On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Mon-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Mon-Thu. 4:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Fri. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Loading...
Family was in town, and it was high time for a "wow 'em" meal. We made reservations at Lola, and despite the odd day and time (Monday at 8:30), the restaurant was bustling with energy.
Before this outing I was an East 4th Street virgin. Not sure if the other restaurants will compare to Lola, but I may want to try them. (By the way, my sister said that E 4th reminded her of Disneyland: "Like, is this a real street?" My thoughts exactly.)
I loved the dark decor and the chandeliers in Lola; even the ceiling looked cool (I trust I'm not the only one who inspects a ceiling while dining). Everyone there was very professional and greeted us pleasantly. We had a delicious wine and started off with some pear and beet salads (with hazelnuts - great touch!), the braised Berkshire "Bacon" which was mouth-wateringly decadent, and a soup special (Greek lentils with - what else? - bacon. Smoky and delish.)
We each ordered something different for our main course. We had the duck, the walleye, the pappardelle, and the smoked berkshire pork chop. I don't have one negative thing to say about any of it! The presentation was beautiful, and the way the servers all gathered around us and swiftly set our dishes down (for both appetizers and main course) seemed like a flawlessly choreographed number. We were very impressed.
Dessert? Duh. Although my family each thought they ordered the best one (dark chocolate macaroon, coconut caramel bavarian), I had the clear winner with the peach melba. It had "peach granite" - it's like a more crystallized version of crisp, fresh sorbet - atop vanilla cream, crushed raspberries, and pound cake, all in a chilled martini glass. Wonderful! And this is coming from someone who usually wouldn't order a fruity dessert.
Our jaws didn't quite hit the table when we got the bill, but only because we knew to expect that bomb and had been saving up for a nice night out. But, I guess it's Valu-Time mac and cheese for a while until I can afford another night out at Lola.
Michael Symon is an evil genius. Never before have I been presented with such an artful array of delicious animal fat. I took my girlfriend to Lola for a weekday lunch. Amidst the sandwich-chomping business lunch yuppie crowd, we went crazy.
We started with the beef cheek pierogi. Tender, chewy starchy seared pastry filled with wonderfully braised meat, with a subtle, creamy horseradish sauce. I'd eat 10, but we settled for an order of 2.
We'll have to go back for dinner so we can try the root vegetable salad. Instead we got a butter lettuce salad with pancetta and radishes. Nice and unusual with the peppery fatty pancetta.
And the main event: I had the duck confit over creamed leeks. Beyond description. The duck was fork-tender. The bones just fell out, leaving behind a perfectly seared, fatty, fragrant, savory piece of dark meat, over a rich blue cheese and leek sauce. Perfect dish.
Smoked brisket sandwich was also really impressive. The beef was tender and smoky, and sliced thin and served with rosemary fries and homemade ketchup.
Yum.
And we ate for under 50 bucks!
My friend and I visited Lola while we were at a conference in Cleveland because we heard it was owned by an Iron Chef. It was wonderful. Our server was very personable and friendly, and made sure that every need we had was taken care of. Our water glasses were never empty, and when my friend (unknowingly) dropped her napkin on the floor, a hostess came and replaced it with a new one.
I had the sea scallops and they were amazing. Seared on the top, and very tender in the middle. It was like eating butter. We also tried the 6 AM special, and the ice cream really did taste like bacon! The ice cream wasn't really for me, but the french toast was very good. We also had the coconut chocolate bavarian cake, and it was the perfect ending to the meal.
Went here for business dinner a few months ago while in Cleveland. Located in a cute, nice area. Service was excellent and I was in love with the atmosphere. We shared a bottle of Moscato Wine with the braised berkshire bacon, it was very delicious. I had the beef hanger steak for dinner and loved every bite of it. Very tender, yet juicy. If i ever go back I will make sure to come here again. And you have to get dessert ! I had the sweet corn pudding, one of the best desserts I've ever had in my
life.
Hidden in a colorful alley next to the Cav's home turf, Lola's is a creative restaurant with delicious food. The ambiance is dark and swanky and their wait staff are attentive, friendly, and most importantly, knowledgeable.
Appetizers are absolutely appeasing in both the aesthetic and taste buds sense. The chilled lobster was covered in delicious wasabi veggies and avocado. You can literally taste the sea off of this delectable shellfish. Cauliflower soup has cauliflower charred and seared till it lies flat and is covered with a delicious thick and creamy base soup. Be sure to pay attention when it is being served, for they pour the boiling soup over the cauliflower. How fun to watch!
The sturgeon was wrapped in a thin veil of sliced potatoes. The sturgeon was so tender and grilled to perfection that I can feel it all separate piece by piece in between my teeth. In there lied some baby carrots that have been caramelized with a hidden crunch inside. Speaking of caramelizing, the caramelized onions that sparsely decorated the sturgeon was so sweet and grilled into delicious layers of goodness. And we're not done with the potatoes! A thin amount of mashed potatoes is spread below everything. You go from roasted crisp potatoes covering my sturgeon to creamy mashed potatoes. My tongue was being raped by potato textures..and I received an orgasm.
After our main course we splurged on the desserts. The four desserts that landed in our stomachs were the Sour Cream and Green Apple Panna Cotta, Dark Chocolate Macaroon, a cheese platter, and their "6 AM Special."
