, but then you get used to it, and realize that it is nice not to yell at the person next to you.

It was around 9 when we walked in.  Remember my rule?  Always at the at bar.  And so we did.

We were hungry, but not hungry enough for a full meal.  We also have money, but not enough money for a full meal (entrees run in the high 20’s-low 30’s – yet another reason why the $45 Sunday Suppers are such an outstanding deal).  So, we opted to go with the more affordable (and as it turns out, totally fantastic) bar menu.

Before 9:30 on the weekdays and 10:00 on Friday and Saturday, the bar menu has a few things that essentially amount to finger foods (i.e., nuts, French fries, cheese and bread).  After 9:30 is where the meat is: steak frites, omelettes, grilled cheese sandwich, spaghetti.  We ordered the steak frites to share.  $22.  (BUT the online menu shows it at $19.  !!!  Blah.  So much for the under-$20 bar menu.)

First out is the breads, butter, olives (Lucques variety of course), almonds, and kosher salt.

I learned last night that the kosher salt is to salt your butter after spreading it on your bread, not to salt the olives.  This makes a great deal of sense.  I don’t know what I was thinking.  Such a good way to whet an appetite.