In this second part, read my Q&A with Michael Fuller, the proprietor and managing partner of Lucky Foo's Restaurant and Bar.

ShulmanSays:  What was the impetus for opening Lucky Foo’s?
Michael Fuller:  Being born in Las Vegas, I have always aspired to own and operate my own establishments. I have worked for and operated some of the best properties in Las Vegas at certain points in my career. I have worked the best in the world and it was just time for me to go out on my own, build my own team and do something special. Lucky Foo’s is the first of many new concept venues for me and my team.

SS:  Aren't Fu Dogs a Chinese construct?
MF:  Foo Dogs are Chinese in origin. But we modified the dog quite a bit. If you notice the dog is panting like he is happy to see a long lost friend and it looks more like a Frenchie than anything else (I have grown to love this breed of dog). We actually didn’t even realize there are Foo Dogs until 3 weeks after we named it. Foo has quite a few different meanings in different cultures around the world (mathematics, American rock music, and of course Chinese) 


SS:   What role does music play at Lucky Foo’s?
MF:  Some of my inspirations came from legendary destinations like Buddha Bar Paris, Hotel Costes Paris, Café Del Mar, and Café Mambo in Ibiza. I love it when you walk into a space and you are taken away from the ordinary humdrum of everyday life. Music is a catalyst for that. We have a wide spread of music based on the timeslot. We also use a great new program called Rockbot, a social media jukebox where everyone in the space participates to a chosen playlist and the one who gets the most likes becomes the main DJ of the night.

SS:  Who created The Funkler? (Named for Fuller’s nom de nuit)
MF:  The Funkler is a collaboration between me and the chefs. I have had my favorite dessert of 20 years I wanted on the menu but we wanted it to be the best ever tasted. Chef Shawn and his team were up for the challenge and took this delightfully sinful indulgence to another level. It has become one of our five top sellers in less than a month.


SS:  Who are the partners, in addition to Chef Shawn GIordano?
MF:  Myself, Telly Eliades, Eamon Springall, Miguel Innis, and Bob Hoff are principal partners. They took big risk on me and the idea. Additional partners of note, in the marketplace are Jason “JROC” Craig, Ryan Labbe, Josh Donaldson, Jimmy Aston, and DJ Stellar; all friends whom I have known and with whom I’ve worked, at some point in my career, and am very proud to have them on the team.

 

SS:  Who painted that sensational mural?
MF:  Sean Clauretie, a local artist, old friend, and business partner. He’s been a creative director for me, for many years. I was stoked when he told me he had the bandwidth to do the painting, and also help me with the website and photography. He’s now doing some cool stuff, over at TAMZ.
 

SS:  Of what aspect are you most proud?
MF:  I’m extremely proud of the team I have pulled together, and the extraordinary effort they invest, on a daily basis. Opening a restaurant in Las Vegas - in Henderson, no less - is no easy task. To break through the mass-messaging of the area’s franchise giants takes time and commitment; and our team has worked tirelessly on bettering the experience, every day. 

Lucky Foo’s Restaurant and Bar
Open Daily | 11am – Late
Click HERE for info

Get into it!

In an era that might as well be summed up with the hashtag #OscarsSoBoring, there were actually some folks on the red carpet who were styled to the gods and dressed in a manner we ascribe to movie stars!