McCall’s Heartland Grill manager will bowl you over
By Kiko Miyasato
Andrea Lucente
You’ve probably never met anyone like Andrea Lucente. The Ohio native got a full ride to college—on a bowling scholarship. “Dad enjoyed bowling. … I’m one of six kids; my mom had six kids in seven years. So, Saturday mornings, Dad would take all of us bowling in this youth league to give my mom a break for the day,” Lucente said. While Lucente has “lost the love of bowling a little bit,” she now excels as manager for McCall’s Heartland Grill at Stratosphere.
“I lead. That is my sole job function. I lead my team, I prepare them for success, give them all the tools that they need to do their jobs, as well as ensuring that each guest has 100 percent satisfaction by the time they leave my restaurant,” she said. That sense of pride comes from working in her family’s 35-year-old restaurant in Ohio while growing up. “When you work in a privately owned family business, you feel like it’s yours, every dollar is yours. Every guest complaint you take to heart and every wonderful experience a guest has, you feel that gratification. And so I brought that with me to McCall’s; I feel like the restaurant is mine.”
You’ll see Lucente putting her words into action, walking around the venue to check on her guests every night. She explains McCall’s best: “The attention to detail, food and service is fine dining, but at a casual-dining price.” And these days, who doesn’t love that?
Heartland Peach
McCall’s has quite an impressive specialty cocktail menu—you’ll definitely want to try more than one. The Heartland Peach is one that is at the top of the tasty list, with Jim Beam Rye whiskey, peach schnapps, orange juice, sweet and sour mix, a float of grenadine and a peach slice garnish. If you’re a Jim Beam lover, you’re going to love this drink. But, even if you’re new to Jim Beam or never really tried the spirit, it’s definitely worth giving this cocktail a shot.
