“It’s very much a cafe—just with dim sum,” says Patty Wu, co-owner of the new Tannesrville eatery and market Lucky Catskills
In the winter of 2023, Wu and her husband David Schneider, who also own tapas joint Tabla, took over the restaurant at the Colonial Country Club for an Asian-inspired apres ski concept called the Notch. With a spotlight on sake and Japanese whiskey and a short menu of flavor-packed small plates like pork belly bao buns, dan dan noodles, and fried chicken, the spot was a hit. And although the couple built a loyal fan base of locals and weekend skiers, the arrangement was temporary.
So when Bear and Fox Provisions closed last February, they eyed the spot on Main Street in Tannersville as a new home for their Asian menu concept. “When we got in there, it didn’t have a real kitchen,” Schneider says, “so we pivoted the concept to more of an Asian cafe with a market and provisions.”
Wu, who is Taiwanese, grew up in Queens amid a melting pot of Asian diasporas, eating cuisine from all different cultures and regions. This mix inspired the varied menu at the newly opened Lucky Catskills. “It’s mostly Chinese right now, but we just added ramen, and we’re probably going to do homemade kimchi,” she says. “It will be food from all over Asia, but very traditional dishes—not fusion.”
Lucky opened in early December, and the menu is still in a state of flux. Some offerings include the Taiwanese classic lou ru fan, a stewed pork belly dish served over rice; radish cakes; jianbing, savory Chinese crepes; steamed pork buns; the ever-popular dumplings; even a Spam, egg, and cheese sandwich. “It’s Chinese tapas. They’re small dishes, you can get as many as you want to make a meal, or just get a snack,” Wu explains, adding with delighted surprise, “I can’t believe how many Taiwanese people live in the area!”
On the cafe side of things, beyond drip and standard espresso offerings, Lucky offers a range of inventive coffees with Asian flavors like the black sesame latte or the red bean latte. “Our head barista, Olivia, is great,” Wu says. “She took the concept and ran.” Milk alternatives range from soy and almond to Korean banana milk and taro pearl milk (the base for boba, or bubble tea). “Boba started in Taiwan as tea,” Wu explains. “Then it morphed into coffee. It’s really interesting how as the world has evolved and everyone is more connected, all the cultures borrow things from other cultures and make it their own.”
Whereas the Notch was limited to a bar with a short food menu, Lucky expands on the concept with retail offerings. “We have a really good selection of provisions—all the little things you need to prepare an Asian meal, like 10-year-aged black vinegar, kombu, Japanese mirin, all different kinds of soy sauce and shoyu, five kinds of chili crunch—all the basics that you can’t just run into a basic supermarket and get.” If you need menu inspiration, there is a curated selection of Asian cookbooks to choose from. There are also fun snacks, like Korean Turtle Chips, Gudetama egg yolk-flavored potato chips, a full array of Japanese Kit Kats, not to mention all the flavored teas and sodas. “People come to eat and then buy the stuff on their way out,” Wu says.
While Schneider is in the kitchen handling most aspects of the food prep and menu development, the interior design is Wu’s domain. “My mood board was a Midcentury Modern Asian nightclub,” she says with a laugh. “I didn’t turn out exactly that way, it morphed. It’s still dark and moody, but because there is so much light in there, it never feels dark.” The interior blends floral wallpaper with dark blue painted wooden banquettes and paneling and green accents throughout. The bathroom got a much-needed overhaul, but other than that, the redesign was mainly just a freshening up of the space.
Currently, Lucky is open Friday through Tuesday, opening between 9am and 10am and closing between 4pm and 5pm. “We’re trying to capture ski traffic, but we’ve also gotten a great reception from residents,” Schneider says. “Some Notch fans are still missing our industry nights so we might revive that. And there will be some growth to the menu as we come out of winter since we’re going to be seasonally oriented.” In summer, boba tea and fun ice creams will replace heartier ramen and hot coffee.
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