-Sour Cream and Green Apple Panna Cotta: The sour cream panna cotta with green apple sorbet amalgamated into each other was absolute perfection. It came with thin, sliced cucumbers and a little bit of toast. This light and airy dessert is perfect to top off with after a heavy dinner. This was my favorite dessert! Hats off to you Michael Symon!
-Dark Chocolate Macaroon: This is absolute, rich intensity. Just one tiny little bite will allow you to immerse into the dark cocoa world. All you dark chocolate lovers, this is your dessert calling for you.
Cheese platter- Just a simple and traditional cheese plate with thinly sliced granny smith apples and toast. How can you mess it up? Aged cheddar with granny smith apples. Yum.
-"6 A.M. Special": maple- bacon ice cream? Say what? Yes. Sugary vanilla ice cream with pieces of fried bacon. The combination of creamy sweetness mixed with sharp saltiness is surprisingly a good twist. Little mini french toasts topped with baked, sweet apples lie aside this wickedly evil ice cream.
It was an explosion of flavors in my mouth the whole entire night. The instability of sweet, intense, bitter, and everything imaginable was experienced in one seating. Thank you Michael Symon. Yes, thank you indeed.
Ok I would give it 4 1/2 if I could. Took a little weekend trip with my mama. Partly to see the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (review to follow) and partly to go to Lola. I had been to Lolita a few years back and was a big fan. Lola did not disappoint! A really lovely space, sleek but not too, dark but not too, bustling but not too...noisy. Our service was lovely (Gina) and she really took her time with us but wasn't too intrusive.
The cocktail list is quite pretty, I had a fig martini with a little bubbly floater. It tasted like the best ever kir royale. We had a caramelized cauliflower soup, so creamy. The sweetbreads had the most light dusting of something magical and were perfectly crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside. The oysters were worth every penny. My mom had the walleye "Cleveland Clambake" that was adorably presented, and the nicest piece of fish. I had the duck breast that was rich and perfect and too much to finish.
Losing a half star for the dessert. We had the pear baked alaska, and it was perfectly pretty on the plate. But it was honestly a tad boring after such a scrumptious meal. I should have gone with my gut and got the famous 6a.m. special, but next time perhaps...
Regardless of the dessert, it was a really wonderful meal, a nice staff, a pretty space, and come on, it's Cleveland.
I cannot even begin to express how amazing the service at Lola was this past Friday (10/9/09). They went out of their way to make my engagement (yes!) perfect! I had only called Wednesday to make dinner reservations for 9:30. My boyfriend was coming up then to see me.
He called them back and explained that he'd like to move it up to 8 and told them his story of how he is going to Iraq in a week and planned to propose in their restaurant. The hostess pulled all strings she could for him and helped him plan the details. Much to my surprise, we arrive and are seated immediatly in the house seat! Yes, it is a round booth (the only) facing the rest of guests and the kitchen. The food was delicious. They serve delicious perfect bread with butter and for our appetizer we ordered the brazed berkshire "bacon". You've never tasted meat so amazing! And the proportions are execellent and you can bet on it that you water is never even half empty.
After dinner (I had the pappardelle pasta with chanterelles, peas, garlic, parmesan, yum, and may have stolen a couple bites of his roasted chicken with wild mushrooms, baby carrots, confit, which has the most perfect sauce) we ordered desert (peach melba). The waitress came out with the peach melba, and the manager with a sort of chocolate square with rasberries,chocolate sauce and gold leaf with my ring contrasted perfectly beside it against the cocoa color! He annouced as he arrived at the table, "I believe this is for you". Beautiful, I'll never forget as my boyfriend, now fiance, took my hands in this absolutely gorgeous restaurant. The dimmed lights, sparkling light pieces, and gold, reds and pearl colors created the most romantic, fine dining experience. Not to mention, the manager then returned to thank us for having our moment in their restaurant, how sweet!
Lola is absolutely a wonderful restaurant. The setting, location, reputation, staff, and food make it a five star in any book. :)
Took a trip to Cleveland to add a another ballpark to the list (Twins won) and made sure to make reservations. We had a table for 2 at 9 PM. We arrived about 5 minutes early and were seated immediately.
The space is dark and elegant. A well stocked wine rack behind the bar bodes well for those that enjoy wine. The tables are covered in linens with cloth napkins and glassware that is superb. If any criticism can be made, it certainly would be about the silverware. The handles are round and are difficult to use. This is not the best for restaurant use.
We started with the charcuterie platter. Duck speck, beef pepperoni, salami, another sausage that I can't remember and La Quercia prosciutto. With the exception of the prosciutto everything was house made. Perfectly accompanied with coarse mustard and cornichons. With the exception of the La Quercia everything was fantastic. First time trying the La Quercia, and wasn't really impressed.
I got the beef cheek perrioge and my dining partner tried the seasonal root salad. The beef cheek was amazing, served with a delicious horseradish sauce. They were cooked perfectly and topped with sauteed mushrooms of various kinds. The salad got rave reviews (although I did not personally try it) and we enjoyed it all with a nice dry perseco.
For entree I got the lamb 3 way and my dining partner got the Cleveland Clambake. To go with this the general manager suggested a rose and it was spot on delicious.
