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Categories: French, Breakfast & Brunch, Creperies [Edit]
24781 Alicia PkwyJazz Vocalist Moqui Lund appears nightly! …
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What a cute place! After Yelping for a lunch place to take a half blind 88 year old great grandmother, I settled on Lulu's. It worked out really well! The staff was very friendly, the food was quite tasty, and great grandma had her very first crepe and was just raving about how wonderful it was and how she would have to take some of her friends there for lunch one day.
The prices were reasonable, sandwiches and crepes were all about $8-10. They came on these darling triangular plates, they have real tablecloths, and matching napkins. For a casual lunch, this place was perfect.
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Went here with a bunch of friends for a little get-together sunday brunch. The personal attention from the waiters/waitresses was excellent. Not a few minutes go by without someone asking if we were doing ok.
The omlets were good, but not great. The dessert crepes are very tasty.
When we left, we got thank yous from everyone who worked there. Talk about appreciation for the customers. Will defintely go back.
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This place is a little too "cutesy country" for me. The food is so-so. I think that the creperie on 2nd street in Long Beach is better. My husband had some sort of seafood crepe which I thought tasted too fishy. I got the Parisienne, which came with spinach, bacon and gruyère with a cream sauce. It was just average. I think I could probably make better crepes at home, and for less money. Still, when you want to go out and you don't have the time or patience to break out the crepe pan, this would be a good alternative. I think I would get a sweet crepe next time or something with nutella. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention the creepy stuffed animal bears in clothing that loomed above us while we ate our breakfast. Yeah that's right...creepy.
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I've been meaning to try Lulu's for over a year now but whenever hubby has a day off it's always on Monday and Lulu's is closed on Mondays. It's been my list of to-try restaurants and I'm glad I finally got the chance to visit.
Located across the way from Jordan Market, this little place is really popular during lunch time. There is patio seating outside as well as inside.... no brainer there .... we're sitting INside since it's scorchingly hot out and I am in no mood to eat lunch while sweating up a storm.
The lady who served us (I'm guessing the owner) was very personable. Hubby noticed her accent and whispered to me "oh she's really French". HAHA.... yeah she's REALLY French!! We were seated quickly and our drinks order taken. Word of warning.... iced tea here is not freshly brewed but from those Nestea powders, so if you don't like that kind of iced tea, don't order it.
I'm not a fan of crepes so I was glad to see they had other options on the menu. Hubby got Lulu's quiche with fruit -- you can also opt for salad. French onion soup is a must in my book so I ordered that with half a sandwich -- I chose 'jambon' or ham!
While waiting for our food, I noticed how quaint and cozy the restaurant is. It's one of those places your mom, aunt or grandma would really enjoy. It's one of those places which makes you feel like you're dining in someone's house.
Our food arrived and I tasted hubby's quiche.... the ham and cheese were delicious enveloped around the eggy filling and the crust tasted homemade. I would order this if I was feeling like quiche but it wasn't what I was wanting.
My French onion soup arrived in a little pot and obviously straight out of the oven -- very very hot!! It looked awesome and I could smell the gruyere cheese a mile away. I took a taste of the broth and it was just delicious -- not salty! Impressive. I hate overly salty French onion soup. I mean why would you over salt onion soup when the toast on top of the bread is sprinkled with cheese -- which incidentally, um, is .... SALTY! -- so you're getting salt on salt. The balance of the saltiness of the cheesy toast with the flavors of the onion soup was perfect. Hubby even commented on how I actually ate the bread portion of the soup when I ordinarily leave it. Hey, it was good!!
My half a jambon sandwich arrived and guess what? It was actually jambon and not ham. What I mean is, the ham is very thinly shaved like how they serve it in France. They didn't make the sandwich with American slices of ham. On top of that the bread was nice and crusty, which in my book, is vital to a great sandwich.
Portions are European which means nothing ginormous. You don't need a massive portion to enjoy your meal. In fact, I thoroughly enjoyed my lunch and plan to come back again to try their dinner soon.
I'm just sorry it took me THIS long to try Lulu's out!
