Food: ***/5
Drink: **/5
Service: */5
Every city based fan of Lucky Lapitas was jumping for joy about the new Latin American/Cuban influenced restaurant ULC (United Latino Cocina) located on Francis street off Rundle Mall.
Run by the the same owners of Bedford Park's famous Lucky Lapitas, ULC brings to the mall a bit of international flavour without the staleness and bright fluorescent lights of a food court venue. Like its counterpart beware there will most likely be a wait for a table, and when you are seated it may not be facing the person you originally came to dine with.
I have eaten here a couple of times during the day and have come here on a Friday night (the only night it is open) as it is down the road from one of the Tooth and Nail Art Gallery spaces, and offers a perfect space to share a meal with friends and catch up on the week gone by (if you can get a table together) without being too expensive.
I do however, have two things to point out. The seating here is uncomfortable, I am still getting used to the new 'concept cafe/stores' where you squeeze as many people in as possible. This has not happened before but the last time I was there it was packed and terribly windy outside in the lane way as it acts as a wind tunnel off the Mall, we had to wait outside and two groups were accidentally seated before us even though we had arrived first, which made for an uncomfortable beginning to the lunch. When we were seated we were looking onto another couple who were clearly trying to have a romantic date and it was awkward having a conversation in a bench like position without those around us listening in! I think the more people find out about this place and the more popular it gets this will be a regular occurrence, but as it is a new place they may find time to even out the problems.
You will soon realised that there is no table service here either. It is a pay as you go concept and the waiters are not very helpful, and they do not manage the seating.
The food here, however, is amazing and so flavoursome, the Hamburger which I had when I was last there was so good that I knew it was bad it was for me! I recommend however, when coming here, if you have adventurous friends to share as quite a few of the meals go so well together. My suggestion is even if you have not heard of something here give it a go, the fried root vegetable is now one of my friends favorite thing to get here and she had no idea what it was when we ordered it with the wings!
The house red wine is also surprisingly well matched for the food and so well priced, I would defiantly suggest it.
This place is an amazing alternative to the Mall food that is offered in the David Jones/Myers food courts. I am not entirely convinced of this place. To me, there are many other places in the city in which I would probably choose over this place, however I would suggest that you do not judge this place as a sit down, table serviced restaurant or cafe as Lucky Lapitas is, as it will not quite meet the mark. However, if you remember where it is (with a food court on the other side of the wall) and are patient enough to just embrace the food and company you keep without worrying about the seating or service it is a great place to eat.
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