(Credit: Lola's on Harrison)
- Address:
- 2032 Harrison Street, Hollywood, FL, 33020
- Phone:
- 954-927-9851
- Overall User Rating:
-
(9 ratings)
- Hours:
- 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday -Thursday. 5-10 p.m. Sunday, Tuesday-Thursday. 5-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday.
- Official Web Site:
- http://lolasonharrison.com/index-1280.html
The Place: Lola’s isn’t too small and it’s not too big. In the words of Goldilocks, ‘it’s just right.’ The dinner spot offers about 80 seats and a very understated interior. Tacky artwork went M.I.A., too; the main points of interest are merely a wisteria-colored wall, a sandalwood bar and a long, horizontal mirror.
The Man: For those of you who don’t know, Chef Wagner is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. He’s worked with some of Miami’s heaviest hitters: chefs Allen Susser, Mark Militello, Johnny Vinczencz and Dewey LoSasso.
But enough about the décor and accolades—let’s get to the eats.
The Food: First off, skip the bread. These carbs aren’t out of the ordinary and it wastes valuable stomach space. Instead, dive right into a plate of the ricotta gnocchi in a wild mushroom cream sauce and also give the salmon tartare a try—it’s a pleasant variation from the tuna that nearly every contemporary restaurant seems to provide. The purple potato skins appetizer is a bell-ringer, too, as those little critters are topped with sundried tomato crème fraiche, roasted garlic, smoked bacon bits, chives and American sturgeon caviar.
The Signature Dish: What will surely become Lola’s signature dish is the Coca Cola BBQ Beef Rib entrée. Every bite off the bone provides a taste of the sweet, syrupy soda. The way it is presented, nestled next to creamed yellow corn and topped with onion rings large enough to impress a 4-H club, is also quite intriguing. Get a side order of the black truffle steak fries if you really want to indulge. The menu also includes a pan-roasted turkey tenderloin, which, though not as dynamic, still earns points for being an original entrée. Pomegranate-sundried cherry gravy and polenta accompaniments give it a better–than–Thanksgiving–at–Aunt–Edna’s–house taste, and you’ll even want a go at the caramelized Brussels sprouts. Mom would be proud.
The Sweets: Desserts at Lola’s are uncomplicated, but appealing: chocolate-covered strawberries, Bananas Foster and housemade Key lime pie can all be found. A marshmallow ice cream sandwich made with double chocolate chip cookies, toasted hazelnuts and a drizzle of Nutella is worth the extra calories.
Last Words: Sorry to say, Lola’s isn’t open for lunch, and the chef says that it may not happen anytime soon. “The kitchen is too small to handle it,” he says. Otherwise, the only other thing one may feel is lacking is the presence of a full bar, but microbrews, a well-rounded wine list and creative wine-based drinks like the watermelon-mint infused sake and raspberry champagne, should still satisfy the alcohol-inclined.
Who knows? Maybe someday we’ll all look down Harrison Street and wonder what started all the rage for gourmands. Then perhaps someone will exclaim, “It was Wagner’s first place. That one. Lola’s.”
Add a comment