Ivo & Lulu   

558 Broome St
New York, NY 10013
212-226-4399

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Chef/owner Marc Solomon is an energetic guy. Also owner of 'A' uptown, he can simultaneously hold a spirited conversation with a guest while heartily greeting the steady parade of friends dropping by, and then bound up to the kitchen -- separated from the rest of the tiny space by a section of beaded curtain -- to help his chef, dancing to the music as he stirs a pot or garnishes a plate. It takes a minute to realize that he is indeed in the kitchen, which consists of one convection oven with two burners on it, and a small fridge underneath. Naming the restaurant after two friends they met on a cross-country trip, Marc and his wife, Blue, have a philosophy that accompanies their French Caribbean menu. One is a commitment to organic and sustainable ingredients; so some common items are absent, one of which is coffee, owing to its destructive economics for the majority of coffee-growing nations. Another value is frugality. Where else are you going to find free-range rabbit and ginger sausage with couscous at these prices? The same goes for a dish you're not likely to see anywhere else: jerk duck-leg confit, also served with Moroccan couscous. The menu is small, consisting of three appetizers, three entrees, a dessert and roasted Jamaican tea, and patrons are free to bring their own wine. -- Dan Glass