Lulu's New Bar Menu Dazzles on South Grand

Cocktail names at the vegan restaurant, which is newly reopened for dine-in, were inspired by musicians or songs

May 22, 2023 at 9:53 am

Ryan Krull

The bar at Lulu's is now on the first floor.

Nightlife and the bar scene are coming back in full force to the South Grand dining strip after COVID-19 caused a couple mainstays to close up shop.

If you need proof, check out the May 10 RFT cover story about South Grand. Or just head down the recently reopened-for-dine-in Lulu's Local Eatery.

South Grand Battles Back: The business district won't let a high-profile tenant dispute or a few empty storefronts dampen its post-COVID optimism

A beloved presence on South Grand for a decade, it went to carryout only during the pandemic, but now, under new ownership, indoor dining (and drinking) is not only back, it's better than ever.

Previously Lulu's served a respectable bar menu, but now the restaurant's drink offerings have been totally revamped, as has its physical bar.

Lulu's owner Cher, who has asked the RFT to use her first name only, says that moving the bar downstairs from its former upstairs perch made a lot of sense, as anyone who now posts up at it can take in the ambience of the remodeled dining area, which is wide open and warm. A small service window gives a glimpse into the kitchen, and large front-facing windows provide a great view of the South Grand bustle. Wood paneling on the bar and around the service window also give the space a laid-back, retro vibe.

As for the drink menu, its designer Kelsey Buckingham says, "We're having a little fun with it."

Depending on the drink you order, you might find that it comes garnished with rose petals, gold flakes or even a caramelized lime wedge.

Cher says that music is a passion for her, and all the cocktails are inspired by specific musicians — everyone from Neil Young to Prince to Lady Gaga — or specific songs.

Cher and Buckingham want the cocktails to taste great, obviously, but they also wanted to make sure they looked great, too.

"Cher's very into the aesthetics of cocktails," Buckingham says. A lot of cocktails elsewhere have a foam on top, an effect achieved with egg whites, which in most bars make the drinks a no-go for vegans.

"We researched a lot of cocktail bars," Buckingham says. "We mix it up by using aquafaba from chickpeas, so a good majority have chickpea juice inside, which I think is fun. A little bit different."

If cocktails aren't your thing, no problem. It is called Lulu's Local Eatery, after all.

The old Lulu's menu featured a lot of vegan twists on American classics. Cher says that there's plenty on the current menu for longtime Lulu's fans. We were especially happy to see that the Loaded Crunch Wrap is still on offer, as is the Winter Quinoa Bowl (trust us, it's good in any season).

The new Lulu's offers a more diverse selection, too —the General Tso's Tofu bowl and the Sesame Bowl are two standouts.

There's also a terrific fusion to be found in the Korean Tacos, which have fried oyster mushrooms as their protein. The Bao Tacos feature crispy tofu, red onion, mixed greens, and cucumber inside a bao bun drizzled with sauce.

Asked what someone stopping by the new Lulu's for the first time should order, Cher says that if you like spicy things like she does, the go-to appetizer is the chili wontons, which are filled vegetables and housemade chili sauce and garnished with scallion, dill and crushed peanuts.

The wontons taste great. You might also snap a photo of them before you scarf them down.