The lamb came as a chop, sausage and sweetbreads. The chop was cooked perfectly - slight under medium, and caramelized, almost crispy on the outside. The sweetbreads were simply breaded and cooked until golden, crispy and fabulous. The sausage was wonderful, although I'm not a huge fan sweet paprika. It was served with a light arugula salad and some olives and baby tomato. All done to perfection.
The clambake was a perfectly cooked piece of walleye that still had its skin. It was served with clams and potato and corn in a broth. Local, seasonal, and perfect.
For dessert we got a simple cheese plate. It was presented the traditional way, and is pretty hard to screw up. Everything else on the dessert menu (which we spied in the close, but comfortable quarters) certainly looked amazing and judging by the looks on the faces we saw, were spot on.
Price wise, from a Chicago point of view, the food here is priced right on. Quality wise, and also in terms of the craftsmanship that goes into the creation of the dishes, Lola does not disappoint and is well worth the trip. (Just don't stay at the Radisson, but that will be another review!)
Would love to go back, and would, if it was in Chicago. Hey Michael, why not branch out a little west?
My wife called Friday night around 5pm to see if we could possibly get a table..thank you to whoever answered the phone. She managed to get us the chef's table at 9pm...best table in the restaurant in my opinion.
I had the bone marrow..my favorite accompaniment was the sea salt and caramelized onions with the picked shallots...
My wife had the lentil soup and the pappardelle with chantrelles, peas, and parmesan...she loved every bit of it.
We finished with the peach melba...perfect light dessert with cool, soft, and crunchy textures.
Lola is casual fine dining at it's best.
It was good, but not great. Definitely didn't live up to the Micheal Symon hype.
The space is really coooool, high, unfinished ceilings give it an urban vibe, alabaster bar glows prettily from beneath. Staff is soooper-friendly, excellent wine list, diverse bar crowd.
I had the scallop entree, and while the sauce was tasty, the scallops were lacking. They were not done enough--they were not pan-fried to caramely goodness and the innards were not quite done. I will eat scallop sushi, so it didn't squick me out (and I have squicky issues) but it was not what I was expecting, at this caliber of a restaurant, at these prices.
E 4th Street is SO CUTE. I felt like I was in Chicago, not in an alley for sure.
The Pomegranate and Fig martini was the perfect starter.
We REALLY loved the bone marrow. Which was a big stretch for me to eat, since its such a gross thought. I think it helps that it is not presented in the bone, traditional style. I loved the condiments, my favorite marrow combo was the pickled shallots, sprig of parsley, and sea salt.
We had the walleye clam bake and the roasted pork, both delicious. We had to end the night with the 6am special. I've discovered I do not like bacon in my ice cream, but it was fun to try.
I live in New York and come to Cleveland often on business. This is the only restaurant which I would rate as highly as most 4 star restaurants in manhattan. The space is nice and airy, although a little noisy - reminds me a little of Craft in NY - and lthough the service is informal and chatty, the food is excellent. I have been here four times and the food was always excellent, well cooked and imaginative without being silly.
I recommend the cold meat sampler, I had a domestic prosciutto here a couple of times that was as good as the Italian one, almost like the fattier Jamon Iberico
I was in Cleveland for a wedding and had a free night for dinner. Decided to search out Lola with a friend because of Michael Symon's reputation and was not let down.
The restaurant was modern and warm, hostess was hot (always nice), and the wait staff was friendly and knowledgeable. We started off with a bottle of Carmenere from Chile, I only kinda know what that means... it was red and it made me a little drunk and sleepy (which is all I can ask for).
For starters we split the Braised Bacon (great flavor but I'm still not used eating legit hunks of fat) and the Charcuterie (fell a little flat). Things kept getting better from there though with the Arctic Char w/ ham hock risotto (delicious, as porky as a fish entree can get) and the Lamb Heart with favas and morels (amazing... had to take a moment of silence and it pushed me to 5 stars). To finish was the 6AM special which was french toast with maple bacon ice cream (I mean come on... how could you not).
Great meal, great restaurant.
Cleveland's downtown upscale dining experience IS Lola. Anniversaries, business meetings, interviews, birthdays - hold them at Lola.
We stopped in for lunch yesterday, which we'll focus on for this review, although we've been many times for everything from charcuterie and cocktails to full dinners.
The three of us each had a glass of wine (highly recommend the Michael Pozzan Caberent Sauvignon if you always wish you were a hip red wine drinker but don't want your palate overwhelmed by bold dryness). We then split a pulled pork sandwich, a Lola burger (served on an English muffin), two soups and an order of beef cheek pierogi.
The special late summer soup was a spicy sweet corn tortilla soup. It wasn't overtly spicy - just enough heat to make it interesting - and was not particularly heavy. The tomato basil bisque actually families pretty well - again, just a bit of heat and fairly light as bisques go.
Beef cheek pierogi are a must-have for any non-vegetarian diner (and the veg crowd might want to consider a brief expection), particularly if you're visiting from out of town and are wondering "what's a pierogi?" The beef cheeks remind me of carnitas, because there's a wonderful balance between crispy and moist tender meat.
The burger is served on an English muffin, and is quite satisfying just like the pulled pork sandwich. One of the big highlights of each are the now-notorious (and often copied) Lola fries - shoestring fries prepared in duck fat and then tossed with salt and rosemary. Yes, that's right, the fries are prepared in duck fat which sounds wrong but tastes delicious.
