certainly has its place, but it’s rarely enough (nor should it be) to sustain a restaurant if the food is mediocre.
Happily, the food at the Old Lux doesn’t play second fiddle to that retro ambience: the food is part of it, but it’s also very good — and astonishingly affordable. There aren’t any fancy frou-frou ingredients — things thrown onto a plate because they’re trendy, even if they have no relevance to the main item. Steaks are the main attraction. Other popular entrees consist of such items as fried chicken, chicken livers and catfish. The only vegetarian option is spaghetti with house-made marinara sauce. Baked potatoes come wrapped in foil (the chive cheese sauce option is pleasant, but bland; I stick to sour cream), and salads are composed mainly of head lettuce. The servers bring oblong plastic baskets of cellophane-wrapped crackers and Melba toasts when they serve the drinks. Cheesecake is available for dessert, but Redman says that retro ice cream drinks, such as Brandy Alexanders, are more popular.
Then there’s the French fried lobster. I’d been dubious about it. Frying lobster just seemed wrong. I’m a lobster purist: if I can’t have it boiled or steamed, I’ll usually pass. But lately I’d begun hearing things about Old Lux’s fried lobster tail. A friend told me it was his mother’s “most favorite thing!” In February, another friend told me that she and her husband were going to the Old Lux on Valentine’s Day for the fried lobster. My skepticism must have shown, because she said, rolling her eyes, “I know. But it’s just soooo good!!” Both those women have traveled worldwide and have discriminating palates, so I put my prejudices aside. Just goes to show how limiting prejudices are. The 8 oz. tail is lightly breaded in-house (as are many other items, such as the chicken, catfish and mushroom appetizer) in its shell, which is split down the middle. As it fries, the lobster tail curls up out of its shell, which makes for a dramatic presentation.
More importantly, the light breading seals in all the lobster’s flavor and tenderness, and isn’t at all greasy or heavy. The Old Lux isn’t just surviving; it’s thriving. While it’s possible to walk in on a weeknight, Redman says weekend reservations are advisable. She knows that the restaurant’s popularity is only partly because of that nostalgia, aided by the space — wood paneling, and the old mural covering one wall. As big a factor is that they’ve been able to keep their prices affordable. “I credit my dad for that,” she says. It also helps that the parking lot is secure: an off-duty policeman is stationed there during all dining hours.
The menu lists a ten-ounce filet (their most popular item) for just $14.95 — and on Wednesdays, it’s offered as a special for an almost unbelievable $11.95. On weekends, it goes up to $15.95, but that includes a portion of fried shrimp or clams.
What’s really extraordinary is not just that the prices are so low, but that the quality remains so high. A big part of the reason is that they obtain their meat from local suppliers Humphrey’s and Ciota and Foster. The steaks are cut in-house to order, with the exception of the filets (pre-cut by Ciota and Foster), so they can accommodate anyone desiring a specific portion size. My only caveat is that the steaks tend to be cooked one degree further than ordered. This is easily corrected; on my last visit, I ordered rare instead of medium-rare, and it was perfect.
Redman is excited about her new chef, Mike Giles. She says he’s adding color to the plates and using steak trimmings to make tasty soups that offer diners an alternative to the salads. Most importantly, in my opinion, the steaks are even better and better seasoned than ever before. The current bartender excels at making cocktail classics such as Manhattans and Old-Fashioneds.
But, thankfully, things haven’t changed much. “I’ll add to it,” says Redman. “But I never want to take anything away.”
The Old Luxemburg Inn, 1900 S. 15th St., 528-0503. Hours:Tues – Thurs. 4 – 9 p.m., Fri. – Sat. 4 – 10 p.m., Sun. 4 – 9 p.m.
