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Ridgewood Shopping Center’s first full-service restaurant is en route.
Consider Raleigh lucky… AF. The team behind GlenLake’s Wong’s Tacos, EAT Restaurant Partners is gearing up to bring modern sushi concept Lucky Asian Fusion to Ridgewood Shopping Center by year’s end—marking the brand’s first NC location.
“The concept has done well in Richmond,” says EAT President Chris Tsui, “so we thought we’d like to bring it down here.” After hearing about the available Ridge Road-facing space next to Ridgewood Wine & Beer, Tsui jumped on it. “We really like that area,” he says. “It’s a great location with great demographics in a pretty well-established center.”
As the name suggests, Tsui promises Lucky AF will bring a lively, high-energy, fam-friendly vibe to the evolving shopping center. Expect soaring ceilings, alfresco seating, a buzzy bar + lounge area, and playful decor like neon signs and the brand’s signature lucky cat mascot scarfing sushi.
“Sushi is definitely very mainstream,” emphasizes Tsui—nodding to a pair of Lucky AF locales his team is also bringing to Richmond’s Forest Hill and Short Pump areas.
Bringing a flashier take to the Cap City’s sushi scene, Lucky AF’s fare is centered around traditional and specialty rolls with names that dial up the cool factor. Think Boujie AF (tempura lobster topped with seared steak and four styles of caviar), Release the Kraken (salmon, spicy tuna, octopus) and Harley Quinn (tempura shrimp + smoked salmon topped with spicy shrimp and jalapeño sauce).
Before the main event, Tsui swears by tuna tataki and the Truffle Ménage à Trois (because who wouldn’t?), aka three pieces of tuna, salmon and yellowtail sushi drizzled with truffle oil—but you can’t go wrong with any of the apps. And if sushi’s not the move, the selects span bento boxes, handmade tempura, teriyaki and larger protein-dense entrees—plus a slew of creative cocktails, brews, vino and sake.
Lucky AF lands amid Ridgewood’s recent revamp—think new paint and roofing, refreshed storefronts, and an added Sip n’ Shop program for to-go sipping in select areas—joining thriving establishments like Drift Cafe, Taco Bamba, Dress and Whole Foods.
“Lucky AF is a funky, cool, full-service restaurant that fills the ‘lack of restaurants’ need in the Ridgewood neighborhood,” maintains Adam Jolly, senior project manager of Regency Centers, which operates the shopping center.
Tsui teases that if Lucky AF and Wong’s are successful, he may look into bringing some of EAT’s other F&B concepts—which run the gamut from a pizza and beer joint to an Italian restaurant and steakhouse—down here as well. Let’s hope the luck keeps coming. getluckyaf.com
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