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OMG. Sooo good. Forget about Denny's, Paul's Pantry, etc. If you want a solid breakfast and amazing dessert after, go here. Reasonably priced, quaint atmosphere, and mimosas! Friendly staff and insane pastrys.
My friends and I tried Lulu's for brunch on Sunday - and it was hopping!!! We had to wait about 15 minutes to get a table --- it was WELL WORTH IT! We had the eggs benedict, an omelet they call the "Zorba" (a Greek omelet filled with feta cheese and Kalamata olives), a "Mission" crepe (Southwestern topped avocados), and the "Sicilian" (Italian with sausage). I think I will go back to try them all! If you go on Sunday, be prepared for a wait - the place is really popular on the week-ends -- but well worth it! The wait staff was friendly helpful. The coffee was "bottomless" --- and delicious! I asked and found out it was Dietrich's coffee --- very good!!! Now I know why I miss Dietrich's. I am so glad I found it again --- at Lulu's!
Awful. Terrible service, waited over 30 minutes to get our food and the restaurant was not busy. To add insult to injury, I received the wrong side order. After already having waited so long for our food, one of our friends had to wait an additional 10+ minutes to be served, while watching us eat our meals that had been delivered first. The food itself was mediocre, the coffee tasted burnt. Would need serious convincing to return for a second attempt at decent service.
You'd never find it if you didn't know it was there. Behind the car wash, next to the tattoo parlor and taco shop. Personally I liked the Lake Forest location better, but in the name of progress, they tore it down :(
Food here is always good. I've had omelets, crepes, sandwiches, all kinds of stuff. I usually lean towards breakfast food however. Be prepared to wait on a Sat. or Sun. morning as it can be crowded. .
For a casual, laid back morning breakfast place, I highly recommend it.
We have been coming to Lulu's Creperie Cafe for several years now, and we love this place. We go for a quiet evening of wine, food, and entertainment. It is quaint -- family-owned, and the owner comes out to check to make sure everything is to our satisfaction. Our favorite foods include the Osso Bucco, Salmon, and, of course -- the crepes! At the end of out meal, we usually have a scoop of their homemade ice cream on top their very best dessert crepe --- the "Irish". The Irish has Bailey's Irish Cream in it -- topped with caramelized bananas and fresh strawberries. They have added excellent entertainment as well on the week-ends --- currently they have a jazz singer who is worth the trip to hear! All in all, a great experience!
I would prefer to give it 3.5 stars, but it's closer to a 3 star than a 4 star. This is a decent place for breakfast if you're nearby. There aren't a ton of options in the heart of suburbia.
First of all, this place is totally chick. No, not "chic"..."chick". There is a decidedly estrogen-induced ambiance here. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but it's worth noting. Lulu's location in a strip mall was a bit of a disappointment, though.
I had a pretty stacked omelet, called La Normandie (sausage, bacon, green onions, bell peppers, cheese), the size of which surprised me. French food and good sized portions don't usually mix. Taste-wise, it really did taste like something from IHOP, though, so nothing outstanding.
Their crepes were delicious, however. The Wife, once again, bested my order when she went with the La Galette crepes (ham, mushroom, spinach, topped w/ poached eggs). Definitely NOT something that you could order at IHOP.
Overall, above average place for breakfast, but holds limited appeal for me due to the ambiance and location. Do give it a try, if you're in the area, but go w/ a crepe for breakfast.
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5 Stars -
Absolutely nothing wrong with this Creperie!
Savoury -
La Parisienne (*****) - Spinach, Bacon, & Gruyere Cheese in a light Cream Sauce.
La Cajun (*****) - Shrimp, Andouille Sausage, Chicken, Onions, Tomatoes, in a Cajun Sauce.
Sweet -
Almond Joy (*****) - Hot Chocolate Sauce, Shredded Coconut, and Slivered Almonds.
Maple Delight (*****) - Filled with Carmelized Walnuts, Butter & Vermont Maple Syrup.
Crepes are served in white triangular glazed ceramic plate... the Crepes were folded in exactly the same triangular shape.... set off at a different angle of course. Very nice!
