Fingerlickin' Ribs and Sushi

On lazy Sundays like today, cooking was out of the question. Besides, I also had a huge sushi craving that had to be met. So what's a hungry girl and her carnivorous boyfriend to do? During the day, David had snagged a menu for Lucky Mojo from a delivery guy who happened to be making a food run in his building. Both of us were immediately intrigued by the unusual combo that the restaurant was offering: bbq, sushi, Cajun and Tex-mex. The restaurant was also conveniently located on 51st Ave, just a few blocks away from David's building in Long Island City, and close to the Vernon-Jackson Ave train stop on the 7 line.

I was a little skeptical about whether bbq and sushi could coexist under the same roof, but we decided to give Lucky Mojo a try.

When we walked into Lucky Mojo, I noted that the decor is just as random and unexpected as the food it serves, with mounted paintings done up in warm hues of red, orange and yellow, high vaulted ceilings, a chandelier and even a statue of a bodhisvatta perched atop the wood-paneled bar. It wasn't very crowded, so we were seated immediately.

According to a New York magazine review, the restaurant is "the reincarnation of a shuttered Upper West Side offshoot of Jacques-Imo’s, a New Orleans institution."

The New Orleans influences can be noted in the menu, which featured Cajun dishes like cornmeal-crusted catfish fingers and some interesting options like crawfish etouffee and shrimp and alligator sausage cheesecake. But David and I were eager to try the BBQ and the sushi. We opted to share three dishes, ordering two sushi rolls--the Stevie Ray Roll and Mama's Favorite Shrimp Roll, along with the Chicken and Ribs combo. The menu also featured some other creative sushi rolls like a Spicy Crawfish roll, a Magic Mushroom roll with avocado, mushrooms, sprouts and "rocket sauce" (no idea what that is), a Coconut Shrimp roll and a Softshell Crab Deluxe roll with crawfish mayo.

Our food came out fairly quickly. We started off with the sushi. Both rolls were delicious and devoured in roughly five minutes. The rice and fish were fresh, and the shrimp tempura in Mama's Favorite Shrimp Roll had just the right amount of crunch and tempura batter. The Stevie Ray Roll, wrapped in white seaweed, was equally as tasty.

Next up: the bbq. I skipped the bland mac and cheese and headed straight to the ribs, which were dressed with a sweetish honey glaze and were literally falling off the bones. They were tender, moist and nicely flavored throughout. In my opinion, they were far superior to the dry, disappointing ribs I had sampled at Blue Smoke during Restaurant Week two months ago. The chicken, slathered with the same sweet glaze, was very tasty and moist as well. The roasted Cajun corn that accompanied our entree had a nice, spicy kick to it, and was a great complement to the chicken and ribs. David, a big meat-eater, also raved about the ribs, declaring them to be better than the ribs he tried in Texas two weeks ago on a business trip.







Live music adds to the eclectic mix at Lucky Mojo. We were pleasantly surprised to discover that Sunday nights feature an open "jam session" where musicians perform on a small stage set in the back--we were treated to a great half hour of blues and jazz towards the tailend of our meal. Our lovely waitress rattled off some desserts like pecan pie and a warm chocolate brownie sundae, but we were too full to partake in any of it.

If you're looking for a place in LIC with low-key sports-bar appeal, but food that rises above the typical greasy fray, then Lucky Mojo will do the trick. The restaurant also has several flat-panel TVs--including a small one in our booth. David vowed that he would return with his two roommates on a Saturday to watch NCAA games or football--Lucky Mojo was advertising unlimited draft beer and rib tips for just $16.95 per person. A Daily News review also raved about Lucky Mojo's corn fritters, so I'll have to try that next time.

Damage: about $62, including tax, tip, and two beers (Bypass the Pork Slap ale for a draft of Abita Purple Haze, which is similar to a Belgian ale). Casual, unpretentious atmosphere, and quick, friendly service.

Living to Eat

"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well."
--Virginia Woolf

Ah, Woolf sums up my current philosophy to a T. After much hemming and hawing (and prodding from my equally food-obsessed boyfriend), I've decided to start a blog that'll cover my weekly culinary jaunts throughout New York City.

While I don't claim to be a food snob or even a "foodie," I love to eat. My palate doesn't discriminate and I'm willing to try just about anything. As a half Burmese/half Chinese gal living in New York City, I've grown up eating dishes like my mother's coconut curry noodles (owno kow sway) and fish soup (mohinga) to dim sum delicacies like chicken feet and beef tripe.

Since moving back to New York City after college graduation, my stomach has never been happier (my wallet, on the other hand, is another story!). After subsisting on mostly suburban chain-restaurant fare and Chinese takeout for most of my four years in Albany, I was ready for more adventurous cuisine.

I'm currently working as a writer/associate editor at a trade magazine, so my salary forces me to be somewhat frugal when eating out. In addition to the occasional indulgence at a nice restaurant, this blog will mostly review the cheap eats that I seek out and/or stumble across. For example, I harbor a weakness for the Middle Eastern chicken and rice cart in my 'hood, as well as a good slice of pizza and a $2.50 falafal sandwich in the Village. I'm also just as happy with a bowl of soup with wontons, noodles and roast pork from Big Wong or pho (Vietnamese noodle soup) from Pho Bang (both in the Chinatown vicinity).

It has also been an unofficial mission of mine to explore the hidden gems in my own neighborhood. Once known for being a predominantly Greek nabe, Astoria is suddenly becoming the next hip thing (and yes, the hipness factor extends beyond the Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden). My half-brother (currently living in Minnesota) recently came to visit over Christmas break with my sister-in-law and was amazed at how the neighborhood we both grew up in has been transformed with a slew of new bakeries, lounges, bars and ethnic cuisine that hadn't been there before. In fact, my favorite sushi restaurant (I go at least once a month, if not more) is J.J.'s Fusion Kitchen Sushi Bar, located on quiet 31st Ave, a couple of blocks off of the more-trafficked Steinway St.

The swelling ranks of young professionals who've decided to make Astoria their new home does annoy me when I jostle for a pole to grip on to on the subway during rush hour every day, but if the growing population means the arrival of Bakeway NYC, which has awesome almond croissants and the best damn coffee ever (screw Dunkin Donuts, with a small cup of coffee setting you back $1.40) and restaurants like J.J.'s, then bring it on. Stay tuned for a more thorough post dedicated to my favorite haunts in Astoria, as well as other places I've visited recently.

Happy eating,
Irene