Lulu Restaurant

Emruli

4.0

LULU is a casual fine dining restaurant with a tandem hip bar called HOOCH. The name Lulu is a carryover from the former Rockwell restaurant of the same name, while Hooch is an alcohol drink term used during the prohibition era.We've already tried Lulu twice and been to Hooch three times. Here are our favorites...Lulu serves continental comfort food, while Hooch serves hand-crafted cocktails.The dining area doubles as a gallery of contemporary artists in Manila. I love the current "12 BELOW" photo exhibit from Tom Epperson. It features various subjects from Filipino culture that were frozen in ice using an industrial freezer at a temperature of -120C.  Classic seafood soup scented with saffron and orange.  I liked this light tomato-based soup, with hints of saffron and orange and generous bits of seafood.  LULU twist on the classic caesar. Maple bacon with Grana Padano shavings and a 62-degree sous vide-cooked egg. We also liked this classic nicoise salad with seared tuna chunks and poached eggs. The crab cakes were very soft, with a light batter coating and tangy mayo. Squeeze some lemon juice on the crab cakes for the best experience.Roasted tiger prawns, spicy tomato fondue. The shrimps were big and absorbed the chili-tomato flavor well. My partner RJ loved the Black Bitch Stout, a craft beer from Tagaytay served as draft in Hooch.Everyone loved the Bouillabaisse because each seafood ingredient tasted great and was sourced from the best parts of the world. The stew was delicate and light with just the right thickness.I liked the juicy scallops on top of the risotto. We got mixed reactions on the squid ink flavor though. US pork chop on the bone, atsuete-glazed accompanied with LULU atchara. Marketed as the best pork chop in Manila, this dish uses US pork glazed with a yellow atsuete sauce, with hints of cumin and curry in the veggies. The meat itself was a bit dry because of the thick cut.The Chilean Sea Bass was also very good--tender, juicy, and not overcooked. Just a bit expensive. We ordered a thick 500g angus rib eye steak, cooked medium rare and topped with onions.   Thanks to Lord Ancheta and wife Aksana Kalinich for the Lulu Lunch treat with our Mercato Partners.Lulu's signature dessert--Peanut Butter flavor with Jelly and Chocolate. This was our favorite among the desserts we ordered. Butterscotch Apple CrumbleThis was just OK.Coconut Creme Brulee The taste of the coconut was barely recognizable. Chocolate CakeI recommend ordering this signature digestif drink. It's like drinking liquid chocolate cake!Dark and Stormy My personal cocktail favorite. I loved the predominant taste of ginger beer and lime, with a black rum kick.   Note: All drinks are sold half-off during the happy hours of 12nn to 6pm, Monday to Friday!Aloha Tom. A devilishly delicious tiki drink that will make you crave for more! Bacardi Rum, Pink Guava, Orange Juice, Lemon Grass Syrup.For something exotic and a good conversation piece, order this guava-based juice with rum. Congrats to Chef Tom Hines, Dixie Marinas, Lord Ancheta, and Chandra for the great Lulu + Hooch tandem resto concept! :)At night, the glass windows, high ceiling with artworks on the walls, and white linen tables provide an elegant backdrop to your date.The cheese fondue is a good starter, especially if you're having it with wine.We had a nice 2005 Zifar red wine from Ribera del Duero, Spain.We loved this ultimate gourmet Mac & Cheese with truffle and 5 kinds of cheese. And there's an option to add tiger prawns. The lamb was very tender from the sous vide process and was a good match with the couscous. The seared tuna with umami Japanese spice was still juicy. Best with a squeeze of lemon.

Kiwah Andanni

4.0

So I recently bought unlimited wagyu coupons from deal grocer and what I can say it was a steal!It was really hard finding the place at first, so you better google it before going to Lulu. I really like eating Wagyu steaks, my number 1 is still House or Wagyu but Lulu is a very good contender.The ambiance of the place was really urban upscale, the bar reminded me of the Empire Hotel in NYC. It's gave the feel of how Upper Eastsiders do lunch.I didn't really get to look at the menu since it was a set meal, so they let you choose the different sides. I always go for the veggies since you know you're going to have a lot of wagyu. The meat was always cooked to perfection, medium rare for my taste. I really like that it comes with gravy and mustard. For desert I would advise that you ask your serve for an advance order.Overall it was a really nice experience, the only thing was I smell like steak going out of the restaurant but it was all worth it. Will be coming back again soon!

AglioOlio

3.0

Been here on two occassions, and loved the food. Prices are kind of steep, but if you know enough how to pile the salad bar items on your plate, then it's all wooooooorth it. Poached Seafood is my absolute favorite.