Decor is nice French countryside with blue the major hue throughout the restaurant. Nice blue-shaded patio dining area, with a couple of white cast iron tables right in front of restaurant. Decorating definitely has an Euro-Countryside, middle-age, slightly effeminate influence.
Even the lavatories are labeled WC... how Euro can you get? Sit at the inside rear of the restaurant... there's a painting influenced by a famous French painting "Luncheon of the Boating Party" by Pierre Auguste Renoir... but the figures are replaced by Hollywood celebrities... guess who is who? ( http://static.px.yelp.... ) Didn't know Bogie was so muscular! (Original Renoir painting - http://static.px.yelp.... )
Had a conversation with, whom I thought was the owner of the Creperie, LuLu... who turned out to be the former owner!
I asked her which region of France she came from... she replied the Loire valley (Paris). Where did you learn how to make Crepes?, I asked. Found out that she had to sell the former French restaurant to the present owner who specializes in Crepes, because of an illness in the family. Nice person. Interesting to talk with.
Update 06-21-2008
Ate here two times in three days... must like it!
Le Saumon Omelette (****) - Smoked Salmon, Tomatoes, Capers, Red Onion, and Dill. Filled with Cream Cheese - Quite a big Omelette with numerous bits of Salmon Filet. Country Potatoes, though, were over-grilled and tough.
La Pomme Crepe (****) - Caramelized Apple & Cinnamon with Brown Sugar & Calvados - not as well executed as the Maple Delight I had the day before.
Au Natural Crepe (*****) - Sugar and butter with Lemon Wedges a la Mode - A basic Crepe ordered by Kathy. Simple and well-executed.
BBC - Bacon, Brie Cheese & Chicken on a Baguette (*****) - My daughter, Kathy, just loves the Bread here!
Ordered by Keith, Kathy's Beau... a Meat & Potatoes guy...
La Zorba (****) - Spinach, Tomatoes, Caramelized Onions, Kalamata Olives, & Feta Cheese in a Vegetable Sauce
Garlic Fries (****) - LuLu's variation on the baseball stadium favorite! Great tasting... Fries were of the McDonald's cut variety...
Service (*****) - Never had to ask for a refill! Prompt and courteous.
As you see... we like this place! Also met the "real" owner of the restaurant - dressed in black topped off with a black French beret! Discovered he has an interest in a restaurant in Seattle, where Keith lives ( http://www.yelp.com/bi... ).
As the owner and I (including Kathy) were discussing Yelp... a couple at the next table joined in.... just a casual conversation on a nice warm Saturday discussing food!
Not bad. I've not eaten too many crepes before so I don't know how they compare. But generally, the crepes themselves were done well, soft and flavorful. The sauce they used was also done well, not too heavy.
The only complaint I have is that they just use too much sauce. As you can see from pictures posted by other people, the soft folded crepe is drowned in sauce. I'd prefer less sauce. There was enough topping (mushroom and chicken, etc) to go with the crepe, but just too much sauce. Specificially, I order the LA FRANAISE $7/$12 (Choice of ham or chicken, sun-dried tomatoes. portabello mushrooms & gruyere cheese in a bchamel sauce). I had friends who similarly ordered savory crepes and those were similarly drowned in a cream based sauce.
I also tried the banana crepe. I think it could have been done better. Maybe it's the style, but I would have preferred the sauce to be a little more caramelized to give it a rounder taste. As it was, it was a bit of a dull sweetness and didn't blend together enough with the banana taste.
Not bad, but I'd like to try and compare to other frech creperies to compare. Since it's close to work, I'd go back to try some of their other dishes.
Decor and atmosphere fun and cute. The service was friendly, but I did notice it lagged a bit once the lunch rush hit. It took us forever to order the banana crepe and forever again to get the bill. Sitting on the patio is really nice. I saw Don Johnson there... i think. At least it was someone that looked and sounded like him.
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4 stars for food, decor, ambiance, service, and great experience I had.
