Lucky Dumpling

Do you know Brother Luck? There is only one guy in my world named Brother. If you are lucky enough to know his heart, you are living life right. Brother Luck was a contestant on Top Chef seasons 15 & 16, so when I finally ran into him at the Broadmoor’s Taste of Colorado Springs, I had to introduce myself. The problem was this – the Taste of Colorado Springs offers unlimited samples from local restaurants, bars, and breweries. I am a staggering 5 feet tall, so it doesn’t take an extraordinary amount of samples to…well…have a fun time. Brother doesn’t know this part yet, but I finally ran into him towards the end of my stay at the event, so I was having a greeeeeaaat time (right Kayleen and Aitza?!). I introduced myself as Lauren of Top Chef season 5 and, as mysteriously as I had appeared, I was gone. Apparently, it took Brother a minute to comprehend what I said and by the time he figured it out, I had vanished. I would like to think of it as a la Cinderella story, but I am certain it was a wee bit less graceful than that. Just sayin….

Anyhoo…on to the part of the story that you all really want to hear. The food at Lucky Dumpling is UH.MAZ.ING! I have been here no less than a dozen times, far more than any other restaurant in Colorado Springs. I am a sucker for a good dumpling, no matter what culture it comes from. Pieorogi, ravioli, gyoza, shumai – you name it, I adore it. This is what makes Lucky Dumpling so much fun – Each dish has Brother Luck’s twist on a classic. Like steamed bao buns? They make bao buns with Nashville hot chicken. Are you a fan of shrimp shumai? Try theirs with a crawfish and a creole twist. Are you a fan of curry? They make a killer chicken potsticker with a curry peanut sauce. I show up here late at night or any given random afternoon to enjoy those curry chicken potstickers. They have me salivating right now!

In addition to eating by myself, Lucky Dumpling has made the perfect impression on my sister too. She lives in LA and enjoys dining at some pretty incredible places. I am glad that Lucky Dumpling lives up to her standards too.

Most recently, my husband and I went to Lucky Dumpling on a double date with Lindsay and Hank Hansen. Shout out to UCCS for the Kids’ Night Out program! We dropped off our tots and beelined to Lucky Dumpling on a Friday night. Brother Luck zipped by at one point, accommodating a full house and bumping bar scene. We had so much fun, we stayed for dessert. I will N-E-V-E-R turn down dessert. Ever. My husband, on the other hand, is more of a salty/savory kind of guy. Greg took an interest in the zeppoli fried dough with salted caramel sauce. It is a rare occasion for him to want dessert, so we seized the opportunity. Hot, tender fried dough with a crunchy thin exterior harkens back to memories of funnel cake at state fairs. The extra caramel sauce was requested and consumed, much to the delight of our party!

Worth noting, Brother Luck has a fine dining restaurant named IV (Four) and is an inspirational writer. I am so glad that he has taken to writing down his thoughts. Brother Luck is honest with his thoughts, discussing tough issues like mental health and the stressors of the culinary world, on top of his own story. He is working on publishing his memoir – I can’t wait to follow up and share it with you when he does!