n case you haven't figured it out yet, this is no trendy nightspot. If you prefer antiseptic hotel bars as part of your airport experience, hang around Pearson International. This place has been doing its thing since 1995 and shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, a lot of the regulars have been coming here since day one and can still go toe-to-toe with anyone in town, if for no other reason than they combine their dining with energetic drinking.

An intimate local setting, Club Lucky is an inviting neighborhood resto with more than a touch of salon-like playfulness. The crowd is wildly diverse and is more into drinking and lounging than dining, as the moniker and location may suggest. Club Lucky has an easy-going mix of 20- or 30-somethings dressed casually. The crowd intermingles, trading handshakes and stories, and there's a natural respect for everyone. The John Street location has a decidedly down-tempo lounge-like feel. Club Lucky’s colorful atmosphere, good food and moderately priced drinks attract lively crowds on the weekend.

The menu is the same from Club Lucky’s sister restaurant, Kit Kat, short, Italian and to the point. Dinner items include hotel dining fare like Osso Bucco Milanese, Veal Piccata and something we haven’t seen since the eighties - the ubiquitous Surf and Turf. But, the plates are generous and surprisingly well-prepared. The Filet Mignon deserves a special mention as the cut is generous, and cooked to juicy perfection.

Club Lucky’s kitchen turns out big, heartland-flavored dishes, the martinis are flowing, but the real draw here is the down-home coziness Friendliness is a key factor, starting with the staff. Bartenders and wait staff are very fun and always smiling. The main clientele consists of hotel folk and local workers dressed in the latest fashions, but you'll always find pockets of curious urban couples who come to hang out as well. The main thing to remember when you come is to relax. It is a laid-back joint in a hip neighborhood.

The room full of people offers a mellifluous smell to the nostrils; a woman's perfume, a leather coat, a freshly lit cigarette and scotch on the rocks. When mixed, they can keep the room interesting on more than one sensory level.