L O L A, Lola...
Lola Bistro. E. Fourth Street, Cleveland.
The halibut with steamer clams.
The best lamb shank ever in the history of humankind. I dare you to prove otherwise.
The coolest wine storage ever.
An awesome local bar scene.
Ambience par excellence.
After a whirlwind visit to the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, we were ready for dinner. Not just any dinner would do, however, as it was our 24th wedding anniversary. We wanted a place close by, and Lola’s Bistro, a Michael Symon restaurant fit the bill.
The first thing I noticed was the welcoming pedestrian only street of restaurants. It felt very much like a European street or alleyway. There was a Vietnamese restaurant, a Tequileria, BBQ, a pub, the Blue’s Brothers and more. The ambience in Lola’s was elegant and dark. The bar was in front of a unique wine storage that had walk in room for the servers but was completely built from glass for visibility by the patrons.
The menu was straightforward with a nice balance of seafood and meat, and a couple token vegetarian options. I started with the Lola cocktail, a version of The Aviation with Boyd and Blair Vodka, lime, Rofman creme de violet and mint, which was dangerously refreshing and delicious. The wine list was extensive and provided on a tablet for viewing. It also allowed you to email yourself the label of the wine you chose. We chose a lovely Italian Brunello to go with our meal. We started with the beef cheek perogis topped with mushrooms. The dough was so tender and the sauce was just the right level of creaminess. The rustic mushrooms really complemented the beef cheeks. With that fabulous beginning, I knew we had chosen the right restaurant.
Now before I make you salivate too much, and book your flight to Cleveland, let’s talk about service. Have you ever had a great meal ruined by lousy service? Or, have you ever had a mediocre meal make better by great service? Probably yes to both. This meal was the best of both worlds, food that was above and beyond expectations and the perfect service. If you haven’t had Joe from Cleveland as your waiter, you are truly missing out. Picture Joe, average Joe, from Cleveland. Straightforward and informative, efficient without the New York abrasive style, friendly in a professional way but not the California touchy-feely way. No hovering, yet he anticipated every need. How do I know that Joe is from Cleveland? Because, and only because, I asked him. He was raised in West Park, home of Irish cops and firefighters.
And now, on to the food...I must say without exaggeration that the lamb shank was the best I have ever had. It pains me to say so, because my grandmother made the best ever, until now. The lamb was braised for hours, and had a deep rich broth, thickened naturally? It was served with roasted Brussels Sprouts, carrots, julienned green apples and a touch of parsley. The meat just fell off the bone, and there was hardly any fat. I still regret that I could only eat half :(
Chris’ halibut was fresh and simply prepared. It had the perfect crispy exterior, but was not breaded, and was served with steamer clams and various spices for the clams. He ate every bite, except for the 2 he generously shared with me!
We had told Joe this was our first time in Cleveland, and were writing our blog. We ordered dessert, on his recommendation, and this dessert was one of those that many have imitated, but doubtful they come close to the perfection of this brioche French toast with Ohio maple syrup and homemade maple bacon ice cream. The combination was perfect, although I could have just stuffed myself forever on the brioche toast. If that was not enough, Joe had the kitchen bring us a platter that had Welcome to Cleveland 2018 on it, along with 2 mini cupcakes and sparklers.
A wonderful welcome to the city, a fabulous meal, and a great way to celebrate wedded bliss!
If you are in Cleveland and you don’t go to Lola’s Bistro, well, you might be one of the people who voted for Taco Bell as America’s best Mexican Restaurant, and most likely not a regular reader of this blog...
The Lola Cocktail, based on the aviation, will surely make you fly!
THE 6 A.M. SPECIAL
Brioche French Toast, Maple-Bacon Ice Cream, Caramelized Apple
And ZERO Calories…
