I took a much needed "mental health day" and enjoyed a day of rest and relaxation. This also included lunch at a relatively new restaurant called Mendoberri.
The space that Mendoberri occupies is in a nice little housing, business, shopping area that has a fun vibe to it. The area is more than a strip mall, but not a huge shopping complex. We arrived and entered the restaurant to a sign that clearly stated that lunch was counter service while dinner is a seated experience. I appreciated the clear instructions. I hate going to restaurants and not knowing what you should do - wait to be seated, seat yourself, etc.
The counter had a refrigerated case that highlighted their offerings as well as sides that could go with salads or sandwiches. Behind the counter was a wood burning stove which I was ready to crawl inside due to the bitter cold temps outside! The hubby was ready to order immediately and ordered the grilled ham and cheese sandwich. I panicked and went with a salad I saw in the case - the Beetie Salad. We both ordered water. We took our number and had our choice of a number of empty tables. (We did arrive early, so I am not commenting on a lack of a lunch crowd.)
We chose a spot not far from a fireplace, but unfortunately not close enough to take advantage of it. Quite frankly the tables were awkwardly arranged as only one table could take full advantage of the fireplace. I would have angled the tables differently so more than one table could have some warmth.
The space itself is very large - it appears to be several store fronts all in one, so I suppose if they find their business isn't doing as well as they would like they could sell off sections. The seating is in an L-shaped format with a private dining room in the back. There is a large bar area after the lunch counter and staging area. The restrooms are around the side of the bar but awkwardly laid out in that if someone opens the door people walking by can see more than they would likely care to see. The ceilings are very tall. The interior is a light/ lime green color that is pretty soothing and relaxing. The art work was fine, nothing too remarkable.
Onto the food...
It seemed that we had to wait an inordinate amount of time for our relatively simple lunches. They arrived after awhile and we had to ask for glasses of water. Not clear instructions there if we were to get it ourselves or if it would be brought to us with our meal. Anyway, the food arrived and the hubby was by far the winner! Of course his meal was hot - a bonus on a frigid day. The ham and cheese was nicely grilled and served with a side salad of mixed greens with a nice dressing. The only odd thing about the salad was the addition of one rather large sun-dried tomato chunk.
My salad was ok. It was a spinach salad with "slow roasted Chioggia beets", goat cheese and a shallot-balsamic vinaigrette. Nothing remarkable about the salad. Occasionally I got a very salty taste which seemed an odd pairing with the beets and cheese. A crunch factor was definitely missing in this salad. While beets, goat cheese, and candied walnuts can be "overdone" on menus, there is a purpose for those walnuts! I missed the crunch. Additionally for $7.50 a slice of bread with the salad would have been nice.
The experience was fine. I wouldn't rush back, but if in the area I would give it a second chance. It reminded me a bit of the Pairings restaurant. If Mendoberri's doesn't make it, I think Pairings could take it over and do well.
The highlight of the visit was an after lunch trip over to The Olive Grove Olive Oil Company. This store is across the "street" from Mendoberri. If you like olive oil and balsamic vinegar, this is the store to visit! We walked into the store and were greeted by a friendly, knowledgeable employee who explained how the store worked. We basically went around and tasted different oils and vinegars and then created our own "sample box" of 4 different kinds. (I also picked up some nice olive oil based bath products.) Mendoberri may get another chance mainly because we'll be back at The Olive Grove at some point in the near future.
Happy Eating!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Sunday, February 6, 2011
In Season
We tried the new restaurant, In Season, the other night. The concept is unique and well done. The menu revolves around what is "in season" at that particular time. The winter inspiration included such items as butternut squash, clementines, grapefruit, root vegetables, monkfish, oxtail, sunchokes (which is another name for Jerusalem artichokes), and sweet potato.
Due to the popularity of the restaurant, getting a reservation was a bit of a challenge. We ended up with a late reservation, so we were definitely hungry when we arrived. We were seated near the front of the restaurant. I was concerned at first that we would be cold where we were seated. However, a nice, heavy tapestry blocked the diners from the opening front door. The restaurant was decorated with artwork on the walls and small votive candles on the tables. The table was a nice dark wood and the chairs were very comfortable with a soft cushion seat.
I ordered a glass of Malbec to start. We were brought a basket of tasty bread from Rustica Bakery. The butter stole the show with the honey, lemon, sea salt combination. Nothing super powerful, but just nicely done and paired well with the crispy bread from Rustica.
