Lily’s Bistro in the Oregon District is committed to serving “fresh, fun, seasonal food + drinks.” Since opening in May of 2013, they have offered a changing menu of eclectic American food and beverages to accompany each season.
Executive Chef Mariah Gahagan says this menu has more of a focus on comfort food. “To me, a big bowl of ramen is just as much ‘comfort food’ as chicken noodle soup, and the idea of expanding the notion of comfort food to regions outside of the Midwest influenced our new menu quite a bit.”
However this doesn’t means favorites from last fall aren’t returning. “We decided to bring back some of the most popular, hearty plates from last year, like the duck breast with savory bread pudding, the bone-in pork chops, and the meatloaf with mashed potatoes—foods that are very much traditional ‘comfort foods.’ But we also added snacks like crab rangoon and calamari, as well as entrees of pork ramen with bacon dashi and Cajun red beans and dirty rice,” said Gahagan.
Chef Mariah’s take on this southern Louisiana Classic: red beans and tasso ham with dirty rice.
“With every menu, we change the produce and the proteins to reflect what is locally-grown and available fresh. We also change the cocktail program, beers, and wines to fit with the dinner, lunch, and brunch menus,” says General Manager Emily Mendenhall. “But with this menu change more than any other, it was about creating items that encapsulate what you want to eat and drink as the days turn cool and we approach holidays. My favorite new cocktail is the Santa Muerte, which is like a spiced-pear margarita, perfect for fall. We’ve also expanded our red wine selection to include bolder reds.”
Lily’s Bistro offers their seasonal lunch menu Tuesday-Saturday from 11am-3pm, and their full dinner menu Tuesday-Saturday from 5-10pm. Dinner entrees range from $15-23. On Friday and Saturday they also have a full bar featuring unique cocktails until 1am. On Sundays, Lily’s serves their brunch menu from 11am-3pm, and has “Family Style Fried Chicken Dinner” from 5-9:30pm, a more casual dinner menu focusing on local, free-range fried chicken and assorted southern-influenced sides and snacks.
Lily’s Bistro is an independent, family-run Eclectic American restaurant offering seasonal food and drinks in a casual-upscale atmosphere.
