Lulu's Latin Rotisserie & Grill is the Real Deal

Lulu’s Latin Rotisserie & Grill has been open for a few months now, and truth be told, I drive past the WLR restaurant no less than four times a day. That stretch of Bowman is on my way to just about everything important in life. But here’s the deal … fair or not, with previous occupants like Bill’s Country Kitchen and Anatolia, I’ve been quite hesitant to dine in the space.

I know, it’s a shitty rationale.

But over the past several weeks, I’ve kept my eye on social media and heard good reports from friends about WLR’s newest restaurant, and as my family debated on where to eat last Friday night, Lulu’s popped into the ol’ noggin.

The first thing that surprised me upon entry was the number of people inside the restaurant … the place was practically full. Granted, Friday nights are busy for restaurants, but it was a pleasant surprise to see Lulu’s already being embraced by the community.

It’s easy to see why.

Although the cozy interior and festive Latin music playing softly in the background makes you want to be in the space, the real draw is the food.

We started off with an order of chicken empanadas (3, $6). Perfectly fried, buttery and flaky, these empanadas are a perfect way to begin a meal at Lulu’s, due in large part to the insanely addictive accompanying Aji amarillo and Lulu’s green sauce.

For entrees, our table of four split a half chicken with two sides ($11.50) and the grilled steak platter ($15.95). I rarely order steak at restaurants, and, in fact, had planned to go all-in with the chicken, but the table next to us got the steak. One look at their platter made me re-think things. I’m glad I did. The flat-iron cut was cooked to a perfect, and I mean perfect, medium rare and drizzled with a fresh, vibrant chimichurri sauce. It came with a nice side salad and some pedestrian fries, but my goodness, that steak! Like everything else on the table, you end up dipping it in all of the sauces.

And guess what? The flavorful and tender rotisserie chicken was just as good, as were the sides, highlighted by a delicious rice and beans combo. Our other side of fried yucca, with just a hint of natural sweetness, was also a hit, and again, spot-on when dipped in the Aji amarillo sauce.

Here’s another added bonus about Lulu’s … the place serves cocktails. Judging by the Caipirinha my wife and I split, the folks at Lulu’s have a good handle on alcoholic beverages. Fear not, you can even get a pisco sour, although I can’t vouch for that one … yet.

In the end, my family of four got out of Lulu’s for $36 (+ tip), which I considered an excellent value for the amount and quality of food. It’s only been one visit, but I’m a huge fan of this restaurant, and only hope the rest of Little Rock continues to embrace it.

Did You Know?
Lulu’s now offers a Sunday brunch from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Here’s the menu … regular menu options are also available.

Lulu’s Latin Rotisserie & Grill
315 N. Bowman Road, Suite 2
501.228.5564 (menu)
Hours of operation: Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; Thursday, Friday, Saturday 11 a.m.-9 p.m. (lunch and dinner); closed Monday
Take-out available; family pack rotisserie chicken meals available