A Hidden Room, One Table & Ten Seats

Beginning October 16, 2026, Lulu's is opening

the door — a rather well-hidden one — to its

most ambitious offering yet: Il Nido, a chef-

driven tasting experience tucked into a secret

room above the restaurant's bar, Il Cuculo.

The name, Italian for "nest," is no accident.

Perched directly above Il Cuculo, Il Nido

gathers eight to ten guests around a single

communal table for a five-course dinner

guided by Chef Jarred Poor, with wine,

cocktail, or mocktail pairings offered

alongside. There is no menu to consult

beforehand and, in the truest sense, nothing to

do but arrive.

Reservations are the only decision required of

the guest; the rest — the courses, the pacing,

the small surprises — belongs to Chef Poor

and his team. Guests are simply asked to flag

any allergies ahead of time, so the kitchen can

plan its theater accordingly.

HOW IT WORKS

There are two seatings offered on select Friday

and Saturday nights for groups of 8-10 guests.

The first seating begins promptly at 5pm and the

second at 8pm.

Each five-course offering is $150 each and the

menu will vary at the discretion of the chef. Each

guest can elect to add a wine ($75), cocktail ($75)

or mocktail ($55) pairing and we ask that you

make that selection in advance so our staff can

prepare for your journey before you arrive.

Once seated our team will lead you through the

five courses with optional pairings.

THE MENU

True to the spirit of a chef's table, the menu at Il

Nido has no fixed form. It shifts with the

season, with what's arriving from local

purveyors, and with wherever Poor's instincts

happen to be pointing that week. The

intention is not merely to feed but to unsettle,

gently — a five-course argument for curiosity,

built to engage all five senses at once. Guests are

asked to come without expectations and leave

room for surprise, trusting a kitchen willing to

take a few risks in service of the evening. If you

have attended one of our popular wine dinners, you

know the drill.

THE CHEF

Jarred Poor's cooking carries the dual

inheritance of a Rhode Island upbringing and a

classical French education — the kind of

training that teaches restraint as much as

technique. Houston diners may already

know his work: he spent time as sous chef at the

Michelin-starred Le Jardinier, Café Lionelli, and

as executive sous chef at Riel, one of the city's

more quietly beloved dining rooms. He has also

worked independently as a culinary consultant

to a handful of restaurants around the region.

His food, by his own design, stays close to

its ingredients — seasonal, local, and deliberately

unfussy — letting the ingredients do most of the

talking.