Everything was delicious, and lunch for three with wine at a fine dining establishment for $80 isn't bad. If your goal was frugality, you could have lunch for $9-12 by sticking with water and a sandwich. This would be a HUGE step up from most of the downtown eateries and not really represent a big budgetary increase.
Save room for dessert, or more specifically the "6 a.m. special" - french toast with maple bacon ice cream. Divine!
And, whatever you do, do not call it Lola's. It's just "Lola."
Excellent food, excellent presentation, I tried everyone at my table's dishes and what was truly amazing was that everything was exceptional. Don't normally order dessert, but there were all tremendous, this is a world class restaurant.
Some other reviewer complained because they didn't spend hours preparing for her allergies -- she needs to live in a bubble, because you won't find many places that put this much thought and consideration into their menu. The most discriminating critic couldn't give Lola's less than 4 stars, it really is an exceptional experience in Ohio.
I have not been back to Lola since my first visit, but it is not due to lack of effort or desire. You can often find me pacing back-and-forth...outside Lola's front door on East 4th on a Friday evening....gazing longingly into the windows....undecided if I should act like schmuck and ask if there are any tables available (there won't be any...I know this), or just hang around and beg for scraps like a stray animal. I feel an irrestible pull to this place...like a black hole sucking my dwindling dollars into an unfathomable void. I remember my champagne smelled like bleu cheese and tasted like honey. I remember those unf---ingbelievable fries. I'm obsessed. I need serious help.
My wife has picked up on my behavior. I'll suggest going to a different East 4th Street restaurant for dinner...maybe Saigon, maybe Zocalo...but she knows this is just a deceptive ploy. She knows where I REALLY want to go.
I want to be inside you, Lola. We need to consummate our love again.
After having an somewhat disappointing experience at Lolita a few weeks ago, I had only modest… Read more »
I took my adult daughters for a girl's night out. It was my suggestion to try Lola because I had read about the chef. I was pretty disapointed. The enviroment was nice, the food so so. They have very few vegatarian options, however they do let you know that up front. I ordered the duck breast which was seasoned poorly and really overcooked. I kept taking one more bite thinking it would get better, when I almost choked it was time to stop. The waiter took half of the price of the entree off my bill. The asparagus was good. Don't bother with the french toast dessert. I was excited to try something unique, not worth the hype or the cost. I think there are better options in Cleveland for fine dining. I'll pass on eating there again. Wine list not that impressive either.
I worked downtown for years and never tried this place b/c I assumed it was too pricey for lunch. Finally, a friend took me there for a going away lunch. It was amazing and I can't believe I missed out on it for so long. A really fun, innovative menu. Foods are combined in a way I would never have imagined, but the flavors complement each other beautifully. Also, excellent service (unpretentious) and modern but comfortable decor. I look forward to visiting again when I'm back in town.
Cleveland has a multitude of restaurants that blend in but an inventive chef makes Lola stand out.
Love this place. Very metropolitan feel, very attentive and knowledgable staff, and outstanding food. Great before a Cavs game.
We had a great time at this place! Excellent ratings in all of the following categories
Good service - Check! I came with a few girlfriends and my sister and decided since it was an outing for my birthday that I would pick up the tab. The hostess helped me with my sneaky task by taking my credit card information before I sat down. My friends were a little upset that they couldn't pay for dinner, but I guess they can get me back on their birthdays!
Ambiance - Check! As you walk in you see the bar to your left - it has all of their wine stacked up behind a glass enclosure. You can see the manager picking out the wines for the night. It gives you something great to look at if you happen to eat/drink at the bar
Food - Check! They had a great variety of selection even for restaurant week. I had the vegetarian dish that was excellent. Not too much salt and all of the flavors blended nicely. Just the right portion size. My friend got the hanger steak. The steak was the right size, but the rosemary fries while delicious were just too much! It took 4 of us to finish all the fries.
Dessert - Check! They had a very unique version of tiramasu that was nice in presentation as well as taste.
Drinks - Check! Good offerings of wine at various prices. The mixed drinks are very good. My friend got the Pear martini, but made the mistake of trying to eat the "picked ginger". I wish I had a picture of her face as she bit into it!
Delicious. Fresh. Perfect.
Excellent Service, beautiful surroundings..
I look forward to my next trip back to Ohio so I can return to Lola.
*sigh* maple bacon ice cream...
I came here with friends once and we had a nice time. It was hard to find parking but the food was delicious. We were expecting a lot considering the hype this place gets and we all enjoyed our meals, though it was a little expensive. The lighting was also pretty dark to the point where we were laughing about how we couldn't see each other.
Quite an experience I must say. The meal was quite delectable. The pomegranate martini was well worth the money I spent for it, similar in price to many of what the NYC bars charge for a signature martini. The appetizers of raw oysters were not as quite to par as the rest of the meal. The Prime Rib was beyond perfection with succulent juices just oozing from the each piece of beef as you cut with a knife. The shoestring french fries were to die for, crispy and seasoned just right- MUST EAT. The meal ended off perfected with maple bacon ice cream. The ice cream combined the right amount of savoriness and sweetness. A calorie bust for sure, but well worth it. The only down side is that service is slow no matter what time you go. On average we spend about 60.00-80.00 per person when we go, so expect to shell out.
Lola would hold its own against just about any prominent San Francisco restaurant. It's that good.
Perhaps it's not a French Laundry, or a Gary Danko, but it's up there with any other top notch restaurant in the Bay Area.
