Lucca Cafe
6507 Quail Hill Parkway
Irvine, CA 92603
Phone: 949.725.1773
Website | Map

Phone Reservations: 949.725.1773

Lunch $15 / Dinner $30

Hours: M-Friday 11:00 to 9:00 pm; Saturday and Sundays  9:30 am to 9:00 pm

Lunch $15

Iced Tea or Soft Drinks are complimentary with this menu—sorry, no refills
-Please select one item from each course-

First Course
Lucca’s signature Minestrone Soup
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Romaine hearts, herbed croutons, shaved parmesan, market grape tomatoes, and our own
Caesar dressing

Second Course
Grilled All Natural Chicken Breast on top of Wild Baby Arugula Salad with Butter Lettuce, Locally Grown Garbanzo Beans, Shaved Fennel, Market Tomatoes, Red Onions, Oranges, Kalamata Olives, Parmesan Cheese Shavings and Vanilla Bean Vinaigrette
-
All Natural Pulled Pork Shoulder Sandwich, braised in Mediterranean Herbs and Red Wine, with Caramelized Sweet Onions, and Sun Dried Tomato-Whole Grain Mustard Sauce on a soft Talera Roll
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Blackened Rib Eye Steak Wrap with Caramelized Sweet Onions, Havarti Cheese, Avocado, Oven Roasted Tomatoes, Hearts of Romaine Lettuce and Cool Creamy Ranch Dressing in a Tomato Flavored Wrap
-
Pappardelle Egg Noodles with Mediterranean Chicken Sausage, Farmer’s Market Broccoli, Roasted Peppers, a little White Wine, Garlic, a touch of Tomato Ragu, and Parmesan Cheese
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Our Own Veggie Lasagna with Sweet Eggplant, Spinach and Zucchini, Ricotta Cheese, Our Tomato Ragu and Parmesan Cheese

Third Course
Lemon Square with fresh Berries and homemade Whipped Cream
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Our Own Dark Chocolate and Banana Cake with Nutella and Hazelnut Filling
-
A Duo of Mini Cannolis with Mascarpone and Chocolate Chip Filling


Tax and gratuity not included. Sorry, no splitting, no to go, eat in only.

Dinner $30

Selected wines by the glass at a 25% savings

Amuse - Lucca’s crostini and tapenade

-Please select one item from each course-

First Course
Soup of the Week
-
TriColor salad with radicchio, wild arugula and butter lettuce, shaved fennel, blackberries,
roasted chipotle butternut squash, goat cheese and apple cider vinaigrette
-
Antipasto plate with grilled seasonal vegetables, roasted peppers and tomatoes,
salamis, olives, crostini, and hummus

Second Course
Chairman’s Reserve all natural pork tenderloin, espresso-two chili rub, cannellini bean-sun dried tomato risotto
cake, spinach, caramelized pears and sherry sauce
-
A tasting trio of house made handkerchief raviolis and three different sauces
-
Crispy New Zealand John Dory fish, confit of fennel, blood oranges and kalamata olives, baby spinach,
and vanilla bean aioli
-
Land and Sea with petite filet mignon Wellingtons, port wine reduction, caramelized onions, a trio of shrimp,
beurre blanc, petite crab cake, chipotle aioli and fork-mashed yukon gold potatoes

Third Course
Warm banana-macademia nut bread pudding with toasted coconut, house made whipped cream and
white chocolate sauce
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Belgian dark chocolate cream brulee with fresh berries and homemade whipped cream
-
Italian Affogato: one scoop of handmade vanilla bean ice cream with a double shot of Lavazza
espresso poured over it, fresh whipped cream and chocolate chips


beverage, tax and gratuity not included. Sorry, no splitting, no to go orders, eat in only..

Chef Cathy Garland Pavlos

Question: How long have you been a chef?
Answer: I have worked in the Culinary field for about 10 years, I have been a Chef for about 8 years.

Question: How long have you been at this restaurant?
Answer: Since we opened six and half years ago, though Restaurant Years are like dog years, so it seems closer to 42 years.

Question: Who or what inspired you to become a chef?
Answer: My Italian Grandmother who taught me to cook when I was about 4 years old.  I am an architect and a college professor by training, now I build food--it's almost the same concept.

Question: What do you enjoy most about your profession?
Answer:  That would be the long hours and the small pay.  Oh wait a minute, you said what did I LIKE about it...
I love my kitchen crew, my Chef de Cuisine Eric Szymansky and my Sous Chef Araceli Leal, and most all of my line have been with me almost since the beginning at LUCCA.  Our servers and hostesses are wonderful people.  We are like a big family here, and I am very proud of them (and a lot grateful).

Question: When you’re not in the kitchen what are you doing?
Answer:  Sorry, you threw me a little with "when you are not in the kitchen,"  As a Chef/Owner, I am always in the kitchen.  Even on our days off we are checking out new restaurants, scanning culinary trade magazines and scouring new culinary books.  I love a good movie, anyone seen a good movie lately? I mean, one that is made for people older than 12.

Question: What is your most popular dish?
Answer: Probably our John Dory on the dinner menu, or the Bolognese pasta, also at dinner.

Question: Your last meal on Earth would be??
Answer: Yikes!  That's a tough one.  I would have to say, it would be one of my Grandma's Sunday Suppers with her mostaccioli and Sunday Sauce (or red gravy, if you are from the east coast or watched the Sopranos), spicy chicken wings, fried calamari, and braciole or my Sous Chef Araceli's cilantro rice and chicken tacos with salsa and guacamole.  I grew up in southern California, Mexican food is my native cuisine after Italian.

Question: What's your favorite item on the Restaurant Week Menu?
Answer: I would have to say the pulled pork sandwich on the lunch menu and the Crispy John Dory fish on the dinner menu.