LuLu Restaurant and Bar

City: San Francisco

Food type: Provençal, rotisserie and grill

Restaurant link: http://www.restaurantlulu.com/LuLu_about.html

Price range/person: $25-35/dinner

Wait time: 10-30 mins

Service: Professional, clean, slightly cold. Waiter always seemed in a rush to take away our plates, even when we were not completely done.

Ambiance: Rustic, warm, grand. Beautiful arched ceilings and lighting create an almost "outdoors" experience. Subtle blue lighting makes you feel as if you are sitting under a clear, bright sky. A majestic wood-fire oven makes a great restaurant centerpiece and gives the room a light smoky/camp-fire scent.
















Dish Focus on:

Butternut squash gnocchi with sage brown butter and parmesan.

Unbelievably amazing morsels of pasta. Looks like each piece was carefully pan-fried. Distinct butternut squash flavor in each tender nugget. Gnocchi is sprinkled with fresh parmesan cheese and toasted hazelnuts. WOW!

Grilled quail with vegetables, roasted apples and sage-honey glaze.

Quail was seasoned nicely. Too bad this poultry does not come with more meat! Roasted apples made a unique and sweet side. Veges were slightly undercooked, but some say chard should be cooked that way. Topped with roasted nuts.

Pork and mashed potatoes

















Savory thick slabs of pork. Overall, meat was tender and moist. Only a few parts on the edges were dry. Dark meat was tastier than the white meat, but maybe that is only a personal preference. Fluffy soft mashed potatoes line platter.

Warm molten chocolate cake and vanilla bean ice cream with caramel


















A perfect way to end a meal. Sweet, rich chocolate that literally melts in your mouth. Cold ice cream gives a nice contrast. Luscious to the last bite, which our waiter took from us!

Yummmy Factor: 4.75/5

YummmyRambles: Gorgeous interior with fantastic food. Parking on the street may be difficult, but it's worth it! My hair and clothes had a "camp-fire" scent when I left the restaurant. Dining family style works well to everyone's advantage. Looks like they have a great wine selection as well. Large bouquet of exotic flowers in the women's restroom. Would definitely go back again!

Bistro AIX

City: Jacksonville, Florida

Food type: Mediterranean/ French

Restaurant link: http://bistrox.com/

Price range/person: $30-50/dinner

Wait time: 15 - 30 mins

Service: Classy, professional, polite.

Ambiance: Chic, romantic, modern. Dimly lit with modern decor and furniture. Beautiful lamps and scattered artistic pieces enhance romantic mood.

Dish Focus on:

Crispy Calamari served with red pepper-feta dip


















Crispy outside and tender calamari inside. Dip is deliciously creamy with a distinct cheesy flavor. A great appetizer choice.

Crispy Chips house-made potato chips with warm blue cheese


















Unique and tasty appetizer. Blue cheese is not too pungent. Must eat quickly, as warm cheese topping tends to make the chips soggy.

Mixed Green Salad with dried tomatoes & shaved cheese, tossed in a walnut vinaigrette


















Typical salad - not too exciting. Dried tomato pieces are too hard and walnut vinaigrette is a bit on the oily side.

Grilled Tuna over whipped potatoes, baby spinach, lemon-garlic butter & chive oil


















Tuna is thick, hearty, and meaty, with an almost steak-like consistency. Outside is nicely flavored while the inside remains tender. Spinach and potatoes accompany the fish well. Fish was prepared medium - would probably order medium-rare next time. Beautiful and creative presentation.

Classic Creme Brulee a Bistro Aix favorite


















Fresh berries accompany a creamy delectable dessert. Crunchy sugar top coats the chilled custard below. Yumm.

Flourless Chocolate Espresso Torte
dense chocolate cake with just a hint of coffee flavor

A VERY dense slice of chocolate cake. Slightly too rich, possibly even for chocolate lovers. Almost like thick chocolate pudding.

Yummmy factor: 3.5/5

YummmyRambles: Exquisite food presentation and service. Warm interior that creates a fun and classy atmosphere. Love the fiery lamps that decorate the rooms. Large selection of wine to enhance your meal. Riesling (Saint M Riesling, 2004, Pfalz, Germany) was fantastic. Able to accommodate parties of all sizes. Great dining experience.