It had been years since I even stepped inside Lucky Turtle Grill and Lucky Moose Lounge at 622 East Dupont Road near Pine Valley. To be honest, I’m not sure I actually have dined in. Last week, feeling the spirit of inquiry, I made a U-turn back to Lucky’s, literally.

Back in the day, I remember a very good all-meat pizza with onions. I don’t remember why I broke my habit of going there. The pizza is still there as well as a huge selection of wraps, fish, tacos, soup, wings, sandwiches, and salads. 

If you look closely, you’ll find throwbacks to menu items popular when Lucky’s was part of the Munchie Emporium family of restaurants. The names have changed, but that’s about the only difference. Case in point, potato wedges once titled Scooby Snacks are now Moose Snacks. 

As I entered, I was surrounded by coloring pages on the wall, lots of them featuring their moose or turtle mascots. Moments later, I see a handful of kids with their families at tables and booths. This is definitely a family-friendly joint. To label the interior as eclectic might be pushing it, but it was one of a kind. The Moose Lounge had a canoe flipped over near the entrance to the bar and other outdoorsy theme items. On the Turtle Grill had unique sea themed items. It was hard to miss the homage to Dr. Seuss with two fish, of course, they are red and blue. If you look closely you’ll find a photo of President Richard Nixon and a bike. 

I let my server, Savannah, give me direction. She prefaced her recommendations by telling me she was going to give me two, but only one was available that day. First, I had to try the triggerfish. Sheepishly I admit that I’ve never heard of such a creature. Politely, she took the time to tell me it was a mild, tender, delicious taste, much like cod. She called it one of their trademark dishes.

Then, she pointed me to the pulled pork sandwich. Let’s be honest, pulled pork is as good as the part of the country you are in — that is, what style you like. I’m partial to the Carolina style. The meat is the focus, not the sauce. It’s what you do to condition it. This one was eight hours of in-house smoky goodness. I was not disappointed. It was just dry enough to keep its texture and flavor. Surprisingly, it’s not as dry as I typically like it (By dry, it could be like tree bark). No worries, let’s just say my tastes change quickly. I enjoyed the Lucky’s Turtle Grill version.

What really surprised me was the red seasoned potatoes. Again, I don’t typically go wild on potatoes. I wouldn’t say I’m a fan of them. These were soft and coated with spices and season. Ever so slightly, there was just a little punch to it. 

I’ll be back, because Lucky’s six-page menu is packed with options. While they have variety, it doesn’t seem too broad. It’s also a reasonably priced option.

Junk Ditch expands

Junk Ditch Brewing is now open in downtown Huntington at 426 Warren St. It’s open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Wednesday-Friday and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.

Wolfy’s is on the radar

Located in the lower level of Citizens Square, diners can grab a quick lunch and pay homage to a historic tenant of the space. Wolfy’s tries to capture the spirit of the Wolf and Dessauer Department store that occupied the same space. It’s open 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday. It caters to city employees, but anyone can stop in.

The ‘spirits’ of the seasons

The Copper Spoon’s Nightmare Before Miracle Halloween pop-up bar runs evenings through Halloween. Featuring numerous spooky drinks and spirits built on the popular Nightmare Before Christmas animated motion picture directed by Tim Burton. 

Stay tuned for a similar holiday themed pop-up bar starting just before Thanksgiving. A reminder you must be 21 to enter.

Local colleges helping fight hunger

Local colleges and universities join in a friendly competition to fight hunger with the eighth annual #UCanCrushHunger, running through Nov. 11.

To cast your vote for Huntington University, Indiana Tech, Ivy Tech, Manchester University, Purdue University Fort Wayne, or the University of Saint Francis, take a canned food donation to any of the schools or drop it off at the Community Harvest Food Bank.

The competition has helped gather thousands of meals that are distributed to 80,000 families in the area.

Cans and contributions will go to Community Harvest Food Bank programs locally.