little uluh (Manhattan)
Restaurant · East Village ·
Fluffy soufflé pancakes, burgers, and unique latte art
Fluffy soufflé pancakes, burgers, and unique latte art
"Little Uluh is an offshoot of Uluh in the East Village, a serious Sichuan spot. Its little sibling is far more frivolous, fronted by a bubble tea parlor and offering luncheon dishes that include pastas and souffles, but the burger is the thing to get, a third-pound patty cooked medium loaded down with caramelized onions and sauteed mushrooms and slathered with a mayo-based sauce, making it one of the gloppiest burgers in town. Served with a tiny number of fries." - Robert Sietsema, Eater Staff
"This offshoot of a well-regarded East Village Chinese restaurant, which partly specializes in Sichuan fare has set out to provide a menu of Asian-Western fusion comfort food. The mushroom noodles with soft shell crab has to be one of the pasta inventions of the year." - Robert Sietsema
"First, there was Uluh, a Chinese restaurant with things like Sichuan dry pot and peking duck. Then, there was Uluhuluh, a boba shop. Now, the same team has opened Little Uluh, and the East Village has gained a spot for Asian-inspired breakfast brunch and dinner. You’ll find things like matcha soufflés, spicy soft shell crab sandwiches, and lattes topped with foam and syrup made to look like a sunny-side up egg." - will hartman
"Little Uluh has the energy of a boozy brunch spot, except they specialize in lattes and there's no alcohol on the menu. On the weekends, this East Village restaurant from the Uluh team fills up with recent grads talking about last night to the tune of thumping house music. It's a useful place to remember if you want to tear into fluffy souffle pancakes doused in matcha powder and matcha cream. Just know that you'd be missing out on the Little Uluh experience if you don't order a complicated coffee drink, like the sunny-side-up latte with a layer of whipped cream that's so thick you could shave with it, and a mango garnish. And if you're looking for something salty to order with those (very filling) pancakes, we like the fried chicken sandwich glazed with warming spices on a fluffy bun. Food Rundown Lattes In lieu of a bloody mary, get yourself a sweet coffee drink. yes, the sunny-side-up version looks good on the internet. In reality, it tastes like brown sugar and cinnamon. photo credit: Will Hartman Spicy Chicken Sandwich Between the fluffy bun and the glaze of warming spices with a little bit of heat, this is a very nice way to start your day. Don’t expect a big pile of fries though, Little Uluh is a bit stingy with their spuds. photo credit: Will Hartman Matcha Soufflé This filling stack is fluffier than a pillow at a quaint bed and breakfast. Get it only if you're all in on the grassy taste of matcha. photo credit: Will Hartman" - Will Hartman
"When it finally opened in mid‑April, Little Uluh proved to be an offshoot of Uluh serving Asian‑leaning breakfast, brunch and dinner that reflect a passion for tea culture. The bright, cheery interior is sparsely decorated apart from a spray of colorful artificial flowers on a back wall; although it looks fast casual, uniformed waiters take orders (with a touchscreen option up front). During my visit the crowd skewed young—high schoolers and college students—drawn to an updated diner menu divided into ten sections, including bites, burgers, pastas and a Japanese pancake and souffle program. Sandwich highlights include a large, luscious burger ($16) with a five‑ounce patty seared (not smashed), caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, lettuce, tomato and a mayo‑based dressing that oozes onto the plate, and a garlic chicken burger on the same seeded bun, fried and slathered with a sweet garlic glaze and juicy slaw; sandwiches come with a smattering of fries. Pancake offerings range from a rather prosaic prosciutto pancake ($17), where the cured ham is simply placed on top, to brown sugar boba pancakes ($16) that feature tapioca pearls in a thick syrup cascading down the sides. The avocado toast ($12) includes a worthwhile lotus chip, while a roasted vegetable salad strikes me as underdressed and stingy on roasted squash and cheese. Among the pastas, spaghetti with mushrooms, arugula and a soft‑shell crab ($22) is simple and delicious. The Japanese souffle section is perhaps the biggest draw—flavors like honeycomb caramel, matcha and strawberry—and the waiter warns it will take about 15 minutes; the Little Uluh souffle I had was a turban of puffed‑up egg, sweet but not too sweet, decorated with cream, a tiny scoop of vanilla and jam, like something one might have for tea in Alice in Wonderland." - Robert Sietsema