The Exorcism of Lula and Sadie Restaurant in Durham, NC

Hey, folks, can you believe it? The Hungry Black Man Media has been exploring the Black food and drink scene for over seven years now. And you know what that means, right? Ups, downs, and lots of food stories to share. So, picture this, we found ourselves at Lula and Sadie’s down in Durham, North Carolina. Hold onto your forks, this is gonna be a tasty tale.

We stroll in, and the staff, let me tell ya, they were as polite as a librarian at a whispering contest. They seat us, we place our orders, and it should’ve been smooth sailing from there, right? Well, not so fast, my friends. This place turned into a foodie obstacle course. One entree zoomed out like it was on a mission, and after tasting it, I get why, nothing about this entree took time to prepare. The other? Our server apparently misplaced it in the Bermuda Triangle.

Now, the first dish, they call it the “Angry Yard Bird” Mac-N-Cheese. It’s got white mac and cheese, a crispy buttermilk fried chicken drumstick, crumbled bacon, and a hot sauce drizzle. The mac and cheese? Passable. Noodles cooked just right. But the whole thing gave off a vibe like you stumbled into your Auntie’s house on a Saturday night when she’s got dinner duty, but let’s just say she’s not on the “Top Chef” shortlist. And that fried chicken? No secret recipe here, folks. It’s so basic even a novice cook could pull it off. The plating alone has me seriously questioning the origin of this plate with that drumstick sticking up to the heavens. But the hot sauce? Well, let’s just say it’s the insult to the already pedestrian injury.

Now, we move on to the “Louisiana” red beans and rice. But here’s the twist, it’s more like a flavor journey that takes you south, real south, of Flavor Town. The beans? Texturally, they’re hitting the mark, but flavor-wise, they’ve got this overpowering acidic vinegary thing going on. And the rice? It’s like they turned each grain into a mini water balloon that absorbed way too much moisture creating a soft and unflattering profile. Don’t expect Louisiana traditions here, ’cause this dish missed that train.

And then, ladies and gentlemen, the star of our culinary horror show, the “Lakewood” Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf. It started with good intentions, I’m sure, but something diabolical happened in the kitchen and the entree became demonically possessed. The bacon? Flabby and undercooked. And the meatloaf? I can’t even describe it. It’s like a ketchup-soaked slab of mushy mystery meat atop a pile of cold, watery veggies. That bourbon they talked about? It must’ve taken a vacation ’cause there’s not a trace of that flavor here. I mean, meatloaf is basically Meatloaf 101, and somehow, they flunked it.

But wait, there’s more! This place had rookie written all over it. An hour-long wait for food, servers disappearing like Houdini, food runners turning into order takers ’cause our order never made it to the kitchen. No management in sight, just a server swooping in to close us out. I’m hoping they get their act together, work on their processes, and focus on delivering some real Southern flavors. They could push the envelope with some creativity, but for now, they’re serving up mediocrity.

So, if you find yourself in the neighborhood, give ’em a whirl and let us know how it goes. Call ’em at (919) 251-9916. And remember, folks, in the wild world of dining, there’s always a story to tell.