On a quiet, cold Sunday night, I stopped in to Lucien, which is in a gorgeous restored building. The room was mostly empty, and the reception was cordial and immediate. But let's cut to the chase.
While the appetizer of heirloom beets and carrots was fresh and presented as a true work of art, it wasn't overly exciting. The venison was cooked perfectly, but who really needs the foam that swamped a good portion of the plate? So why go back to this high-end restaurant? Because in fact it has the best lemon meringue "pie" anywhere in North America. The consistency, the pungent lemon tang, along with the homemade ice cream and cocoa covered meringue are in a league of their own.
So while you might find the appetizers and food elsewhere, you won't find the lemon meringue anywhere else. And that's worth the trip!