I've been to some French restaurant, but to find a French cafe is rare. I walked it and felt so cozy with the blue decor. We sat on the outdoor patio and it was very relaxing with the cool breeze. It's unbelievable how such a nice, little place is right next door to a car wash.
Food we ordered:
1) garlic fries - to die for! It's so different that it has parsley added to it.
2) French onion soup - very tasty and not salty (as what I read on Yelp review beforehand). It came in a small bowl, which wasn't satisfying for me cuz I love soup.
3) Dessert crepes - we ordered 2 crepes - Suzette and Pear Belle Helena. We first ordered the Suzette and it was just a piece of crepe filled with the sauce over it. It was definitely very good and different. It wasn't satisfying, so I ordered the Pear Belle Helena. I find this one to be more worth my money since it came with slices of pears and whip cream in addition to the sauce, and the presentation was better. However, it does get very sweet after several bites. If you have a sweet tooth, it shouldn't be a problem.
4) Bottomles coffee - my husband felt it was a very strong, regular coffee and it's not espresso. I'm guessing it might be French roast.
Our waitress was very nice too. We found out that original owner sold the business about a year ago, but new owner has maintained this place well. It's authentic French owner and French chef.
Definitely would love to come back here again whenever I visit OC. They do serve breakfast and lunch, but we came here around 4pm for snack and dessert. Where can you find an authentic French cafe with great food and casual environment and enjoy the great breeze?
Have been going to this place for several years, Mostly for breakfast. You always feel right at home there. Love their good old eggs with bacon and toast. Yummy!
Always sincere, prompt service.
This place is so cute! I love it! Went here with a friend and it was the first time for both of us. It's a cute cafe in a shopping center right off the freeway. They even have a nice outdoor patio which is where we sat.
Each entree comes with a starter salad with a house vinaigrette, which was very tasty. I ordered the La Mer crepe as my main dish which had scallops, shrimp, shallots, tomatoes, and mushrooms with a light cream sauce. I forgot what my friend ordered [it was some meat dish, not a crepe] - but I tried the potatoes and the vegetables on his plate and they were good. What a bummer though, since we didn't try a desert crepe since we were so full! I would definitely come back here and try breakfast along with a desert crepe.
I didn't give it five stars since the service was a bit slow and they weren't a lot of people in the restaurant.
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My hub and I ventured to Lu Lus because there was a coupon in the PennySaver and I've been wanting to try this place. The place was Dead Empty on this particular Saturday night. We arrived around 530 pm. The location is questionable, but upon arrival you realize how sweet this little gem is on the inside. The selection was lovely. The server was not only cute, he was damn good making sure we were getting everything we needed, and the food delightful. The price was great, service excellent...a 5 star night...but only 4 stars because flourscent overhead lights do not go with French food.
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Crepes are expensive. There was heated watermelon on my crepe, I've never seen anyone heat up watermelon before.
Good food, nothing spectacular. I mean, you're in Lake Forest CA, so it's pretty good considering your craptacular location.
I went for breakfast and had a crepe. It was good, but I can make them at home fairly well, and since I do, I happen to know that there are about 4 cents of ingredients in each crepe. Lulu charged me about 7 bucks. And that was for one stinkin' crepe with some cherries. Many people would be satisfied with this, but I'm a big (tall, not fat) guy and I get cranky when I don't get enough food.
So, to me it was way too expensive.
The place is sandwiched between a tattoo parlor and some dumpsters, so I don't see how to ambiance justified the price.
To me, at the end of a good meal my stomach must be full and my wallet must be full. I guess that people who really love French food might consider this a bargain, as it can be uber-expensive, but I don't care what kind of accent the person who made the food has.
Actually to be honest, the only time I've really enjoyed French food was in Budapest when the dollar was kicking ass still, and I got a three course meal, including crepes with chocolate sauce and walnuts, for about 9 bucks. Hungarian currency at the time was the Forint, but I think they've switched to Euros. If I went back to that restaurant I probably wouldn't like the food as much, because it would be more expensive.
I need to make some money, and sever my brain-wallet connection...