I started with a Butternut Squash soup with Manchego Cheese and Pumpkinseed Oil. The soup was as I expected...excellent! The Manchego Cheese added a nice smooth melty center. Mmmm.... The hubby started with a mixed micro greens salad with olive oil, sherry vinegar, and Parmesan. He enjoyed the salad as well - the micro greens provided a nice peppery taste to the salad.
My main entree was the Amish Chicken Breast with risotto, sunchokes, and mushrooms. The sunchokes were a nice semi-sweet crunch. The risotto was not as creamy as I typically like, but then again it did not seem as heavy either. The chicken was fall of the bone tender. Unfortunately I did not get a lot of taste from the chicken. I think it could have used a little salt. The hubby went with the Spiced Oxtail wit Creamy Polenta, Kale, and Crisp Serrano. He seemed to really enjoy the combination. The oxtail was very tender and had a bit of a kick to it.
We finished off the evening with dessert. The hubby went with the small cheese plate. This was served with 4 different types of cheeses. The servings were very generous and we wondered what the large plate would have been like. I chose to go with the Espresso Semi-Freddo Terrine with "Toblerone" Sauce. It was topped with cocoa nibs that gave a crunch with each bite. The Toblerone Sauce was a great tasting chocolate sauce - definitely the highlight of the dish.
We both enjoyed the evening and the restaurant. While the emphasis on using what's in season is admirable and makes sense, it also makes for a rather limited menu. This might be a restaurant that is good to get to 4 times a year. Next up...Spring!
Happy Eating!
Due to the popularity of the restaurant, getting a reservation was a bit of a challenge. We ended up with a late reservation, so we were definitely hungry when we arrived. We were seated near the front of the restaurant. I was concerned at first that we would be cold where we were seated. However, a nice, heavy tapestry blocked the diners from the opening front door. The restaurant was decorated with artwork on the walls and small votive candles on the tables. The table was a nice dark wood and the chairs were very comfortable with a soft cushion seat.
I ordered a glass of Malbec to start. We were brought a basket of tasty bread from Rustica Bakery. The butter stole the show with the honey, lemon, sea salt combination. Nothing super powerful, but just nicely done and paired well with the crispy bread from Rustica.
I started with a Butternut Squash soup with Manchego Cheese and Pumpkinseed Oil. The soup was as I expected...excellent! The Manchego Cheese added a nice smooth melty center. Mmmm.... The hubby started with a mixed micro greens salad with olive oil, sherry vinegar, and Parmesan. He enjoyed the salad as well - the micro greens provided a nice peppery taste to the salad.
My main entree was the Amish Chicken Breast with risotto, sunchokes, and mushrooms. The sunchokes were a nice semi-sweet crunch. The risotto was not as creamy as I typically like, but then again it did not seem as heavy either. The chicken was fall of the bone tender. Unfortunately I did not get a lot of taste from the chicken. I think it could have used a little salt. The hubby went with the Spiced Oxtail wit Creamy Polenta, Kale, and Crisp Serrano. He seemed to really enjoy the combination. The oxtail was very tender and had a bit of a kick to it.
We finished off the evening with dessert. The hubby went with the small cheese plate. This was served with 4 different types of cheeses. The servings were very generous and we wondered what the large plate would have been like. I chose to go with the Espresso Semi-Freddo Terrine with "Toblerone" Sauce. It was topped with cocoa nibs that gave a crunch with each bite. The Toblerone Sauce was a great tasting chocolate sauce - definitely the highlight of the dish.
We both enjoyed the evening and the restaurant. While the emphasis on using what's in season is admirable and makes sense, it also makes for a rather limited menu. This might be a restaurant that is good to get to 4 times a year. Next up...Spring!
Happy Eating!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
January in Review
Well, I thought I was going to get back to my blogging ways with 2011 and here it is February 1st and it's my 3rd post of the year. What can I say...I was in a bit of a "funk" in January. Just stumbled across this article which I thought was very fitting for me. A couple of her changes were things I did in January too. I tried new recipes and took up snow shoeing!
Though I was in a bit of a funk, we did manage to start 2011 off with new restaurants. I'm just going to provide a quick review of the new ones we tried and then will get back to more normal reviews.
