The views expressed in this Opinion article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
With the winter here and snow covering the grounds in Ontario, looking for mini escapes in Toronto that make you feel like you're somewhere warm is needed more than ever. You can thank this Toronto restaurant for helping you feel like you're on vacation, without the plane ticket.
A new Toronto restaurant just opened in The Well and it will transport you to a sunny destination like Hawaii from the moment you walk in.
After visiting the new restaurant, I can say that Lulu Bar might just be one of the best 2024 editions to the Toronto food scene. It serves up Pacific-inspired foods from Asia to Hawaii, California to British Columbia — you will experience it all in their dishes.
This is the second location in Canada, with the first one being in Calgary. The restaurant feels like a hidden gem and the Honolulu vibes will definitely feed the travel bug in you.
I checked out Lulu Bar's dinner menu to get a taste of what customers can expect and I'm already planning my next visit.
Lulu Bar Toronto's atmosphere
Lulu BarMira Nabulsi | Narcity
I was impressed from the moment I walked into the restaurant because, from the outside, it didn't look like much. The windows were dark, and it was kind of hard to find, but when I walked in, I forgot about all those troubles and the horrible weather and was greeted with a warm welcome.
The restaurant consists of two floors with several seating areas. The one on the ground level overlooks Wellington Street and has a few tables that feel a bit more intimate, but the vibrant and colourful bar certainly adds energy.
The second floor, which I preferred, feels like a secret hideout. The room is enormous and the positive energy is contagious.
Lulu Bar dining room.Mira Nabulsi | Narcity
There is an open-concept kitchen, a gorgeous bar, and decor that feels vibrant without overdoing it. The wooden lights hanging from the ceiling and the colourful chairs make for a great experience.
The music at Lulu Bar was also perfectly chosen because I was constantly shaking my hips and singing along to some feel-good tunes.
But what will keep me wanting to go back for more is all the menu offers, so let's get into it.
Lulu Bar's food
The menu is divided into different categories, from snacks to small dishes, meat and fish, vegetables, skewers, noodles, rice and dumplings; this Toronto restaurant has many great things they specialize in.
I ordered something from most categories to get a sneak peek of what the Pacific-inspired restaurant offers. To be completely honest with you, everything I tried was so delicious and very different from the item before it.
The flavours are bursting in every dish, but each has unique spices and attributes that make it really good.
There are a couple of things on the menu that I believe you have to order next time you're at Lulu Bar.
Fried Coconut Squid and Poke from Lulu Bar.Mira Nabulsi | Narcity
The Poke ($24) and Fried Coconut Squid ($20) cannot be skipped. To my surprise, both dishes were gluten-free, which shocked me because all the flavours and textures were exquisite.
The Poke is not a bowl like I might have expected initially. Instead, it's red tuna with tamari, avocado, pickled fennel, edamame, lime aioli, nori and sesame cracker. The cold dish crisps nicely while also being mildly sour.
The Fried Coconut Squid is gluten-free because the tempura coating is not bread. It is paired with pineapple, pickled jalapeño, crispy garlic and coriander, which, when eaten all together, is the perfect mix between sweet and savoury.
Whole Fried Sea Bream from Lulu Bar.Mira Nabulsi | Narcity
The star of the show, however, is definitely the Whole Fried Sea Bream, which is priced at $66. Not only is it a fun dish to have because you make your own sandwiches and modify them to your liking, but the fish is so good.
The fried sea bream comes with a side of chilli lime salt, pickles, mustard green mayo and herbs that you can put into a Hawaiian roll to make a mini sandwich.
Steamed Lobster Dumpling and Wok Fried Thai Noodles from Lulu Bar Toronto.Mira Nabulsi | Narcity
One of the other dishes I got was the Steamed Lobster Dumpling ($19), which is topped with basil, chilli soy and tobiko — giving it a perfect juicy-to-crunchy ratio.
For spice lovers, the Wok Fried Thai Noodles ($25) are so delish. The dish consists of wheat noodles, beef brisket, gai lan, Thai basil, chilli and soy. My favourite part of this dish was just how moist the beef brisket was and the sauciness of the dish.
Lulu Bar's cocktails, mocktails and dessert
You can't have a Hawaiian-themed restaurant without some cocktails to drink out of adorable cups, am I right?
Well, at Lulu Bar, not only do they have a long list of cocktails that are creative and thirst-quenching, but they have a lot of alcohol-free options too.
Nine Lives and Leopards Tongue cocktails from Lulu Bar.Mira Nabulsi | Narcity
From a drink called Nine Lives, $19, where you can drink out of a cat-shaped jar, or the Mai Tai, $19, which comes with literal flames.
The restaurant also has a Honolulu Happy Hour every day from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. You could get your hands on half-priced beverages and cheap food any day.
Some alcohol-free cocktails include a Zero Proof Coconut Cooler ($9). It's pink lemonade with toasted coconut, sea salt and lemon. Meanwhile, they've also got the Hawaiian Honeycreeper ($10) made with Lumette alcohol-free rum, roasted pineapple, honey, sparkling bitter "Aperitivo" and lime.
The Baked Hula from Lulu Bar.Mira Nabulsi | Narcity
Last but certainly not least is the dessert at Lulu Bar. There were so many options to choose from it was hard to pick just one, but I ordered the restaurant's version of a Baked Alaska and ordered The Baked Hula ($15).
The ice cream cake is made with Kona coffee and macadamia and topped with decadent dark chocolate, which is the perfect ending to a mini winter escape.
Lulu Bar Toronto
Mira at Lulu Bar Toronto.
Price: 💸💸
Address: 427 Wellington St. W., Toronto
Cuisine: Pacific-inspired
Why You Need To Go: To escape the cold and gloomy winter and embrace a world with refreshing cocktails and Pacific-inspired food in a warm and comforting environment.
Lulu Bar offered the author a complimentary meal with no expectation of coverage, positive or otherwise. Narcity Media does not accept payment, gifts or favours in exchange for editorial coverage. We may accept a free product, service or experience if we believe our honest review could be of value to our readers. You can find our full Editorial Standards here.
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