A New Table, Ten Seats,

& No Menu

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.

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.

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.