 "Photo: Vanessa Vela")
I was in the mood to try something different. Maybe that's how I ended up at Red Carpet Restaurant on Avenue L and Main Street. I approached a front door framed by large windows and two trees. Beside the door, a chalkboard announced the day's meal: Blackened pork chops buerre rouge.
Red Carpet Restaurant is different from other Lubbock eateries because its owner, Chef Carlos, prepares only one meal each day. Customers enter, sit down and after browsing the salad bar, are brought the meal of the day. When I entered the restaurant, I was not fully aware of this procedure, but the staff promptly welcomed me and gave instructions. I seated myself in a booth along the wall and observed my surroundings: I like the looks of Red Carpet Restaurant, but I was rather taken aback by the amount of smoke in the room (I gather it was smoke from the kitchen). The air was so hazy the servers across the room looked like they were walking through a gray cloud.
I made myself a small salad and returned to my seat. A server promptly approached my table and set down a plate of rolls and melted butter. The salad bar was nothing special, but I definitely enjoyed the hot, moist rolls. This is an offering I hope they have every day because customers won't want to miss it.
As I chomped on my salad and savored the rolls, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra songs wafted from the nearby kitchen, along with sizzles and clanks and the chef's voice singing along with Dean's "That's Amore." Red Carpet's laid-back atmosphere is both friendly and accessible.
When I finished my salad, a server immediately brought a plate of blackened pork chop beurre rouge, seasoned potatoes and fresh green beans. I surmised that beurre rouge must be the sauce covering my pork chop - an outstanding taste of butter and red wine, it was my favorite part of the meal. The potatoes were also delicious, and the green beans were fresh and well-seasoned.
I ordered dessert, a $2 "millionaire brownie," immediately after the meal. It was simply a slice of chilled brownie covered in caramel, pecans and chocolate sauce. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. I would order a different dessert on my next visit.
Red Carpet Restaurant is certainly a unique offering to the Lubbock community; where else can one find a chef's gourmet meals for only $7 during the lunch hour? Red Carpet probably will appeal to business people more than Texas Tech students simply because it is located downtown, and it is only open for weekday lunch. However, if students have a long lunch break, I'd suggest driving just a few minutes from campus to enjoy this unique experience. While my enjoyment of the atmosphere was somewhat hampered by kitchen smoke, the excellent food and friendly service are well worth a visit. Visit the Web site calendarlubbock.com/redcarpet to find out what the chef is cooking each day for the next two weeks. Lunch is always $7, drinks are always $1.25 and dessert is $2; if you don't feel like dining in, take out is available.
Food: A
Atmosphere: B+
Service: A
Cleanliness: A
Cost: Fair
Overall Grade: A
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