It was easily the best place I ate in Ohio on my recent trip home, and the dining experience was easily the best fine dining experience I've had in Ohio, having grown up there.
First of all the food is rockin' good perfect. Our little foursome, three of us transplants from the Old Country with Cleveland roots and 1 of us a San Franciscan, found it hard not to hyperventilate over every dish.
We had been tipped that pork is a specialty of the chef, and the man knows his way around pieces of pig, let me tell you. There is not a shockingly large array of pork dishes on the menu--it's not a sprawling menyu by any stretch of the imagination--but the items are beautifully chosen to offer up an opportunity for the chef to show he knows how to bring out the beauty in the foods he uses.
Second, the atmosphere is a cut above. Nice furnishings, a great open kitchen atmosphere, a mix of levels, looks, and a warm but airy feeling inside.
We found the service top notch, and I wouldn't hesitate to take any picky, food-obsessed, over-indulged Yelper from any city to this place for dinner out.
I had dinner here back in July, and I have to say, Micheal Symon.. doesn't impress me as a TV guy. He may be an Iron Chef, but I've had better. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Lola is horrible, because it was good, just not Iron Chef great. Maybe my expectations were too high. But I guess, for the food selection I saw in Cleveland Ohio, Lola may just be a 5 star worthy joint. The restaurant itself is beautiful I must say. Very modern. I did feel a bit overdressed, I donned a typical dress I would wear to dinner in DC, but Clevelanders were wearing jeans and tops.. which I thought was tacky for such a great looking restaurant owned by an Iron Chef.
For starters I had the Beef Cheek Peirogie with wild mushrooms and horseradish creme fraiche. It was good, but a bit bland for me, I expected it to be a tad more rich with the creme fraiche. Also for apps I tried the Sweetbreads.. (the thymus gland) it was my first time, and it was very good. Delicious in fact.
For my entree I had the Duck. It was served perfectly with vegetables, pears and cranberries. The sauce the duck was served with was great, the sides, not noteworthy. My boyfriend ordered the Braised Lamb Shank. I tried it, and thought it was OK. It looked really good served with fennel apple and bacon. It was a bit bland.. Owell.
Dessert was defiantly my favorite. I had to try the "6am Special" it's french toast, topped with maple bacon ice cream .. topped with caramelized apples. Sounds gross? Don't knock it till you try it. It is SO good. I have to admit, although we were sharing, I finished most of it.
When in Cleveland.....
Eat at Lola. Yup, just like everyone else I went there because I saw it was Iron Chef Michael Symon's restaurant and it was totally worth it! I love going to hip restaurants, but hate that they usually think tiny portions are what impresses all of us wannabe foodies. This was real, good food.
Here is the dish on the dishes we had:
Apps:
1. Crispy Veal Sweetbreads - served with leeks blue cheese and mushrooms. --Awesome!
2. Cured Tuna - saffron aoli, fennel and olives -- Awesome!
Entrees (all generous portions)-
1. Hanger Steak w/ pickle demi - I don't like pickles, but was convinced to order this and it was amazing. It was a little odd to serve it with french fries in his signature chrome martini shaker.
2. Chilean Sea bass - nothin fishy about this one. It was cooked perfectly and a little flaky
3. Beef Cheeks -- poblano pepper glaze from heaven on top!
Don't ask, just order the 6 A.M Special for desert. It is ridiculous and delicious. Arguably the best desert I've ever had.
There were a few comments about parking, but there is public garage 2 blocks away on 4th - compared the the San Francisco Bay Area this was valet. This place is hip and lives up to the hype.
My husband and I ate at Lola's on 10/17/09. We're from the San Francisco Bay area and are bona fide foodies. My husband is a cook. Purpose of the trip was to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and eat at Lola's- a surprise weekend for my husband, who was mortified that I brought him to Cleveland. However, we had a fabulous weekend and eating at Lola's was a highlight. In short the food and service are stellar. We started with the most flavorful and succulent oysters we've ever had, from Island Creek (from New England- MA, I think). They needed no lemon or sauce of any kind. I could have just eaten 3 dozen easy. My husband had the pork pirogis, which he enjoyed very much. Served in a simple balsamic reduction. He then had more pork served over a bed of soft polenta, which he loved. I had the paparadelle with fresh peas and wild mushrooms. It was perfectly fresh, perfectly seasoned, and perfectly delicious. I had two classes of a pinot noir from Oregon, which was outstanding. A little pricey at $14.00 / glass but worth it. For dessert we shared a square of corn pudding, which had a brulee top, with a strip of caramel to the side and a scoop of blueberry gelato- simple, flavorful but light, and delicious. The server was attentive as can be and the manager even made the rounds and inquired about our meal, etc. Our only complaint is that the place is cavernous and loud. I had to ask my husband to repeat himself all night because I couldn't hear him (I'm a young person :). The decor didn't do anything for us but the food and service did. I'd return if I'm ever back in Cleveland.
Happily, I can finally give a personal 5 star rating to a restaurant in Cleveland. You never know whether your palate will agree with the hype, but for me, this one did live up to the expectations.
I had a very taxing day in the clinic, final procedure finishing at roughly 9:45 pm. I rang up the manager who told me not to worry about arriving late for my 9:45 booking for one. I drove aimlessly around the address looking for parking, somewhat distressed by the presence of numerous working crews and police, obviously working on very important street upgrades and safety issues.
