Leslie T.
Yelp
A friend has been raving about this place in Lake Wylie so after a trip to Lowe's this evening we decided to stop in and give it a try. I started with Annabelle Cab and it was light and easy drinking. Reasonable at $12/glass :: $39/btl. There were many tempting offerings on the menu. We opted for a few tapas, with calamari to start. I'm not a huge calamari person but bf is and I have to say, it was fried to perfection and served with fresh tomato marinara and house made remoulade and was quite good. The small plates we ordered were lamb lollipops, prosciutto-wrapped shrimp, braised short-rib with a burgundy sauce and Margherita flatbread which was tasty with fresh marinara and buffalo mozz. Oooh! I loved the blue and white plates on which the tapas were served!
I've had the best short ribs (I think) anywhere - in Chicago and I'm telling you, these were on par. The wine sauce was rich and savory and the beef cooked to perfection. The Lamb Lollies were DELICIOUS. I love lamb and these did not disappoint - full of flavor, cooked just right, also a rich Demi glacé and a delicious cauliflower-potato cake. Last but not least, the prosciutto-wrapped shrimp served on risotto. YUM, why didn't I think of this - though not sure I'd have done it as well. The salt from the prosciutto was the right compliment to the perfectly grilled shrimp. Our server was Rachel and she was both professional and friendly, enthusiastic about Lily's and the menu and checked on us just the right amount to take care of everything without being intrusive - 5 Stars!
I think the reason we waited so long to try Lily's is that the name/logo had us thinking it was yet another Asian kitchen and most of the advertising I've seen was on Instagram, after I started following Lily's.
Also, it's not an 'Italian' restaurant though they have Italian dishes. I think having that in the sign pigeon-holes them and therefore doesn't allude to the wider range of dishes available. And although MUCH nicer than anything nearby; I always feel the term 'fine dining' is used entirely too loosely in advertising many restaurants. Fine dining means silver service, white tablecloths and multiple courses. It doesn't mean the dining at Lily's and other places is not 'fine' or great; it's that the definition of "Fine Dining" is specific.
Also, the space itself seems slightly older and we had an AC vent blowing directly on our booth - however the hostess warned us of this before we were seated and my bf retrieved a light sweater from our car for me so I was comfortable and we ate everything before it could get cold!
I have to be honest, I didn't have huge expectations for Lily's based on other fare available in the immediate area, I just hoped it was a little nicer than our NUMEROUS wing, bbq, Asian, Mexican and fast food joints in this area. I was surprised that it will actually be a future contender for eating uptown, Plaza Midwood or Southpark. We are so very glad they are in the LKW area.
All in all, Lily's is a very welcome addition to our neck of the woods. Keep it up guys, we need you.