Munch A Bunch Madness at LuLu's
By John DiGilio in Food on Sep 9, 2011 7:00PM
How many times have you visited a restaurant and wished you could try almost everything on the menu? Well stop dreaming, loosen your belt, and head up to Evanston. LuLu's, an Asian bistro specializing in fresh, healthy fare, offers a weekend deal that can't be beat. They call it the "ultimate tasting experience". We call it delicious madness. If you are dying for dim sum that won't chop a chunk out of your wallet, this is the place for you.
Appropriately called "Munch a Bunch", LuLu's weekend special basically opens up their entire menu, with few restrictions, at one set price. Read that sentence again if you think you misunderstood. We did not make a mistake. For just under $20 per adult ($7 per child), you can pretty much order and eat to your heart's content (or until your tummy simply can't take another dumpling!). Dishes are served family style, so be prepared to pass those plates. The only real limitations are on some of the larger, more expensive entrees and specials. Things like whole catfish are not included. Some of the pricier "small" plates, such as the salmon sashimi and curried black mussels, are limited to one order per table. Still, given the Munch a Bunch pricing, it is very hard to complain about the selection.
We stopped in to stuff ourselves during the recent Labor Day weekend. Business was as brisk as the early autumn chill outside. Still, we were seated quickly and the food was soon arriving with little wait. We essentially ordered one of everything available. From soups, to noodle dishes, to seafood and dumplings, we decided to really take LuLu's cuisine for a long, slow test drive. There were so many wonderful dishes and flavors that it was hard to choose the real standouts. We sure gave it our best effort, however! The crispy, potato croquettes with their red chili aioli were an instant hit, especially with the vegetarians in our group. They were ready to just make a meal of those alone. The vegetable spring rolls and coconut shrimp was equally as crispy and delicious. For something not fried, we opted for the cold sesame noodles in peanut sauce. They were light and heavenly.The wide rice noodles, that normally cost $10 on their own, were excellent in their flavorful oyster sauce. We could go on and on (and we did!).
While we would never recommend over-eating or suggest that gluttony is a virtue, every once in a while you just have to let yourself go. Outside of the much maligned, yet frequently patronized, buffets, you seldom get the chance to really sample the full range of an eatery's wares in one sitting. LuLu's Munch a Bunch lets you do just that, Whether you are a meat eater, pescetarian, or a full-on veghead, they have more than enough on their menu to make it worth the twenty-spot you will drop. Of course, visiting LuLu's means you have to step beyond the city limits for a few hours. However, an experience like this is worth every extra mile.
LuLu's Munch a Bunch special is available on Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 AM to 3:00 PM and on Monday and Tuesday from 4:30 PM until 9:00 PM. LuLu's is located at 804 Davis Street in Evanston.