Restaurant Spotlight of the Week:

Originally planning to write the spotlight on another restaurant, I came to Lucky Three with a bit of reservation. Tucked away in one of the many shopping centers in the Culmore area of Bailey's Crossroads, Lucky Three will most likely not catch your eye. After having been in the establishment and dining there, however, I can safely say that any opinions I had initially were misconceptions. The food, atmosphere, and service of this Chinese restaurant make it well worth a visit.

Certainly the most unique aspect of Lucky Three is its menu. With hundreds of selections to choose from, you will want to come back several times in order to try everything. Offering far more than just vegetable/meat entrees, Lucky Three has over twenty chow mein varieties, squab, various hot pot dishes, and every type of noodle/dumpling platter you can imagine. Eclectic tastes are especially welcomed with items such as steamed snail, sautéed conch, dry squid, steamed frog, and one that I was too scared to try, steamed fish head with black bean sauce. Of course if you're feeling more traditional, Lucky Three does have standard Chinese menu items such as Szechuan beef, General Tso's chicken, and triple delight.

Also setting Lucky Three apart from other Chinese restaurants is its inclusion of an all-you-can-eat buffet with dim sum. The buffet offers various selections from the regular menu, though dim sum is the real highlight here. Coming in little metal pots, dim sum dishes are steamed specialties such as crystal shrimp dumplings, shumai, steamed roast pork bun, spare ribs in black bean sauce, and an interesting one called shrimp fun. Having never tried dim sum, I didn't know what to expect. It doesn't appear to be appetizing, but I must say that the shrimp fun, a sort of wonton with shrimp, was delectable, especially with lots of soy sauce. Carts full of sumptuous desserts such as custard-filled buns are next to the buffet - if you have room.

Saying that Lucky Three is a Chinese restaurant is an understatement. My dining experience was the first ever that I had to exclusively use chopsticks, which was entertaining to say the least. If that isn't enough for you, the giant dragons adorning the walls and roasted ducks hanging in the window may tip you off. Overall, the décor of Lucky Three is very professional. A very large restaurant, there is much open space so you don't feel suffocated while eating. Chandeliers hang over many tables, while a giant television shows Chinese music videos. The large full bar serves as yet another reason to come to Lucky Three for the over-21 crowd. Wedding receptions are a commonplace here, given all of the amenities. Friendly servers, in tuxedos, no less, ensure that your dining experience is as enjoyable as possible.

If you've come to expect a certain taste out of Chinese restaurants, Lucky Three may surprise you with different flavors and uncommon entrees, especially dim sum. From the taste of rice to the final crack of the fortune cookie, Lucky Three will not disappoint. You might even walk out feeling a little lucky yourself.