Lulu Lebanese Grill — Restaurant in Saint Clair

Kibbeh Nayeh! Saw this on their Meta ad last week Thursday. I was under the weather, so marked my calendar. Today was the day! A very nice clean restaurant. Bar type seating available, they do not sell liquor. Tables clean and evenly spaced. Pretty much EVERYTHING is homemade with #TheMom's famous recipes! The kibbeh, was amazing. It's def an acquired taste; I got turned on to it by my Lebanese grade school buddies; this was phenomenal. Huge serving; I have plenty for tomorrow and Saturday. I typically don't care for the pickled turnips, but after tasting these, my mind was changed. Not sure what it was, but they were way better than what I've had in the past, (from Nashville to Chicago, bar none). The garlic dip was pungent and tasty-a perfect cold weather food. The pita was very light and thin. (I honestly don't do gluten, so that was a huge perk for me.) I asked about Med/Turkish coffee; they do not have it BUT, the Lebanese tea, Shanna suggested was deelish! Brewed individually. It went especially well with the baklava that I couldn't leave without trying. If you want the real deal- this is it. If you want nice people, they have that as well. Andy, one of the proprieters, agreed Shanna is THE best server, hooman, resource AND her printing is unbelievable (Mother Theresa, check the manuscript on chalkboard when you walk in)! I'll be back. (Oh, and pop into #Boomerang's next door. Walk off a couple pounds and find something fancy.) Oh, and Andy...my daughter's nickname was Lulu. Ask Shanna about the significance and what it meant to me. That was...

My impressions. Pita bread: It is the ordinary thin commercial type. I prefer the house made bread that some Middle Eastern restaurants have. Toum: Good flavor, better than the average at similiar restaurants. Vegetarian grape leaves: The leaves were tough and the filling was just ok. My lady and I both thought they were not as good as the ones we make. Fattoush: Overall it was good but I prefer more onion. Tabbouli: Way too much tomato and not enough bulghur. It needs some green onion and could use a bit of freshly cracked pepper to meet my standard. Sauce on rice: The sauce was lackluster. Rice: Slightly overcooked. Kafta: Quite good, it was my favorite part of the meal. Chicken kabob: The chicken was tender and juicy but did not have the depth of flavor that I like. Perhaps the marinade did not have enough spices or maybe it had not been marinated long enough. Maybe it had not been marinated at all and had just been brushed with a wet mix on the grill. Beef Kabob: Ditto the comments about the chicken kabob. Also, we noted a gamey flavor.

Overall, everything was well prepared but most of the flavors were underwhelming. Also, the prices are a bit on the high side compared to several other similar restaurants...

I recently visited this place and had a pretty good experience. The garlic sauce was absolutely perfect! I really appreciated the friendly greeting and excellent service. The greens and fries were fresh, and the falafel, chicken shawarma, and beef kafta tasted okay. However, I would recommend using a different cut of meat for the beef kabob, as it was a bit chewy. Another suggestion would be to add some background music to enhance the ambiance. Overall, a nice spot with room for a few...