650 Metacom Ave.
Route 136
Warren, RI 02885
(401) 247-0665
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Hey guys! Laura
here, and it’s good to be back.
Mom and I decided to kick off our return to the food
blogosphere with a visit to Luke’s Inn.
My friends rave about it and my sister and her friends were so impressed
when they went the first time that they rushed right back for more!
Also, we’ve been driving past the place for the last few
decades. Might as well park the car and
go in, right? You only live once!
When we got inside, we were greeted by a hostess who sat
us in the sunken dining room. Decorated
in the typical Asian flare, Mom and I were pleased and just knew by the décor
that the food was going to be extra delicious.
You can only eat at so many Asian buffets; sometimes you just want to
sit down and be served.
Since the Polynesian drinks come in fancy glasses, Mom
and I just had to start with a cocktail.
I chose the Head Hunter ($5.50) while Mom went with the Love Potion ($5.50). Mom’s drink came in a fancy glass with what looked
like a sexy mermaid on it while mine came in a coconut. Both drinks were flavored with the tropical
combos (pineapple/rum/coconut, etc.) that we enjoy.
For our meal we decided to split three things: the pan fried wontons ($6.50), the General
Tso’s chicken ($9.95) and the much-anticipated house chicken wings ($7.50). The General Tso’s chicken comes in various
degrees of heat, and although I originally chose spicy, Mom’s face suggested
that we go with the medium. After all,
she’s seen me collapse over a plate of buffalo wings before. I’m not as young as I used to be; despite my
love of heat, I can’t handle it!
We hadn’t been waiting long before our server returned
with the food. All of the dishes looked
and smelled amazing. Mom and I decided
to try the house wings (also known as “sticky wings”) first because of the many
suggestions by friends and family. Each
wing was coated in a sticky dark sauce packed full with Asian spices. The meat was extremely tender and the taste
was fantastic. Now if you know anything
about me, you’ll know that there are three things about eating that I don’t
enjoy: 1) Bone-in chicken; 2) Using my hands
to eat; and 3) Getting sauce or anything sticky on my hands. The house wings were so good that I threw
caution to the wind and dug in. The meat
fell off the bone and the sauce was so good that I didn’t care about getting a
little messy. It was worth it.
Next up was the pan fried wontons, a last minute decision
which was a very pleasant surprise. We
had been torn between a few other menu items but finally Mom settled on the
wontons and I’m so glad she did. Accompanied
by a cup of soy sauce, these crispy little pillows had a crepe-like
exterior. Once you bit into the soft
dough there was a definite egg taste much like a crepe or one of those big
baked pancakes you may remember from Bickford’s. The wonton was soft and stuffed with
delicious tender meat and tasted out of this world. You won’t be able to leave these alone; Mom
and I kept popping them and each time we did we would talk about how good they
were. It was a different spin on a classic
dish and a definite must-try appetizer.
Finally there was the award-winning General Tso’s chicken. Luke’s Inn only uses white meat in their
chicken dishes, so those who dislike dark meat have nothing to worry about. Served with a cup of white rice and a side of
broccoli, this chicken was lathered in a Hunan sauce. The nuggets of chicken were thick and juicy
and the sauce was tangy and served with medium heat (as requested). This was the only dish that we finished
completely. It was absolutely fantastic
and one of the best chicken dishes we’ve ever eaten.
The portions at Luke’s Inn are great. You can feel comfortable ordering a few
dishes to try and splitting them with a friend.
The service was excellent and the restroom was clean and tidy. Please be sure to view the menu by clicking
here. Our bill came to $39.21.