We started the year with Sandy's Tavern. The website claims "Home of the Best Burgers." While that may be a bit of an overstatement, the burgers were very good! We had driven by this restaurant a number of times and always thought we should try it. It was well worth the visit and we'll be back. We like to find the burger joints!
A few weeks ago we tried Jack's Restaurant for lunch. I had a very good cup of butternut squash bisque and the Farmer's Pantry salad which consisted of cheese, red onions, carrots, wild rice, greens and a shallot vinaigrette. The wild rice provided a bit of a crunch with the salad. The hubby went with the garden nosh plate - lots of different spreads to try. The bread there was fabulous!
We left Jack's in search of dessert somewhere and stumbled upon the newly reopened Blackbird Cafe. The old location of this restaurant was destroyed by a fire about a year ago. We were never huge fans of the old space. The new space is fabulous! The hubby was still a tad hungry after the nosh plate, so he ordered the handcut fries with rosemary aioli while I had a very nice cup of earl grey tea. We then split dessert - the Pecan Bar. Basically it was pecan pie with vanilla ice cream. It was so incredibly delicious and sinful!
Cocina del Barrio one day for lunch. The chicken/black bean tostadas are a must for any visit to the Barrio restaurants! The corn chowder is also quite tasty. Nice location, less noisy than the downtown Barrios - definitely plays to the suburban crowd more than the other locations.
We had a mid-week dinner with Reservations for One at Travail Kitchen and Amusement. Not sure why they don't have their own website yet, but I think even those readers without Facebook can get to the site on Travail. This restaurant was worth the hype. It's a gastropub. Pub like atmosphere with gourmet type dishes. I can't even begin to describe all of the wonderful plates we tried. All of it was great! Definitely will go back there. They don't take reservations though, so plan ahead and get there early. We were there when they opened and they had a line waiting within 30 minutes or so.
We visited the new location of Rice Paper. This restaurant is the reason I now can eat tofu. The tofu puff appetizers are so tasty that I hold all tofu up to their standards. I then tried a Delta Bowl with chicken. Let me tell you, that was a rough dish to try and eat gracefully. It basically is a soup dish, but with lots of noodles. Very hard to eat without getting the broth all over. Live and learn as they say...
Next we tried Raku. Raku is a Japanese restaurant that has recently opened. The decor is quite nice. Soft and quiet. The food was fine, but I wouldn't rush back to it. I ordered a tempura dish and it was just too fried for me. I know that is the what tempura is, but I didn't think about it being quite like that.
Finally, we went to The Hanger Room for brunch. I had a chicken, arugula, feta omelet that was served with a well-seasoned serving of potatoes. The potatoes were little cubes, not hash browns, but similar. I also tried the maple coil sausage from Fischer Farms. The sausage was the highlight of the meal for me. It had a nice slightly sweet taste. The hubby went with the BLT egg sandwich. It was very good and I think he "won" in the ordering department. The house cut fries that he had were also very good. We don't think this location will be open for brunch very long - not busy enough to sustain it. However, I hope they do well with their dinner offerings. The food is good and I think they will do well in the restaurant scene.
That's the January recap. Lots more restaurants to try in the next 11 months. Stay tuned...
Happy Eating!
Though I was in a bit of a funk, we did manage to start 2011 off with new restaurants. I'm just going to provide a quick review of the new ones we tried and then will get back to more normal reviews.
We started the year with Sandy's Tavern. The website claims "Home of the Best Burgers." While that may be a bit of an overstatement, the burgers were very good! We had driven by this restaurant a number of times and always thought we should try it. It was well worth the visit and we'll be back. We like to find the burger joints!
A few weeks ago we tried Jack's Restaurant for lunch. I had a very good cup of butternut squash bisque and the Farmer's Pantry salad which consisted of cheese, red onions, carrots, wild rice, greens and a shallot vinaigrette. The wild rice provided a bit of a crunch with the salad. The hubby went with the garden nosh plate - lots of different spreads to try. The bread there was fabulous!
We left Jack's in search of dessert somewhere and stumbled upon the newly reopened Blackbird Cafe. The old location of this restaurant was destroyed by a fire about a year ago. We were never huge fans of the old space. The new space is fabulous! The hubby was still a tad hungry after the nosh plate, so he ordered the handcut fries with rosemary aioli while I had a very nice cup of earl grey tea. We then split dessert - the Pecan Bar. Basically it was pecan pie with vanilla ice cream. It was so incredibly delicious and sinful!
