A slice of Paris on Piedmont Avenue

Stroll in La Loulou on Piedmont Avenue is like being transported to a vibrant, fashionable café in Paris. The partitions are embellished in vibrant pink and yellow. The chandeliers are made with feathers. There are tall doorways main out onto a terrace with French-style café furnishings. Even the toilet is enjoyable, utterly coated in disco ball materials, with disco balls hanging from the ceiling and a neon signal saying ‘you look good’ above the mirror. For those who’re fortunate, the proprietor, Lou Beraud, might need introduced alongside her pomsky (Pomeranian-Siberian Husky combine), Capuche (which suggests hoodie in French, a phrase Beraud simply mentioned she appreciated).

Beraud, initially from Paris, moved to the Bay in 2020. She labored for wine importers and bought wine to bars and eating places, however wished to have her personal place, one thing extra Parisian. Her inspiration was the outdated Artwork Nouveau wine bars within the Metropolis of Mild.

“I wished to do one thing stylish, a bit of fancy, however that is additionally for everybody,” Beraud mentioned. “Similar to in Paris, you could have very good wine bars, the place you’ll be able to have a drink and admire the ambiance.”

The title of the bar was one of many first issues Beraud got here up with. She mentioned she and her husband had been strolling round Paris discussing what to call the bar, and her husband instantly mentioned, “La Loulou,” the nickname her mother-in-law calls her.

After discovering the right spot on Piedmont Avenue, previously an actual property workplace, Beraud opened her bar in Could. On account of paperwork and different issues with the town of Oakland, it took a couple of 12 months for Beraud to open, however the neighborhood reception was price it.

Beraud lives on Piedmont Avenue and was shocked that there wasn’t a wine bar within the space earlier than her personal wine bar.

“I believed it might achieve success, however it was higher than I believed,” Beraud mentioned. Beraud was shocked by the variety of good French-speaking Individuals who got here in. She mentioned individuals costume properly and she or he sees many teams of ladies. One memorable group all wore berets and threw a French-themed get together.

The wine bar additionally has one monthly wine clubwhich has led Beraud because the starting and has 40 members. There’s a alternative of two or 4 bottles of crimson or white, or each, every month, and there may be normally a theme that ties the alternatives collectively. If you choose up your field additionally, you will obtain a free glass of wine. Two bottles value $48 per 30 days and 4 bottles value $96. Beraud likes to theme by area; the October theme was Bordeaux. She additionally writes a publication with images, a enjoyable truth and a private story.

La Loulou gives small plates akin to charcuterie and cheese boards, escargots, pate, sandwiches, French onion soup and macarons. In August, they began providing a brunch menu on Sundays from midday to 2 p.m. The brunch menu features a charcuterie board with pastries, cheese and charcuterie, bacon and waffles, in addition to a salmon toast with goat cheese. Chef Hector Cobos heads the kitchen.

The wine checklist is in depth, however there are additionally non-alcoholic choices, beers from Fieldwork Brewing and frozen Aperol sprites. The frozen Aperol spritz thought got here from an “thought e book” – a big e book that Beraud leaves on the bar with a pen for patrons to signal, go away feedback or share a pleasant observe.

Beraud mentioned her favourite a part of having the wine bar up to now is assembly everybody.

“It is simply so good to fulfill all of the neighbors and all of the individuals who stay round right here,” Beruad mentioned.