Black History Month: Lou Lou’s Seafood marks first anniversary with expanded menu
Josh and Nailah Curry stand in the entry lobby of Lou Lou’s Seafood restaurant along with Jamir, 8, one of their four children. {Vikki Broughton Hodges/ Davidson Local}
Lou Lou’s Seafood in Lexington opened in the middle of the pandemic but recently celebrated its first anniversary and has launched an expanded menu.
While 60 percent of all new restaurants fail within the first year of operation, Lou Lou’s Seafood has defied those odds and prospered.
Owners Nailah and Josh Curry said their first year in business hasn’t been easy but a little luck — they decided before the pandemic hit to gear their business to takeout — and a lot of hard work have kept them afloat when many restaurants have shuttered.
The married couple said the pandemic did throw a wrench into their original plan to open in April 2020. They had signed a lease for the building at 514 N. Main St. (across from Speedway gas station) in February 2020, a mere month before lockdowns were instituted! Once things closed down and contractors were hard to find and building permits took a long time to obtain, the couple began some minor renovations themselves and had others install kitchen equipment in what was a shell of a building.
“We had looked at a food truck originally but felt a brick-and-mortar place would benefit us more,” Josh explained.
“We kind of got lucky that we always planned to do takeout,” Nailah said, noting that 90 percent of their business is carryout since their dining room only seats 10 people. “We wanted to keep it as simple as possible.”
This Low Country Seafood Boil features snow crab legs, shrimp, potatoes, corn on the cob and beef sausage. {Contributed photo}
The new restaurant had a quiet opening around Christmas 2020 when word started spreading on social media.
“That first week we were packed — we had lines of people out the door,” Nailah recalled.
The restaurant officially opened Jan. 1, 2021, with a menu that focused on Low Country seafood boils, such as shrimp, snow crab legs, lobster tails, mussels or clams paired with sides like red skin potatoes, corn on the cob and beef sausage with a choice of more than a dozen sauces.
But many of those shellfish choices kept rising in price as the pandemic continued. Nailah offered, for example, snow crab leg prices rose 75 percent from when they opened until now and the seafood boils with crab legs and lobster tails are currently market priced. Other food costs have also increased but not as much. Due to supply and demand, packaging materials for takeout orders have jumped.
“But we really haven’t had complaints because people know food prices are up when they go to the store,” Nailah reported.
To keep their menu affordable, the Currys began offering weekly Fish Fry Friday specials of fried whiting or flounder as well as other specials that have moved to the main menu based on popularity. The crab mac and cheese remains a top seller but customers can also partake of plain mac and cheese or shrimp and lobster variations.
“But not everybody eats seafood,” Josh acknowledged, noting some menu and daily specials go beyond seafood.
The menu was expanded a few months ago to add sandwiches - shrimp po’ boy, grilled chicken and hamburgers - as well as dinner salads
topped with shrimp, salmon and grilled chicken. Fried rice with a variety of proteins and fried baskets of popcorn shrimp and chicken, along with hushpuppies, are also available. A kids’ menu includes fish sticks, chicken tenders, hot dogs and mac and cheese.
“Chef Nailah’s Favorites” include a sweet Thai salmon and surf and turf of marinated lamb chops and shrimp.
This fried fish platter features fried whiting, hushpuppies, mac and cheese, slaw and sauces. {Contributed photo}
Daily specials are posted on Facebook and other social media and range from fish and chicken tacos to she-crab soup and jerk chicken drumsticks. End the meal on a sweet note with desserts of cheesecake made by a baker friend of Nailah’s, Josh’s peach cobbler and/or homemade custard-style banana pudding made by Nailah “when I have time.”
Additionally, the couple operates Curry’s Catering, primarily for parties and small weddings.
While Nailah is the chef, Josh handles the business side of the restaurant as well as whatever is needed in the kitchen. “We’re the yin and yang,” Josh admitted with a smile.
The couple met while they were studying at N.C. A&T University in Greensboro. Nailah, who attended college on a full athletic scholarship for swimming, received her degree in chemistry and Josh received his in business administration. After graduation, she moved to Pawley’s Island, S.C., where her parents lived, and began working in the restaurant industry, beginning as a server but switching over to the kitchen after earning a culinary arts degree from Horry County Community College. Nailah worked at several restaurants in that area, including Bistro 217 in Pawley’s Island and Nacho Hippo in Myrtle Beach. Josh was an assistant general manager at Ultimate California Pizza, also in the Grand Strand.
In 2016, the couple decided to move to Lexington, Josh’s hometown. A student athlete and 2004 graduate of Lexington Senior High, Josh has a large extended family here. Nailah worked at Café 35 for three years and as a personal chef. But she and Josh wanted to start their own business, especially after seeing the growth in uptown Lexington and the Depot District, and they decided to take a leap of faith when they saw the “For rent” sign on what is now Lou Lou’s. Josh explained the nickname refers to his wife’s middle name, Louise, which is also the name of her grandmother as well as his.
The Currys are thankful for their loyal customers and widespread community support they have received since they opened.
“We’re not the first black-owned restaurant in town but the first on Main Street,” Josh shared. “That’s a big deal for sure.”
“A lot of people say they’re proud of us and want to support us,” Nailah added.