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Strange location, but once you're inside who cares. There's a large enclosed patio, it was clean, and the decor was cutesy grandma style (not necessarily French). The owner seemed very friendly, and the wait staff was fine. It was nice that we recieved the home made pate appetizer plate complimentary with a glass of wine. I had the sand dabs which were pretty tasty, and my husband had the filet with peppercorn sauce, and he was happy with it. There's an extensive crepe selection and we had a chocolate one with fresh fruit for desert... it was the best part of the meal. All in all, I could see us going back when we're in the area, the prices were reasonable and the food was good. We'd probably go more if was in a more desirable location though.
Upon walking into the restaurant, you will be greeted by the owner. The decor of the restaurant reminds me of a country style local shop. There were outside patio seating as well as indoor. My wife and I took the seat at the corner.
Once sit ted, my wife ordered the highly recommended banana crepe and I ordered an Onion Soup and La Mer, a crepe covered with Shrimp, scallops, sun dried tomatoes, shallots, & Portabello mushrooms in a light cream sauce. Since we were in a French restaurant, my wife also ordered the cappuccino.
When the cappuccino was served, I was not too impressed with the cappuccino. My wife thought it was okay, and since coffee was not the main focus of the meal, she was not as critical about the quality of the coffee.
When my onion soup came, immediately i smelt a strong odor of (stinky) cheese. After the first taste, I was a bit surprise. The soup was not as salty as de la France restaurant in South coast. The onion flavor was fully immerse into the soup.
After the soup, my wife's banana's crepe came. The banana crepe was pretty good. Again, with a typical Asian taste bud, the sugary sauce was a little bit too sweet for me. The crepe on the other hand did not get soggy with the sauce. Even though the crepe was covered with the sauce, the crepe did not lose its tenderness.
Last, my La Mer came. The plate was covered with seafood which was a very good sign. Upon the first bite, the richness of the cream sauce served as a great compliment to the Portabello and crepe. However, after eating about half of the crepe, the richness and the creaminess of the sauce became a little bit over powered. Overall, this is not a bad dish and is under $10 (Lunch Price)
Overall the experience at this restaurant was pleasant. As a typical French restaurant, the portion is not huge. Therefore, if you love to eat a lot, this may not be the best place for you. The waitress skill of the owner also need a little bit improvement. When serving the bread and water, I often felt the owner was just throwing the food onto the table. But again the price is a bargain for a French restaurant, therefore if you ever want to try some French food, Lulu will be a great start point.
Lulu's Cafe is a great place for a relatively inexpensive French crepe experience. Lulu will personally serve you in this quaint European cottage looking restaurant.
It's charming in it's own little way except for when you have a nice patio view of the nearby Wendy's. There's lunch and dinner pricings and the crepes are the thing to get here. Sometimes the sauce can be a little salty in areas, but for the most part they are well crafted.
Check this place out if you're nearby! Don't forget to thank Lulu for your great banana crepe and she'll probably say something like "Merci!" or "Oui Oui!" or just put a beret on her head and start painting a portrait of you in watercolors for your gratitude. Gotta love the French.
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I was pretty excited about checking this place out after seeing the pretty good reviews on Yelp. That and the fact Aliso Viejo really doesn't have much going on. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to expectations.
The first thing I noticed when I sat down that the chairs were sticky! I'm usually not picky about that sort of thing, but when I lifted my arm of the arm rest and it made that "velcro" sound that sort of got to me.
I order the Nutella and Banana crepe which was really nothing special and actually I think I've had better at the crepe place at the Irvine spectrum which is runned by some chinese people. I was hoping that a "French" would well... taste better. It didn't help that the fruit served before the meal was was warm. Is fruit suppose to be warm? I don't know maybe I'm missing something here. Oh and I had some type of fruit based iced tea which for some reason smelled spoiled.
The one positive was the people who run the place were genuinely nice people. I have to admit the waitress was very nice. For that reason I feel sort of bad for giving this place a bad review. Hopefully, it was just an off day.
HEAVEN, HEAVEN, HEAVEN!!!
