Sunday Night at Lucques: as Relaxing Dinner at a Friend’s

On Sunday nights, some people go out for Chinese barbecued ribs and martinis. Others keep it simple and send out for pizza and a couple of videos. Or spend the afternoon cooking supper for friends and family.

Some lucky ones have discovered Sunday night at Lucques, when the West Hollywood restaurant offers a three-course prix fixe menu for just $28, considerably less than dining there another night of the week would cost.

The restaurant is generally quieter on Sundays, too, so it’s somewhat easier to get a reservation than on a Friday or Saturday. And for me, the fact that the only decision to be made is whether you’d prefer A or B as your main course is as relaxing and welcoming as going over to a friend’s house for dinner.

In recent months, I’ve tried Sunday night at Lucques on a couple of occasions and each time eaten very well. One week, the first course was a lovely roasted red- and gold-beet salad strewn with radishes, fresh walnuts and watercress. It was followed by a choice of either rare roast beef with Yorkshire pudding (who could resist?) or a delicious piece of grilled swordfish in lemon-caper brown butter with Yukon gold potatoes. Instead of a dessert, the last course was cheese: a wonderful, ripe Stilton with oatmeal biscuits and a “drizzle of Port.” It was just what I felt like eating at that moment.

A few weeks ago, the menu began with a frisee and lardon salad topped with a gorgeous soft-cooked egg and garlic croutons. I didn’t want to give up a single bite of my bourride, a traditional Mediterranean fish soup, made that night with mussels, clams, monkfish, and potatoes swirled with good garlicky aioli. Fortunately, my husband was happily preoccupied with his grilled rack of pork. Redolent of herbs, it was served with roasted shallots and a beguiling mix of fuji apples and green cabbage. Dessert was suitably winterish: pears poached in red wine with a dollop of mascarpone. And since the menu is so inexpensive on Sunday nights, you can afford to splurge on a good bottle of wine. And should.

To find out what’s for dinner each Sunday, call the Wednesday before.

Note: On Tuesday, Lucques will begin serving lunch, which is welcome news.

BE THERE

Lucques, 8474 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood; (323) 655-6277. Sunday night prix fixe three-course dinner menu $28 per person, 6 p.m.-midnight. Lunch Monday-Friday. Valet parking.