Lucky 32 Cary
7307 Tryon Road
Cary, North Carolina 27511
Phone: 919-233-1632

July 26, 2005
By Mimi (ZSpotlight Restaurant/Nightlife Editor)

In a world of generic chains with please-everybody predictable menus, it is refreshing to see how Lucky 32 in Cary isn’t afraid to stir things up and add some local Southern flavor. Southerners are known for their hospitable treatment of friends and visitors, their casual manner of talking, their slow pace of life, and their delicious style of cooking. When we entered Lucky 32, we were greeted by a menu and style proudly bursting with modern Southern hospitality. What was a pleasant surprise to find just that in the heart of Northern-influenced Cary.

We were quick to delve into the menu, as we could tell something special was going on, and we were right. Lucky 32 is currently serving local and seasonal dishes prepared with ingredients straight from the Farmer’s Market and local area farmers. We could only imagine how fragrant and scrumptious a Gazpacho could be made fresh from produce grown just down the street! More glances through the menu, and we realized even many of the wines were from local wineries. Our inexperienced but very enthusiastic waiter explained the menu always keeps many favorites, but is also constantly changing to give everyone the opportunity to taste different styles and seasonal flavors at their peak.

Once we had ordered, we took a chance to look around the crowded restaurant. Overall, the restaurant provides a c ontemporary and sophisticated yet warm atmosphere. The dining room is open and airy. The outdoor patio is quite large and the bar area is ele gant. We were there for a friendly mid-priced meal, but if you’re entertaining clients during the week, Lucky 32 would be perfect for a working lunch or dinner. Just keep in mind that this place is known for being crowded from noon to night, so be sure to make reservations or take advantage of their call-ahead seating so you won’t have to keep your party waiting. Or, if you can’t take the fuss of a lively crowd, Get Lucky & Go take-out is available, complete with designated parking right out front.

When you take risks and switch things up a lot, you realize it doesn’t always pay off. Unfortunately that was the case with our meal that night. New or different menu items can confuse the staff and slow them down a bit, but we understood that. The m ixed greens were nice although not washed well, and the dressings were noticeably homemade. The artichoke dip was very okay too, with large chunks of artichoke but not much flavor. The R oasted Vegetable Ravioli was swimming in oil, not resembling the bourbon cream sauce it should have had, and almost inedibly salty. The BLT was unremarkable, and rather bland, with the exception of some of the juiciest and perfectly ripe tomatoes we had ever seen. The apple pie was absolutely the saving grace to the meal.

Overall, we agreed the service was more inspired than rumored and the experience was proved we needed to come back for another taste when the menu changes yet again at the end of August. Enough people flock there on a daily basis, all eager to have a nice meal and give a try to something new. Their efforts must pay off often enough to keep them coming back. We saw some great potential, in the innovation and style of Lucky 32, so we’ll be sure to follow where it leads.