So, finally arriving at 10:30, I finally got to step inside this dimly lit, swanky Lola. I grabbed a seat at the bar while the table was being readied. A Macallan 12 neat to whet the appetite and the table was set.
I set at the Chef's counter, which is interesting due to its placement looking over the kitchen. The counter itself is internally lit, creating an interesting effect of warm, yellowish, streaked stone.
I started with an order of a Barberesco Montaribaldi (2003) and quaffed expectantly as I got the Querciabella sweet bread and a complimentary order of roast pork belly in a dashi sauce.
Of the two, I found the pork belly more delectable. The Dashi sauce was puncuated with several rather perky peppers which contrasted well. The roasted pork belly had flavouring tones that are distinctly asian. Great dish.
The sweetbreads were also good. Roast on the outside and succulent on the inside, I sopped up every bit of the slightly tangy sauce, very well nearly clearing the plate. Very nuanced flavour, with satisfying complexity.
I then had the hanger steak and fries. The rosemary seasoned fries are quite good. Although at first the seasoning may seem a bit unconventional, it lightens the experience of the thin-cut frittes. The steak wasn't as impressive as the other two items, but I was still quite happy with the overall meal.
The bacon ice cream and french toast was very good... It's amazing that such seemingly contrasting elements can work so well together. Go for it.
Servers were very friendly. The manager/sommelier and I had a 10 minute talk about italian reds and philosphies in stocking cellars. Great dinner conversation. My server merrily spoke about nearby good eats which was a welcome after dinner treat.
Right now, I prefer Lola over just about everything else I've had here. Still exploring!
Seriously? Cleveland, OH? Get ready to have your stomach slam dunked with a delicious dish served from Lebron James, well not really but I felt like my experience was equally cool.
This place is bad ass. Definitely the best food you will find in Cleveland and probably Ohio.
Lola has a great menu with fantastic food. This place also has a fantastic atmosphere with great design.
We ordered the Hanger Steak and Lamb Shank
The Hanger Steak was perfect. Tender and well seasoned with a fantastic sauce and the dressing on the dish. Everything tied together very well on this dish. This also came with some Lola Fries, which were probably THE BEST FRIES I HAVE EVER HAD. They had like sea salt and rosemary on them. Absolutely fantastic.
The Lamb Shank was also freaking good. It was so tender it was falling off the bone. The sauce and dressings it was with were very very flavorful. The Lamb was seasoned well and roasted to perfection. Nice and salty and oh so good.
This place really surprised me, and it was a fantastic evening.
We went here last night for my birthday after having heard all the hype. I indicated both in the online reservation on OpenTable four days in advance and on the phone two days in advance that I am allergic to eggs and almonds (I also mentioned that it's a birthday dinner).
We got to the restaurant and were seated, and it became clear that the waitress had not been told about my food allergies, which is already unusual for a restaurant of this caliber when having been told in advance (twice).
The food was fine, but nothing to write home about. I had the lobster appetizer and the scallop entree. The lobster had a nice citrus sauce but was too chewy in parts, and the scallops were fresh and in a decent sauce (with some goat cheese and melon), though again, not the level you expect for what's supposed to be one of the best restaurants in town. By the way, the noise level was also so high that we spent much of the meal in silence because we could barely hear one another (I suspect we were seated in the louder half of the restaurant, FYI).
Our waitress was actually very nice overall, but there were some slip-ups related to - I suspect - communication issues with the kitchen. When she brought out the bread, she did not mention that it contained eggs (I asked and then she confirmed that it did and I shouldn't eat it). Then when it came to dessert, she told me that the kitchen said the 6am special and one other dessert don't have egg or almonds, and when I said "are you sure?" she immediately realized (to her credit) that this couldn't be correct. She went and asked again, and it turned out that none of the desserts except the sorbets are free of eggs and almonds.
Note that this is a restaurant that is ready to prepare entire tasting menus based on people's food likes and dislikes, so this just doesn't cut it. Sorry, I am not a fan of sorbets, and thus my birthday dinner ended dessert-less.
I am not impressed, and I particularly recommend that people with food allergies stay away.
Ok
I had the beef cheek perogies... shrug
I had the duck entree... it was good
I had that stupid bacon ice cream with french toast dessert.... OH MY GOD!
I'll go back here. For sure.
I wasn't too wowed by our appetizer or entrees... but I was by the dessert
So yeah.
Pretty piss poor service though. I felt like we were being ignored most of the night. The server simply wasn't accessible.... or attentive.... or friendly
Oh but that stupid dessert... it was soooo good!
Traveling for work has its perks. This was definitely one of them. Owned and operated by the newest Iron Chef, Michael Symon, Lola gave me one of the best culinary experiences I've had in my life thus far.
App: Split Pea Soup with Cornbread and Bacon (at least I think it was split pea, it's been a little while). Smooth and comforting, with nice changes of texture from the small chunks of cornbread and bacon in the soup.
Entree: Ribeye with Bone Marrow (thanks mom for introducing me to bone marrow as a kid). Best steak ever. And a big 'ol hunk of bone marrow on top of it?? Genius!!
Dessert: French Toast and Maple Bacon Ice Cream. Does maple bacon ice cream sound weird? Maybe. Should this be a new flavor for Ben & Jerry's to consider? YES! Bacon makes everything better! The play between sweet and savory was perfect (think drowning your breakfast sausage with pancake syrup - you know you do it, too).
