Lucca Restaurant & Bar in Sacramento, California, serves a Mediterranean-inspired menu. It is particularly noted for its beef, which is harvested from a family run ranch, where the cattle is ethically raised. Will this have an impact on the flavour? There is both indoor and outdoor seating.
70 Days Across America
Lucca Restaurant and Bar in Sacramento, California, serves a Mediterranean-inspired menu featuring locally sourced ingredients.
The lunch menus runs from starts, soups, and salads to burgers and sandwiches, pastas and plates.
The dinner menu is more extensive, with the addition of risottos and mains, but no burgers or sandwiches.
There are also vegan and glutton-free menus.
Family Run Ranch
The restaurant is particularly famous for its beef, which is harvested from the Lucky Dog Ranch in Dixon, California.
A small family-run ranch, Lucky Dog uses all vegetarian feed, no corn, no soy, and no genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
All of the feed is foraged pasture, local hay, or sustainable agriculture products. No antibiotics, growth hormones, or steroids are used.
The cattle are never fed in feed lots. As a result, they are healthier, happier, and less stressed.
Would this, by any chance, have any impact on the flavour of the beef, which is dry aged in split sides for 21 days?
According to the ranch, it gives the meat an intense beefy flavour and added tenderness.
At the encouragement of my enthusiastic server, I decide to give the restaurant’s beef burger a try.
My Lunch …
Lucky Dog Ranch Beef Burger – my server highly recommended the Lucky Dog Ranch Burger (US$12), which consisted of tomato, red onion, house pickle, flim flam sauce, and a choice of hand-cut fries, Lucca House Chop Salad, and soup.
I opted for the tomato and basil soup, which was rich and flavoursome.
As for the hamburger, it really was one of the best (if not THE best) hamburgers I have ever sunk my teeth in.
When asked to recommend a wine to wash my beef burger down with, my server let me sample two wines:
I went with a glass of Moniz Family “Curve e Olivia from Sonoma County, California (US$11.50).
My Dessert …
Caramelized Bananas – there were six desserts on the menu, and it was difficult to decide which one I wanted to indulge in.
I settled on the caramelized bananas, which proved to be poetry on a plate.
There was frozen vanilla custard, crisp phyllo, toasted pecans, salted caramel, and Chantilly cream
I washed it down with a double espresso.
The Ambiance …
The restaurant had a cool interior with a bar, open kitchen, and an outdoor garden.
The Damage …
The bill came to US$40.59, including US$3.09 in tax. A US$30 voucher from Visit Sacramento was applied to my meal. I left a US$10 tip.
The Verdict …
I loved everything about this place. I’ll give it an enthusiastic two thumb’s up!
Where
Lucca Restaurant & Bar – 1516 J Street, Sacramento, California.