chefs table
INNOVATIVE TWISTS
LuLou’s has proven that area diners adore delicious, handcrafted cuisine.
WRITTEN BY SANDRA MACIAS
PHOTOS BY SHEA EVANS
Before Troy and Coleen Cannan even opened LuLou’s, the skeptics were circling.
“Are you crazy?” they said. Reno was a meat-and-potato town, all about prime rib and surf ‘n’ turf, not strange stuff such as duck ravioli and spicy Thai soup.
But the Cannans — Troy as chef and Coleen as the inimitable hostess and restaurant manager — shot holes in the idea that Reno was a culinary one-horse town. Thirteen years later, LuLou’s is still here and still crazy — if crazy means serving creatively handcrafted food with a global slant and inventive twists.
From the get-go, Chef Cannan set his standards high. He wanted the freshest and best ingredients he could find. His search for quality has taken him to corners near and far, leading him to sweet shrimp from Florida, superior prosciutto from La Quercia in Iowa, and seasonal produce from Mewaldt Organics in Fallon and Reno’s summer farmers’ markets.
Bold Statements
LuLou’s is bold from inside to out. Who else in Reno has a burnt-orange exterior and understated signage? The entrance finds you in an ultra-cool bar/lounge, invitingly chic with warm lighting and low, close seating. In the dining room, abstract art mixes with repurposed brick, glass, and steel. These are big-city digs in our biggest little city.
LuLou’s food, each dish artfully plated, is stylish, original, and full of personality with layers of texture and flavor. Cannan is a master at matching plaids with stripes (culinarily speaking) to create dishes of exquisite taste.
The 30-item menu begins with a diversity of starters. Popular choices include a nontraditional lump crab skillet cake with crème fraîche, baked Maine lobster prepared escargot style, and perfectly seared foie gras, so delicate and tender you’ll swoon. Cannan’s version of pork buns gets ovations, too: Roasted pork belly, slivers of shiitake, and pickled cucumber are wrapped, taco-style, in a small spongy pancake. East meets West in delicious harmony.
Another prelude to shake up taste buds is “Very Spicy Thai Soup,” the only dish that has been on the menu since Day 1. Chef Cannan tried to remove it once, resulting in loud roars of protest. Like the name says, it is very spicy. Made with coconut milk and feisty hot red curry, the soup brims with chicken, seasonal vegetables, and whatever else the chef throws in. Bet you order it again.
Fresh Makeovers
So, what’s for dinner on this amazing menu, which is seasonally up to date and changes weekly (but not to the extent that all dishes disappear to be replaced by new ones; many dishes get fresh makeovers, while others are new)? New winter entrées you may see include wreak fish, a white fish from North Carolina, and duck confit ravioli in a butternut squash broth. One dish features three types of clams prepared three ways, and another features pork roasted with aromatic fresh bay leaves.
Don’t count out favorites such as onion-chile-crusted short ribs, another time-honored item Cannan once tried to retire. There also is a stunning Maine lobster spaghetti dish, inspired by Joe Beef, a Montreal, Quebec, eatery where the Cannans dined on their 25th wedding anniversary this autumn. The dish of lobster and reduced lobster bisque over spaghetti has a huge following. One more terrific suggestion is the duck steak au poivre, served with an adult mac ‘n’ cheese deliciously studded with duck confit — an irresistible seduction.
At LuLou’s, expect the best, even with Cannan dividing his time between LuLou’s (where he is hands on with the weekly menus and new dishes) and the Eldorado Hotel Casino in Reno, where he has been executive chef for three years. Not to worry. The other half of the Cannan team, Coleen, is at LuLou’s nightly, doing what she does best, being gracious and welcoming. And in the kitchen, Chef de Cuisine Josh Davis works at seamlessly executing his boss’ vision. Guaranteed, your evening will flow without a hitch.
Sandra Macias, a veteran Reno food writer, is a certified foodie with a classified list of her favorite restaurants in Reno and far beyond. It has been leaked: LuLou’s is one of them.
LuLou’s
1470 S. Virginia St., Reno
775-329-9979
Open 5 – 8:30 p.m. Tues. – Sat.
Reservations suggested, but walk-ins welcome