Came here on the way to a show. Started off with garlic fries, YUM! Super greasy, the tissue paper was soggy with oil but oh boy are these fries garlic-y. No kissing for me tonight. Make sure you don't get any herb in your teeth otherwise you'll just look silly.
Apple tart. We came in and they had a big apple tart sitting out for your viewing pleasure along with a raspberry chocolate crepe. The tart was too beautiful and golden not to order, so I did and it was delightful.
Banana Crepe. Orgasmic. SO MUCH GOODNESS IN EVERY BITE.
I can't wait to come back. This is a tiny treasure in a little strip mall, with down home service and perfect, just perfect food. Who said that food needs to be expensive to be good - this was just as wonderful if not better than my lunch at "French 75" and was less than 1/3 the price!
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Lulu's is a small cafe with indoor and patio seating. It is run by the french owner and a small staff Tuesday - Sunday.
I love going here to get a tasty french lunch. The owner is a total sweetheart and is very personable. They have a large menu that caters to all sorts of likes and dislikes. They are open for dinner as well and celebrate Bastille Day each year in style.
The patio is great spring - fall with beautiful flowers and a relaxing breeze. The prices are affordable and the place is quite quaint.
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LuLu appears too be the cook, cashier, and server who just might even be the dishwasher as well. I had the Parisienne which was almost too rich but was verrrrry good. My friends had ordered the Francaise and they loved it. I did get to try the Pate appetizer which was great. And for dessert we shard the Irish crepe and another one with Pears and rum. Both were awesome. I would go back again, again, and again.
I hesitated between 4 and 5 stars here, but decided that we enjoyed it so much I'd go for the max. My granddaughter and I went here for lunch today as part of a girls day out. We usually try to find a french place for these lunches because it gives me a chance to share my love for France and french food with her. Because of her age (12) our choices were fairly basic: she had a BLT on a croissant, I had a croque monsieur; we both had garlic fries (oh, yes, they are great!) and then the research began! She had the Belle Helene Crepe a la mode (poached pears, chocolate sauce, another sugary, syrupy sauce, whipped cream, and of course ice cream). I had my crepe Au Natural (just a single delicate crepe, folded in quarters, with that same sugary, syrupy sauce- almost a hard sauce that wasn't hard, can't think of what it is called-) and it was so wonderful!
This place is not fancy- in fact it's almost a bit kitschy- but there is a spirit of comfort that makes it very pleasant! There was a table of four middle aged men next to us who sat and talked for at least an hour after finishing their lunch.
I can't wait to go back, order a bottle of wine, and tuck into the escargot and the pate' plate, and the onion soup, and of course another crepe or two.
This quaint little restaurant located in a strip mall in Laguna Hill is one of the best finds out there. I went here with a couple of friends for a bday dinner and because it's a small Mom and Pop shop we called ahead of time for reservations and to see if they can accommodate our group. We sat out outside in the patio seating and since it's in the summer it was a perfect atmosphere. The owner hooked us with great Pate and Fruit plate and a Veggie Crudite plate. Their french bread is great with butter as well. We all ordered different crepes. Personally, I love curry and chicken and I tried a Curry Crepe at Le Creperie in Long Beach and it was really savory and delicious and I didn't know if I would ever have a better Curry chicken Crepe anywhere else but oh..boy was I wrong. My friends and I decided to order all different types of crepes and we would have 30 secs to 1 minute to try the crepe and then we would pass it counter clockwise so everyone can enjoy. Since my the crepe I got was the La Indienne crepe it was so good I didn't even want to let go of it. Selfish I know..but why let go of a good thing right? We all tried a the La Salmon one with huge chunks of Salmon. That was the next best thing. We also tried the La Cajun, La Mission and the La Mer. But the best one is the La Indienne..it's the curry crepe with chicken and mango chutney sauce. That plate was licked clean..i even saved a lil mango chutney on the side and when i was looking my friend devoured it like a beast. I beat him up afterwards so he's limping a bit now.
Definitely try this place out they have a great service where the people know your name..or at least talk to you and get to know you. It's not your typical fast food restaurant so don't expect crazy fast service but just sit back and relax with your friends and chat it up while your dish is being perfected. Oh yah..and the prices are way way decent.
