Just beside the 17th Street Farmer's Market, Lulu's has been a hot spot since it opened. I popped in for dinner on the day that they debuted several new additions to the menu including Fried Green Tomatoes with a Cajun remoulade, Little Neck Clams in white wine with chorizo sausage, and Hanover tomatoes with basil and mozzarella on the appetizer list and five new entrées ranging from Sofrito-rubbed pork loin to Black Sesame Seed seared tuna.

Since it was my first visit, I wanted to try both the old and the new at this urban comfort food eatery. I started with the new Fried Green Tomatoes, a generous four-slice serving big enough to share. These were fried to a crispy perfection on the outside, and the tangy remoulade had a nice kick to it. While I had heard raves about Steve's Meat Loaf and Mashed Potatoes, the High-Falootin’ Mac and Cheese with grilled shrimp had my starch-loving taste buds drooling. Unfortunately, I found the dish very disappointing with five very small (and most likely frozen) shrimp buried in a large bowl of penne pasta tossed with white cheddar, gruyère and gorgonzola cheese.

The cheese wasn't totally melted and had been nowhere near an oven, so my favorite part of mac and cheese, the slightly burnt cheesy crust on top, was missing. Had it been a homerun, the $18 price tag wouldn't have bothered me, but I would have been more satisfied at Cracker Barrel than with this bland bowl of noodles.

The salads being served around me looked great, mountains of baby greens, tomatoes, mushrooms, cucumbers and other veggies. There's also a spinach version and you can add chicken or salmon for an extra $2, so this $10 dinner is a great value choice. The large mug of soup at $5 with choices of tomato-basil and soup du jour also looked good, and every table gets a basket of fresh assorted breads. Appetizers run from $8 to $10, while entrées are $16 to $18. In addition to the tuna and pork, newly added entrées include herb-garlic roasted spring chicken, cheese tortellini with Hanover tomatoes, shitakes, pine nuts and roasted garlic, and fried catfish with a helping of the crisp fried green tomatoes. On the dessert list, a new key lime pie joins the deep dish peanut butter chocolate pie and strawberry shortcake.

It was refreshing to see a broad selection of white wines on the list, other than the ubiquitous chardonnays, especially with summer on the way. A Pinot Gris from Oregon, Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, Grüner Vetliner from Austria and a Pinot Grigio from Argentina will give diners a wide choice of pairings for salads and seafood. The red list featured mostly West Coast Pinot Noir’s and Cabernets, and bottle prices range from $25 to $65. Four by-the-glass choices at $5.50 are available in each category.

Service was perfunctory, also reminiscent of my New York days, except for the extraordinarily friendly and helpful hostess, who provided me with much more information on the new menu and dishes than my server did. I did notice, however, that my server was chatting up several regulars, so I assume if you become a familiar face, that service might go up a notch.

Freelance writer Ginger Warder specializes in food and travel, and is a regular contributor to national magazines Luxury Living, hrWatches, and Fido Friendly, as well as GoNomad.com and SouthernTravelNews.com.