The service was very friendly and made some great recommendations. The atmosphere was casual and comforting, not a hint or pretentiousness here. I don't find myself in Cleveland too often, but if I ever go back you'll know where to find me.
Lola, Lola, my sweet Lola....
You know, I blew outta the Cav's game early Saturday night for you. Reservation? Do I really need one? I mean, for goodness sake, who, besides me, is lining up for dinner at 5:00 pm? First time I ever heard the phrase "reservations essential". But, lucky me, there was an open seat at the huge, glowing alabaster bar. Great service from our very friendly bartender. Was his name really Pierre? I think they sometime make these names up! Scanning the back of the bar, they have a huge wine collection, I was digging the "glass enclosed cellar". I loved the beautiful dark wood box beamed ceiling, although I did not get to view much of the rest of the restaurant. But it felt very dark and edgy. No Michael Symon sighting to report, but I'm not so sure I even know what the Iron Chef looks like!
I started with the apple and pear salad. The salad was alive with flavor! Yummy fresh wild greens, sliced almonds, rich blue cheese, and the vinaigrette dressing was a perfect compliment.
For my entree I had the hanger steak. It was perfectly grilled and served in a pickle sauce with chiles and a huge metal cup full of hot Lola fries. Very yummy. The gentleman next to me had the short ribs, which looked very good.
My bar pal had the warm dark chocolate cake for dessert. It was served with sangria blackberries and blackberry sorbet. I had the key lime dessert. The desserts are petite and the perfect size for real people.
When I got up to leave, people were stacked up 4 deep waiting for a seat at the bar. I swear, I could have easily sold my seat to the highest bidder and they would have paid me with money and kisses.
I really love this restaurant and will be back the next time I am in Cleveland. With a reservation.
It was a good meal but it could have been great: an almost-there meal.
The beef cheek pierogen with horseradish creme fraiche were delicious--the meat slow-braised and melting, an unmitigated taste of beef: a very clever take on a very Cleveland dish. Awesome.
Had the pan-fried Arctic Char with roasted tomato, avocado puree, radish, watercress and lightly-pickled cucumber served with a lemongrass-infused tomato water. Brilliant flavours--refreshing summary sweetness with unctuous creamy avocado and a slight Southeast Asian tang. However the fish, I thought, was a little tough, although our server described it as being cooked "medium." Is should've asked for, uh, "rare"? I've never been given that choice before when it came to fish. However, I really think it would have been better served poached so that it would've been yielding instead of a little chewy.
Dessert was a little disappointing. I had "The 6am Special" but there was too much maple syrup, too little bacon in the ice cream and the french toast was a little too soggy.
I think I'm being a little too harsh on Lola, though, as I can't help but compare the fish entree to Le Bernardin and the dessert to the Fat Duck's famous pain perdu, both of which are ridiculously lofty benchmarks for ANY restaurant.
Lola is aaaaaaalmost there and I was, on the whole, satisfied with my meal.
Before start with the restaurant, I just want to note that I had no idea there was this little street (East 4th) corner Cleveland downtown. It's an absolutely adorable street/alley and I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it. This street is closed to traffic, has little lights lined all the way across it and is lined with various bars and restaurants, including House of Blues.
Anyway, on to the restaurant now. I guess I had pretty high expectations considering how many excellent reviews I read about Lola and the fact that it's Michael Simon's restaurant. The ambiance was pretty good. Just the right amount of candle light and dark-colored surroundings give the place a pretty romantic feel, though the background music was very upbeat, sort of techno-like.
For wine, I had a glass of their Malbec, which complimented very well with the rest of my meal, especially with my steak.
For appetizers I had the much anticipated crispy sweetbreads and my boyfriend had the crispy shrimp. The sweetbreads were very well seasoned. The outside was perfectly crispy to compliment the soft, fatty inside. The flavor was very well done, though I didn't like the texture of the sweetbread itself...but I think that might be because I freaked myself out thinking about it too much. I actually liked the crispy shrimp better. It was sort of spicy with a little bit of sweetness to it. Again, the crispy-ness was perfect and the shrimp was very tender.
For our main course I had the hanger steak (medium) w/ Lola fries and my boyfriend had the duck. The steak was pretty juicy and tender, but the flavor didn't really amaze me. It was good, but not amazing. The portion of Lola fries was HUGE but very delicious since it was seasoned with some herbs. The duck dish came with some duck breast and some duck confit. The 2 most recent duck dishes I've had (The Refectory in Columbus OH and Triumph in Princeton NJ) were both over-seasoned and too salty, but this duck dish was perfect. If you are duck person like I am, I would definitely recommend it over the hanger steak.
OMG DESSERT. That was definitely the highlight of the dinner. We shared the 6 AM Special, and it was absolutely amazing. If you are not familiar, the 6 AM Special consists of maple-bacon ice cream and a maple-syrup soaked piece of french toast. I was absolutely stuff after my appetizer and steak, but still I wished there were more dessert. To be honest the portion was tiinnnyyyy. Should have ordered 2 instead of sharing.
I guess this restaurant is very meat heavy, but I think that's what Michael Simon intended it to be. It also has one of the most extensive wine lists around town, all for cheaper than average Ohioan prices.