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Our meeting took place at a quaint little cottage in an urban shopping center called Lulu's Creperie Caf. This place specializes in the French cuisine, a realm of the culinary world responsible for the brigade system, haute cuisine, and Le Guide Culinare. It has also brought out many great chefs throughout our modern history and sauces such as espagnole and bechamel owe a lot to the French. Vive la France!
So we arrived at Lulu's where we were promptly greeted by our server. It wasn't really busy that night, but we decided to sit outside at the patio with the heaters turned on so that we can enjoy the post-summer fire air that permeated throughout the night. The dcor is very quaint and homely where bright yellows and baby blues abound. Little knick-knacks and collectibles dotted the countertops and shelves, so there is plenty of eye candy to keep yourself occupied while waiting for your meal. The bathrooms are also a part of the scenery too, as it is one of the cleanest and decorative johns I have seen in a while. The chef even plays a part in the feel of being at France by wearing a nice red beret that complimented his bright red apron. It was a little disappointing that the waitress didn't do the same as she only wore your typical all black. Any way you put it though, this is really a French villa tucked away amidst your typical city life.
As we waited for the rest of our party, wejumped straight into the wine list (so typical) and we noticed right away how extensive the list was. It seems that this restaurant got smart and decided to partner with a wine shop in the same strip mall to save up on storage costs. As a result, the customer wins and is presented with what is virtually a book filled to the brim with wines from all over the world. We heartily shared three bottles of wine, all of which were great. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to write down the vineyard and the year from the bottle.
The menu list was two pages long and included some authentic French appetizers, crepes, pastas, dinners, and desserts. It didn't look too imposing, but the hardest part for us was deciding what to get since each entre comes with a mouth-watering description of the dish. This is particularly helpful for the casual diner who might not be too familiar with the cuisine from the name alone. As the rest of our party arrived, we started off with three appetizers. One, which came with the bottle of wine we purchased (BONUS!), was the Crudits Platter with a mayonnaise dip (raw carrots, and raw broccoli). The other two were more savory and....interesting for me. First off was the Pate Platter, which featured the Crudits, Cornichons (small pickles), and a liver pate. Definitely an acquired taste, but it was presented well and the pate tasted the way a pate should. A very good thing. The other plate was the Escargot, a popular French dish, especially in the fine-dining establishments. If you have NO idea of what is in an Escargot, I'd recommend eating one first before asking...trust me, you're better off that way. It was marinated in a shallot, parsley, and garlic butter sauce and the Escargot was moist and flavorful without being rubbery in texture.
Since we had a lot of appetizer to go around, I went ahead with a light dinner with the La Parisienne Savory Crepe. It consisted of spinach, bacon, gruyere cheese, and a light cream sauce all delectably combined to create a flavorful egg goodness. The crepe was light and fluffy and the sauce wasn't too thick to overpower the other ingredients. My only recommendation (only because of culinary school) would be to substitute the regular bacon for lardons (a much more fatty, flavorful bacon). As we ate in joyful silence (a sure sign of an excellent meal), I asked what the other members thought about their food. Ashley got the Coq Au Vin, a traditional French meal with braised chicken with mushrooms, pearl onions, garlic, and burgundy wine. The chicken was so moist and tender here that it basically fell of the bone once your fork touched it. Seth got the Osso Bucco, which is Italian for "hole in the bone" because of the flavorful marrow that is part of the appeal of the dish. Again, the veal shank used in this dish was braised wonderfully and the meat and marrow combined with the basil and tomato sauce over linguini made this one to remember.
We then ended the night with a couple of sweet crepes and cheesecake. Keep in mind that if you got this far and still have room left for food, then go back three steps and order up another dish. It's that good. In any case, the sweet crepes were very delightful and the list is long enough that you can spend a good couple of months going through every item on that list.
For those who don't venture far out from North OC, do yourselves a favor and carpool with some friends and get your bad selves down to Laguna Niguel. This is a diamond in the rough. Enjoy it.
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