Month: September 2024

Ms. Hariklia “Lula” Bouikidis was one of two children born in the small mountain village of Tsotili, Greece to her parents Helen, a seamstress and Christos, a taxi driver.  Miss Lula picked up a love of cooking as a child while listening to her mother’s customer’s trading recipes.  She would “butt in” (in Miss Lula’s words) in order to write down the recipes so she could practice them for the family meals.  Miss Lula came to America at 16 after marrying her husband Paul, who was Greek American. They had two daughters together, Effie & Christina.  Miss Lula initially worked as a seamstress in a factory, but kept up her passion of cooking, making meals for her friends and neighbors.  Eventually her husband said, “Do you know what you’ve done?  You’ve started a business!” Miss Lula opened her restaurant Effie’s, named after her daughter, 27 years ago in Washington Square.  Miss Lula is known for her Greek specialties, including lamb shanks and whole Branzino.  Miss Lula’s words of advice are “Have faith in yourself.  Don’t give up in fighting for what is in your heart or in your dreams”.