LuLu’s Bread and Breakfast
Yogurt Parfait with Housemade Granola
One of Those
Toaster Strudel
Apple Pie Croissant
Peach Turnover
Plum and Sweet Ricotta Pastry
Samples – Nutella Croissant, Blueberry Muffin, Morning Glory Muffin, Rustic Country Bread (not pictured)
Papa Frita Burrita – Roasted Potato, Black Beans, Sweet Corn, Poblano Pepper, Caramelized Onion, Pepper Jack, Cheddar, Grilled Spinach Tortilla
Benecio Del Porko – Grilled Cornbread topped with BBQ Pulled Pork, Overeasy Eggs, Hollandaise, Charred Corn, Cilantro
Peach and Blueberry Frenchy Toast
Apple Raisin Frenchy Toast
Bat Ship Crazy Roll – Thick Cut Peppered Bacon, Egg, Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Tomato Relish, Avocado
Egg on a Soft Roll – Bacon, Egg, Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Cinnamon Roll
Extra Thick Chocolate Chip Cookie
Once visited in 2013, the entirety of an order invested in cupcakes and sweets prior to a meal elsewhere with friends, it would be fool-hearty to suggest that my lone visit to LuLu’s Bread and Breakfast was an accurate representation of the restaurant as a whole, and told by trusted palates that kinks had been worked out it was with a friend that I sat down for a tasting-style breakfast orchestrated by Chef Chris Decker, the results almost universally showing some of the best all-week breakfast items in town.
Admitting himself a pizza and bread man whose work in sweets is an ongoing process in evolution, the concept for Lulu’s actually beginning as a food truck with Bouchon trained pasty chef Chris Herrin before migrating to the space behind Metro Pizza on Sky Pointe Drive, it was with Chef Decker sharing anecdotes of early lessons learned that the two of us sat along the curvy counter at the center of Lulu’s cozy dining area and served exclusively by the Chef it was not long after arrival that festivities began, one of several cups of coffee sweetened to taste served alongside a small bowl of creamy yogurt and housemade granola, the natural flavors of honey and fruit providing just enough sweetness to help mellow a substantial bit of tang.
Transitioning next to a tasting of pastries, the quintet delivered in two rounds as each item was made hot-to-order by Chris to replenish a supply rapidly depleted by a steady stream of regulars including families and individuals both young and old, it was only a toaster strudel that seemed somewhat lacking in fruit preserves that proved anything less than the work of a skilled veteran, the laminated pastry showing strongly whether wrapped around fresh peaches or house made apple pie filling, the best bites found in the danish stuffed with plums and smooth cheese or “One of Those” that takes a novel approach to the croissant/donut hybrid as rich cream juxtaposes layers of lightly fried dough.
Transitioning to the savory side of breakfast it was at the Chef’s discretion that course three saw the vegetarian friendly Papa Frita Burrita followed by Lulu’s signature benedict, and although the first was pleasant melange of flavors with sweetness melded to light spice by caramelized onions and cheese the cleverly named “Benecio Del Porko” upped the ante on flavor 2-fold with house made crumbly cornbread crowned in saucy pulled pork and blistered sweetcorn, the Hollandaise admittedly outsourced but still smooth as silk when matched to a pair of runny golden yolks.
Bouncing back to sweets…and oh how sweet it was…two steamy blocks of bread pudding-style French Toast were served up next, and with pure maple syrup available on request the only real questions became whether apple-cinnamon or peach with blueberries was better, and whether there is any better version of French Toast in the city, particularly at a price nearly half that of the best on The Strip.
Himself a native Northern Pennsylvanian, and likewise the friend with whom I was dined, Chris could not help but offer his personal take on New York’s infamous Egg Sandwich as the final bites of the meal, and with the traditional version atop a soft roll quite fine on its own, a total stunner was found in in the “Bat Ship Crazy,” an amalgam of avocado, bacon, egg, and cheese singing with vinegary tomato relish amidst puffy bread with flavors harkening the “Everything” bagel of similar Big Apple fame.
Gifted a thick chocolate chip cookie as a take-home treat to be enjoyed later that day, and purchasing a springy cinnamon roll lacquered with a generous layer of cream cheese frosting in addition to leaving a sizable tip, it should be obvious to anyone reading that Lulu’a Bread and Bakery is a special sort of place breakfast and one that refuses to rest on its laurels, instead evolving with time and season in a delightful and cozy way.
FOUR STARS (food alone
Unable to rate the restaurant experience as a whole considering the fact that service was provided exclusively by Chef Decker who sat tableside during much of the meal discussing his history and culinary approach, suffice it to say that aside from a few items outsourced due to a lack of kitchen space the cuisine at LuLu’s shows a great degree of passion, creativity, as well as dedication – far more than anything else in the surrounding area, to say the very least.
RECOMMENDED: French Toast, Plum and Sweet Ricotta Pastry, One of Those, Benecio Del Porko, Bat Ship Crazy.
AVOID: Perhaps an anomaly, particularly as photos elsewhere show the item to feature far more jam, the Toaster Strudel was merely okay when compared to the rest of the pastry offered that day.
TIP: Now selling pizzas at The Market downtown, and also the source of pasties sold at The Beat, those seeking Decker’s works without making the drive are encouraged to stop in early morning when the chef makes deliveries himself, though the selection is larger and baking is ongoing throughout regular business hours back at homebase.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor
http://lulusbreadandbreakfast.com/