Sticking out proudly from within the interior of the Hammer Museum in Westwood, Lulu is the crown jewel of the courtyard. It is a restaurant with a lively crowd, inspired by locals and farmers, ranchers, and fisherfolk, as well as French cuisine.
Lulu is not incredibly well-known among UCLA students who tend to opt for microwave ramen over a night on the town, but it is both more approachable and affordable than many might think. Specifically because of the daily prix fixe menu the restaurant offers, which makes an array of delicious dishes available on Tuesdays through Fridays for only $35, after 7 pm at the bar. On behalf of Lulu’s generosity, three of UCLA Spoon’s board members spent a night out sampling this menu, and we’re here to report our findings.
The restaurant possesses a lovely atmosphere, with warm, sparkly lighting strung from the ceiling and warm staff to match. It is mainly outdoors, allowing both the breeze and conversation to flow with ease.
We began by sitting at the bar at the back of the restaurant–the perfect spot for people watching. We were immediately greeted by a friendly bartender who tended to us the rest of the night and kept us very entertained. He guided us through the drink menu, which was both astoundingly fun and wallet-friendly, and included three varieties of wine and two enticing cocktails. We went with a round of fruity mocktails, which arrived just as our appetizer did.
First up was a cauliflower soup with smoked trout roe–an unexpectedly delightful combination. We paired it with the warm bread and butter provided to our table. Each bite only made us more excited for the meal to continue.
And continue it did. We moved to the main dish: grilled lobster with sauce Américaine and fennel salad. It was incredibly fresh, opulent, and certainly better than any of the 20-minute kitchen meals the three of us had consumed that week. As we dug in, we continued to appreciate the atmosphere around us, complete with a live jazz band whose luxurious notes filled the space with the lightest touch. As we finally set our forks down, we looked around, more satisfied than we had been in a long time.
Just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, another treat arrived: pistachio gelato, complete with a cardamom-gingerbread fusion cookie. As we savored the final sweet notes of the meal, we also savored the exquisite service we received the whole night. For the lovely experience we had, the price was hard to beat.
As we walked out of the courtyard and towards home, jazz notes still ringing in our ears and delectable flavors on the back of our tongues, we were over the moon about our experience at Lulu, and pledged to return very soon. They also have a plentiful a la carte menu, small bites list, and aperitif menu with light bites and specialty beverages, served from 2 pm – 5 pm Tuesday through Saturday, and 2 pm – 6 pm on Sunday. We highly recommend Lulu for a date night, special occasion, or perhaps best of all, a random Tuesday dinner.