I definitely want to go back again, but next time I will try to go easy on the bread and maybe try their rainbow trout. Will definitely order the 6 AM Special again though! =)
I believe this is my first five star review on Yelp. I actually had planned giving Lola this review since I ate there two years ago, but I felt that a restaurant has to have more then one good outing before It can be declared perfect. So, I was eagerly awaiting my return trip to Lola for Valentine's Day dinner.
And since you're reading this, the second trip was equally as deserving of 5 stars.
Appetizers: The first time I was there, I had the lobster corn dogs. Absolutely delicious and a great take on classic midwest food (Symon's special talent it seems). The second time around we had the pear and apple salad as well as the Lobster. The salad was light but full of flavor - a classic done perfectly. The lobster had just the perfect sauce to accompany it along with a bit of caviar that added a salty, but delicious finishing touch to the plate.
Entrees: From the current menu (as of today) I selected the squab and fois gras while my girlfriend went with the duck in orange sauce. The Squab was delicious, cooked to a point where the skin maintained a slight crispiness while leaving the inside tender and moist. I am sometimes worried that fois gras will overpower the rest of the meal, but I had nothing to fear here. The liver mixed excellently with the chestnuts and sweet potato puree while providing a texture complement to the squab. I only had a few bites of the duck, but it was delicious.
We also shared a side of the wild mushrooms. Expected something like portabella mushrooms, but received mini shrooms coated with a delicious seasoning. Better then any fries I've ever had, these are a great side.
Previously, I had the Hanger Steak prepared Medium Rare. It was cooked exactly as such and was a fine piece of meat. Served with Lola fries, whic are traditional fries you might expect to get along with a steak. Personally, I'd say that if you're craving a steak, Lola isn't the best place but you certainly wont be disappointed.
Dessert: Previously, I had a root beer and cake float. The root beer was served "granite" style (partially frozen) and mixed well with the ice cream while the pound cake was a sweet finish. This time around I had the 6am special, which wasn't as sweet as I had expected from a dessert, was savory and really recreated the feeling of french toast.
Drinks: Wine selection is excellent. Had two mixed drinks. Both were strong and well made.
Michael Symon rocks.
Loved this place. We were staying nearby and only stayed at Lola for appetizers, which we later regretted. The food was amazing. We had the seared scallops on a short rib risotto. We visited four cities on this trip and that dish was hands-down the best thing we ate the entire time. Also had the beef cheek pierogie-- also very good. That first dish though? That's a classic.
I've been here twice. Once I had the tasting menu and the other I ordered a la carte. Both times the food was excellent.
As a sweets junkie, I must put in a good word for the incredible desserts I've had!!
The "6am special" is very cute- french toast with maple bacon ice cream and caramelized apple (looks like hashbrown). Warning- there is ACTUAL bacon bits in the ice cream!!!! If you dig that, this is for you!!
The "warm stone foot crisp" is not really a fruit crisp but more of a peach cobbler, topped with honey lavender ice cream. I LOVE lavender ice cream, and though there's only a hint of the flavor in this one, it's worth it.
The "Amedi dark chocolate chiffon"- all I can say is proceed with caution!! This dessert is very bold due to the balsamic reduction. It's almost like soy sauce with chocolate. The flavor works miraculously, but it's not something a kid would enjoy.
I hope to try the rest of the desserts and put in my two cents later!
Noteworthy because the chef here won Iron Chef recently, the food here is the best Cleveland has to offer. Of special note are the rosemary-tinged fries, which don't sound gourmet but brother, they are tasty. Also, you may find it a little odd paying $12 for a bacon appetizer... But I asked, "Hey, how often do I get to pay $12 for bacon?" and chalked it up to Pulp Fiction's "Ever had a $5 milkshake?"
As it turned out, my table mates kept trying to steal my bacon. Then they ordered another bacon appetizer just to have some of their own. This is a foodie's dream.
This is top-notch all the way 'round. It's pricey, but I don't regret going here for a second.
I came to Cleveland to visit family for Christmas, and my mother made sure to make Lola's reservations. We're big "eat at the bar" people in my family (and big "liver transplant" people, apparently), but the bar was so packed that we settled on a table by the window. It's awesome people watching, and my ma claims that one of the apartment tenants across the way likes to put on porn and then go out for the night.
On the food: we split three appetizers. The beef cheek pierogi was revelatory (horseradish sour cream-- this is officially going on top of everything I make for the next month). I knew ordering the tuna tartare was uninspired, but I had a yen for it. It was disappointingly ragged and lacking in firmness. Martinis were a little late in coming, and not as bone dry as ordered.
I was (probably unreasonably) devastated that they were out of the hanger steak, and had to make do with the ribeye, which was average but accompanied by some of the most exciting potatoes I've ever eaten in my life (fennel? duck fat? I was happily mystified). All in all, I would like to come back on a slower night and choose a little more wisely. Or maybe just triple order the pierogies and those potatoes in a grand homage to my Eastern Euro-Cleveland roots.
Cleveland, OH
Category: American (New)
Cleveland, OH
Category: American (New)
Cleveland, OH
Category: American (New)
Cleveland, OH
Category: Restaurants
Cleveland, OH
Category: Steakhouses
Starting to explore the culinary side of…
When I'm back in Cleveland for a couple of days,…
It's true: you can't go home again once you leave.…
