Lulou's UPDATE - Reno, NV

All of the best food in Reno still lives at Lulou's. 

The menu has changed a little, but they still serve my favorite Seared Foie Gras. Tonight they tend toward a sweeter interpretation, a flavor-burst of fatty liver melting over a bed of sweet-beet molasses, sticky like the summer sweat, lightened by a fruity half of char-grilled apricot.

The Pork Buns could be their own meal. Twenty-four hours of braising does the pork belly good, and shiitakes add a firm texture to the fat. Hoisin sauce brings the sugar, and the pickled cucumbers add a new dimension, an extra element of acid. Not part of the pork bun tradition, but still a very wise decision. 

Keeping it simple with the steak. Prime Dry Aged Ribeye says it all, and the black garlic-truffle butter is divine. The steak is decadent with its marbled fat, an on-the-dot medium rare makes it melt like rivers of silk.

It's a sneaky surf n' turf if you find someone willing to trade you some Lobster Spaghetti for the ribeye, but both dishes stand alone so well. Gorgeous, ebony ropes of squid-ink spaghetti are al dente to the max, and they swim in a creamy consomme-like broth. Giant edamame beans float aloof, cutting through the cream with a garden green. Take a moment to gape at a entire lobster tail with both claws, a juicy succulence for a firm spaghetti. 

Dessert comes too soon as the lobster still has me reeling. The Cherries a la Mode are a cold shower, a light dish of port-poached cherries and a creamy vanilla ice cream. Langues de chat are an experience, sugary, air-biscuits with barely-there vanilla hints.

The Pavlova is gently hard-hitting, a mix of brown sugar meringue so impossibly floaty and light like crunchy cotton candy. A decisive pastry cream is far more cream than sugar and grounds the candy crust. Summer strawberries declare their sweet and tartness, and shreds of bolder basil leave a lasting impression. This may be the best dessert I've had.

I sit stunned, long after the bill is paid. I can barely process what happened here. Hit with all my favorites, ambushed by every one of my culinary soft-spots, all in the same meal. One things for sure: someone at Lulou's knows what they're doing, and they need to clone themselves all over Reno. 

Lulou's Restaurant - Reno

"The best restaurant in town," they promised. No pressure, Lulou's, no pressure. 

But they would know. My merger grandparents (i.e. in law) have tried every Reno restaurant worth trying, and they're not the type to leave any stone unturned. 

I myself haven't been to enough Reno restaurants to make that, but just a single serving of Hamachi Ceviche convinces me that Lulou's has, at very least, the best presentation in town. Supple strips of yellowtail turn to modern art under skilled fingers and an abstract eye. The accompanying avocado is in its absolute prime, and some spicy aji amarillo adds a little excitement. 

You can see the raw marbling on each slice of shivering steak. The Ribeye Carpaccio is seared by a seer, sizzling just slightly from a serrano as it bathes in ponzu and Asian pear. 

I haven't seen Seared Foie Gras in years. This one is expertly prepared and delivers all its decadent, buttery indulgence. The livery around my favorite liver forms a fortress of aebleskiver, the the most adorable Danish pancake puffs. The little dough balls are undercut with apple, a complementary pairing with foie gras powder.

The Golden Tilefish is layer after tender layer of luxury over a bed of sweet Dungeness crab wonton-shaped pasta. I like the whimsical presentation, and I love that serious taste, especially when punctuated by sweet rings of delicata squash that taste like pure brown sugar and honey.

The Duck Breast is as irresistible as it looks. Medium-rare sear under a crispy skin with an insulation of fat keeps the dark meat soft. The side of duck confit macaroni is an indulgence of slivers of comfy buried in so much cheese.

The Mascarpone Cheesecake is a creamy yet delicate chaser. The texture slides off the tongue like a gently ribbed satin. 

Brown butter anything is bound to be a winner, and this Brown Butter Ice Cream is winning on so many levels. That honey-toffee crunch adds some texture, but each spoonful is a standout that easily stands alone. 

It seems that Lulou's has outlasted them all. Since their grand opening in 1998, they've stood the test of time. They stood still as they watched the stock market fall, remained staunch in their resilience through a rabid recession, and somehow they stay competitive among the younger, trendier kids in town. Respect, Lulou's, RESPECT.