Hi friends, welcome back! I’ve got a fun, popular restaurant to share with you all today called Loulou NYC. This French Bistro is named after the owner’s adorable rescue dog Loulou, and all the dog lovers know you wouldn’t name a mediocre restaurant after your beloved furry friend. I had seen this restaurant on Instagram frequently and was drawn in by the beautiful flower exterior, exquisite drinks, delicious looking menu, and great Yelp reviews. Reservations fill up fast so make sure you book as soon as you can. I grabbed a Sunday afternoon brunch reservation for four with our friends Liz and Zach. (Loulou in front of her restaurant)
Starting with drinks, I had to order the “Mexican Stiletto” with Don Julio Blanco, grapefruit, agave, and Peychaud’s bitters. I feel like this bird glass is having a moment in NYC, I’ve started seeing it everywhere! I just had to have it because it’s one of the coolest glasses I’ve ever seen, and I noticed that right after I finished, the waiter quickly took the glass away so maybe people are taking this bird home as a souvenir ha! This drink tasted delicious and we all laughed about how it drained when I took a sip. At first it was a bit weird because I felt like I was drinking out of a bird’s behind, but the self-consciousness didn’t last long.
Jon opted for the “Danny Boy” (Ilegal mezcal, Cazadores tequila, muddled cucumber, jalapeño, agave) and I’ve never seen a drink so filled to the top. They definitely didn’t skimp on the pour here.
Another cool drink is “The World is Yours” with Empress gin, Heaven Sake Junmai, Crème de Pêche, and edible flowers. Jon and I don’t like gin, so we didn’t order it, but how beautiful is this drink! It reminds me of a magical crystal ball.
The guys started brunch with this incredible French Onion Soup. We’d all recommend ordering this, it tasted amazing! Where better to have French Onion soup than a French Bistro?
I’m a sucker for sweets at brunch and chose the Croissant French Toast with mandarin date compote, blood orange, walnuts, mascarpone and it was delicious!! It was the perfect size where I felt full but not disgusting or in a sugar coma after eating this. (I never really knew what mascarpone was before this meal even though it’s in almost every Cronut I eat ha)
Jon ordered the Steak Sandwich with roasted tomato, onion, garlic aioli and some delicious fries.
Liz picked the Healthy Grain Bowl (quinoa, barley, baby kale, roasted butternut squash, poached egg) and Zach went with the Loulou Burger (clothbound cheddar, caramelized onion, brioche, pommes frites). I didn’t want to be rude and make them wait before eating so I could get pictures haha.
These pictures are from the Loulou website and I thought the interior at the restaurant was very cool! Every detail of this restaurant makes for the perfect brunch spot in my opinion.
Everything tasted amazing and the atmosphere and service here were great! The four of us all enjoyed our meal and had a blast together! Can’t beat great food and great company. We ordered from their brunch menu, but the dinner menu looks awesome too. This spot is great to meet friends or family, date night, and they also host events. The bistro also has a speakeasy in the basement that is reopening this summer. No matter the occasion, I’d highly recommend checking out Loulou NYC!
