After a matinee in Evanston, we had a bit of dim sum at Lulu's. Lulu's offers an all-you-can-eat menu during lunch on the weekends and Mon. and Tues nights. Choose whatever appetizers you want in any quantity and half-orders of most entrees for $12.95 per person. It seemed like a good deal, and having been there before (years ago), we gave it a try.
Ms. EatChicago was a bit dismayed by the "Chili's-like," predictable menu, but I held a positive outlook. We ordered most of the appetizer menu including pork dumplings, chicken shao mai, seafood wontons, potato croquettes, crispy pork bao, salmon sashimi, cucumber salad, coconut shrimp. The two entrees we tried were chinese pork & noodles and a thai panang curry with shrimp.The best of the lot were the salmon (more of a carpaccio, with ginger and a spicy mustard) and the pork bao which were crispy on the outside and soft and steaming inside. All the dumplings were mediocre at best, the won tons actually tasted a bit like Long John Silver's to me. The curry was way too sweet and rich with very little broth.
I used to be a fan of Lulu's in it's old location (a couple years ago). It was always a little to hip for it's own good but I thought the food was passable. I remember enjoying Bi Bim Bop and "firecracker" dumplings (both missing from the new menu). Today it tasted a bit too mass-produced and not too fresh. I probably won't be back anytime soon.
I guess you know you're not having a stellar lunch when the words "Chili's" and "Long John Silver" come up during your conversation.
Lulu's is at 804 Davis in Evanston, 847-869-4343 and at www.lulusdimsum.com. By the way, you can't take anything home from the all-you-can-eat deal.
Tags: evanston pan-asian Post a comment
