Lucky Bamboo: Super Szechuan in Music City

Hello, and welcome to Local Flavors,where I spotlight some great places to eat in Nashville and the surrounding area. I'm not talking national chains here; these are the hole-in-the-wall places favored by the locals and adventurous visitors to the area.

My girlfriend and I are always looking for new dining experiences. Almost anything is worth trying at least once. We tend to be the toughest judges when it comes to Chinese food. While we have found a few decent places in Middle Tennessee, very few have managed to knock our socks off (For the record, we've had this issue elsewhere in the world, too). Too often, the best Chinese restaurants were either too pricey or too out of the way. Meanwhile, too many of the affordable places were average, at best. Fortunately, we stumbled across Lucky Bamboo during a shopping trip to the west side of Nashville and found a true winner.

Lucky Bamboo Chinese Bistro

5855 Charlotte Pike B

Nashville, TN 37209

I wasn't sure when I saw the unassuming exterior. It didn't look like it was trying to grab attention. However, the interior left me gobsmacked. The atmosphere is fantastic; it has the feel of casual elegance. The woodwork is excellent, and the artistry is some of the best I've seen in a restaurant. I definitely give props the artist who painted the mural on the east wall. It's large enough to support a special function, even having a stage and mirrorball in the back half of the restaurant. The larger tables have turntables to accommodate passing dishes among larger groups. There's even a koi pond in the middle of the dining area! The presentation went above and beyond the call of duty for a small eatery like this.

I was a bit concerned by how exquisite the decor was, as that usually translates to higher prices on the menu. However, that thankfully wasn't the case. The prices on both the main menu and the lunch menu are very comparable to other Chinese places I visited in the area. There was barely a dollar's difference between Lucky Bamboo and my closest choice. With the amounts provided, Lucky Bamboo is very easy on the wallet.

Of course, the affordable pricing means nothing if the food is unpalatable. At Lucky Bamboo, the food is extremely impressive. The menu is one of the most robust I have personally seen. I don't know of many affordable Chinese places that offer things like Hot Pots, Dim Sum, and duck. I tried both a staple (Pepper Steak, my all-time favorite Chinese dish) and a unique item (Bok Choy with Mushrooms) and was equally pleased. Too many Chinese places over-do it with the sauces, but Lucky Bamboo got it right. They used just enough to add some flair without overpowering the taste of the meat and vegetables. The bok choy and peppers kept plenty of their crunch (I personally hate it when veggies go soft from overcooking). The flank steak used was just right, perfectly tender, with the flavor of the brown sauce infused into it rather than just coating it. I definitely look forward to trying other items on the menu on later visits.

I have always been a very tough judge when it comes to restaurants, especially for ethnic foods I like, like Chinese. That's why I'm thrilled to say this: Lucky Bamboo is one of the best affordable Chinese places I found in the area. Anyone looking for some good Cantonese and Szechuan in West Nashville owe it to themselves to check this place out. It's definitely worth the trip.

This is my first time reviewing something besides a piece of media. Any suggestions for improvement? Any suggestions for other places in the Nashville area? Send me a tweet, and bon appétit!