But here the kitchen was too tame the dumpling filling tasted of pork and scallions and not much else.
Care obviously had been taken in the creation of the gyoza ($10) - lovely little pillows with delicately pleated edges pan-fried on one side. Two other dishes were not as successful, though both showed promise. This version elevated a workaday dish to a masterpiece of contrasting textures and flavors. Lucky Penny layers fork-tender and deeply flavored braised short ribs with fried potatoes and onions, a crisp tortilla and a peppery salsa topped off with the mellow richness of poached eggs and crema. Traditional machaca is made with dried meat, once a logistical necessity but now mostly an acquired taste. Macho Machaca Hash ($13) from the breakfast menu was another example of improving on a classic using better ingredients. The appeal doesn’t stop there - the sandwich is built on sourdough, which has been toasted on a waffle iron for seemingly endless nooks and crannies of crunch - and goes on with a cup of tomato soup, the classic accompaniment with enough of a spicy kick to earn its place on the plate. No one-dimensional American cheese here Lucky Penny uses a blend of cheddar, Swiss, Parmesan and Monterey jack, some of them contributing assertive flavors, others optimal meltability, the sum of the parts delivering layers of warm, gooey flavor. The Waffle-Grilled Cheese ($13) was successful, with its comfort-food roots and au-courant cachet. But the creativity and execution of the food put it squarely in the modern era. It’s open 24/7, has a breakfast menu that’s available all day and some Asian items to fill the role of the Chinese restaurant de rigeur in casinos. The cafe, which opened this summer at the Palms, has all of the traditions of the Las Vegas coffee shop.
Lucky Penny is not your father’s coffee shop.
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