Wow. Tallulah is the latest new joint in Lincoln Square’s restaurant row. Based on gushing reviews I decided to have dinner there for my birthday – which I considered risky because there are so many wonderful places where I know I’ll get a great meal (Tank, Bistro Campagne, etc).

It was worth the risk. Everything was perfect, from the wine to the apps to our entrees. In fact if it weren’t for some shaky service I’d give it the full five.

Best dish: the bulgogi pork belly appetizer. Perfectly cooked belly with a delicious, rich and salty bulgogi sauce, accompanied by spicy kimchee.

Honorable mention: my steak frites were also perfectly cooked. I loved the Asian tinge to the steak and fries both. It wasn’t enough to overwhelm the flavor of the meat; just a hint of ponzu and soy to make it interesting.

My wife had a sashimi-style marlin that was also fabulous although I didn’t eat much of it because I was so enthralled with my red meat.

We sat on the partially enclosed patio, which was buzzing but not too loud. They’ve done a great job with the shrubs and stuff so it’s outdoorsy but clean and classy.

Now the downside: our waiter tended to disappear for stretches, and the food took a while to arrive, despite our having an early res (6:30). But new places often struggle to nail the service so I’ll cut them some slack.

We’ll be going back.