When someone mentions Bobby Flay’s name, emotions ranging from dislike to hatred often follow. Yet, his TV series is currently in season 31! I haven’t watched many episodes, but Flay beat his competitor each time. One chef that beat Flay was Chef Brother Luck. He is the chef and owner of Four by Brother Luck in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Brother Marcellus Haywood Luck IV is his legal name. The name Four by Brother Luck started out being an homage to his family as the fourth generation Luck. Since then, it has come to have many meanings. It works directly with the four Native American approaches to food (hunter, gatherer, farmer, fisherman). Their dinner menu comprises four-course tasting menus that change throughout the year to represent the four seasons best.
My wife and I recently traveled to Colorado to attend a Rockies / Dodgers baseball game. Despite a harrowing ninth inning, the Dodgers managed to win that game. The next day, we drove to Colorado Springs and met with longtime friends. For dinner, they chose Four by Brother Luck.
The Colorado Springs dining landscape has significantly changed since I was there last, and the downtown area has been revitalized. Cocktail bars and gastropubs are plentiful, and I was surprised to learn of a Japanese izakaya bar and a Salvadorean pupuseria. Four by Brother Luck is nestled on walkable tree-lined Tejon Street.
The bar frames the restaurant’s center, and the interior walls feature colorful local art. Bookshelves odd was that there were bookshelves in the restaurant. I found out that Luck’s friends gave him cookbooks, and he decided to feature them in his restaurant.
While we visited, their four-course Summer 2002 menu ($65 per person) was in play. The first two courses are lighter, the third is the main course, and the fourth is dessert. They will deduct the appropriate amount from your bill if you elect not to choose the four-course option.
One of our first courses was The Pork Al Pastor Taquito. It was wrapped with a hibiscus corn tortilla and surrounded by grilled pineapple, cotija cheese, and pickled red onion. It was a perfect marriage of sweet, sour, and salty flavors.
Tuna Carpaccio was one of our second courses. Fresh tuna with pepperberry salt and grapefruit slices made this a delightful summer dish. Fresno chiles added a bit of spiciness to the tuna.
A marinade made with Aji Amarillo paste gives the grilled chicken a berry-like flavor; it sits on a bed of banana mole, sweet potato, and haricot verts.
For dessert, a couple of us enjoyed the Twisted Key Lime Pie; it is served deconstructed with a large ball of mascarpone chantilly and fresh peach slices.
With a four-course menu priced at $65, you may think that Four by Brother Luck is a special occasion restaurant; you can opt out of the four-course menu and let your appetite decide. Luck is a gifted chef; if you are ever in the Colorado Springs area, consider visiting them.
Four by Brother Luck, 321 N Tejon St, Colorado Springs, CO; fourbybrotherluck.com