A Taste of Thailand

For years I have driven past an abandoned tire store at 47th and Belinder, and thought nothing of it. Now, if I cruise past the tire store that has been transformed into a Lulu’s Thai Noodle Shop, it catches my eye. This restaurant, which is the second location in Kansas City serves tasty food. I venture to Lulu’s to try some of their quality Thai entrees.

Walking in, one of the first things I noticed was the unique design and size. There are plants growing in pots and flower boxes attached to the wall, and large artsy pictures, of what I assumed to be Thailand, hanging on the walls. The small size of the restaurant could result in waits on busy nights. They only have a handful of indoor tables, and walking in at 7 p.m. on a Saturday night there were only a one or two unoccupied.

Once seated, I began to browse the menu and I noticed a fair amount of options. There were about eight appetizer options, and 10 entree choices. Half of them were noodles, the other half were a combination of soups, rice entrees and sandwiches. With each entree there was a choice between mild, medium or hot, and I also had a choice of some type of meat or tofu. I chose chicken, and the mild option of Pad Se Eu.

I ordered six crab rangoon for seven dollars. When the crab rangoons arrived, they looked as good as the tasted — amazing. They were easy to tear off the corners, and in the inside there was lots of creamy filling. They were delicious, and I highly recommend them to anyone who goes Lulu’s.

After I finished the delicious appetizers, my chicken Pad Se Eu arrived under 15 minutes from ordering it. I wasn’t positive on what I was ordering, but it came with thin, long noodles, chicken, shredded carrots and broccoli all mixed together. The entree came out on a circular plate and was a relatively large serving.

All of the ingredients in the Pad Se Eu were well prepared, and tasted great. I will say, the noodle to chicken ratio was not even, there was far more chicken than other ingredients. When I was about halfway done, my plate was made up of mostly chicken, with bits of carrots and noodles. I would have liked for more noodles in the entree.

By the time I finished both my appetizer and entree, I was stuffed, and decided against getting dessert.

The service at Lulu’s was average, just as good as any other restaurant. I did notice that the food came out quickly, less than 15 minutes after ordering it. There seemed to be only one or two waiters, but were able to check in with all the customers routinely. All the customers seemed to be having good time.

Overall, my Lulu’s experience was a good one. I thought the entree price was pretty fair considering the servings, however I thought that seven dollars for six crab rangoon was a little pricey, but worth it, after I tasted them. The highlight for me was the crab rangoon, and next time I want some good Thai food, I will cruise down to 47th and Belinder.