Cocina del Barrio one day for lunch. The chicken/black bean tostadas are a must for any visit to the Barrio restaurants! The corn chowder is also quite tasty. Nice location, less noisy than the downtown Barrios - definitely plays to the suburban crowd more than the other locations.
We had a mid-week dinner with Reservations for One at Travail Kitchen and Amusement. Not sure why they don't have their own website yet, but I think even those readers without Facebook can get to the site on Travail. This restaurant was worth the hype. It's a gastropub. Pub like atmosphere with gourmet type dishes. I can't even begin to describe all of the wonderful plates we tried. All of it was great! Definitely will go back there. They don't take reservations though, so plan ahead and get there early. We were there when they opened and they had a line waiting within 30 minutes or so.
We visited the new location of Rice Paper. This restaurant is the reason I now can eat tofu. The tofu puff appetizers are so tasty that I hold all tofu up to their standards. I then tried a Delta Bowl with chicken. Let me tell you, that was a rough dish to try and eat gracefully. It basically is a soup dish, but with lots of noodles. Very hard to eat without getting the broth all over. Live and learn as they say...
Next we tried Raku. Raku is a Japanese restaurant that has recently opened. The decor is quite nice. Soft and quiet. The food was fine, but I wouldn't rush back to it. I ordered a tempura dish and it was just too fried for me. I know that is the what tempura is, but I didn't think about it being quite like that.
Finally, we went to The Hanger Room for brunch. I had a chicken, arugula, feta omelet that was served with a well-seasoned serving of potatoes. The potatoes were little cubes, not hash browns, but similar. I also tried the maple coil sausage from Fischer Farms. The sausage was the highlight of the meal for me. It had a nice slightly sweet taste. The hubby went with the BLT egg sandwich. It was very good and I think he "won" in the ordering department. The house cut fries that he had were also very good. We don't think this location will be open for brunch very long - not busy enough to sustain it. However, I hope they do well with their dinner offerings. The food is good and I think they will do well in the restaurant scene.
That's the January recap. Lots more restaurants to try in the next 11 months. Stay tuned...
Happy Eating!
Sunday, January 2, 2011
2010 in Review
Once again the hubby and I did quite the job of hitting new restaurants. We really should keep a running list throughout the year and not just wait until January 1 to try and remember - we aren't getting any younger after all!
In our current tally of new restaurants for 2010, I come in at 73, while the hubby comes in at a respectable 67. Yes, for all of you math whizzes, that is over 1 new restaurant a week. New restaurants is our hobby! Maybe for 2011 our hobby will include more gym time as well.
I won't bore you with all of the restaurants we've been too, but will provide a few highlights:
(and where we dined on New Year's Eve).......
Piccolo
My NYE review of Piccolo will be posted in the next few days.
Happy Eating in 2011!
In our current tally of new restaurants for 2010, I come in at 73, while the hubby comes in at a respectable 67. Yes, for all of you math whizzes, that is over 1 new restaurant a week. New restaurants is our hobby! Maybe for 2011 our hobby will include more gym time as well.
I won't bore you with all of the restaurants we've been too, but will provide a few highlights:
- Best tatertot hotdish/casserole - Haute Dish
- Best burger - Victory 44
- Best pastry - Linzer 46 - Patisserie 46
- Best breakfast sandwich - Cocoa & Fig's fried egg sandwich
- Best pork candy - Subo
- Best surprise find for me - Ghandi Mahal - Indian cuisine
- Best surprise dish for hubby - fettuccine/haricots verts - Corner Table
- Best lemon ricotta hotcakes - Purple Sandpiper
- Biggest disappointment for hubby - Prairie Ale House, followed by Forepaugh's and Giuseppe's
- Biggest disappointment for me - Firelake Grill
(and where we dined on New Year's Eve).......
Piccolo
My NYE review of Piccolo will be posted in the next few days.
Happy Eating in 2011!
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Town Hall Brewery
The hubby and I stopped by the second location of Town Hall Brewery recently for a late lunch. We had talked about going to the original location on campus for some time, but just had never made it there. The new location is more convenient for us and so we gave it a try.
The restaurant space itself is good - the last restaurant to occupy that space had a dark interior, but Town Hall Brewery has lightened up the color. They have a few TVs for those that want to watch a game. They don't take over the place though and so we actually could have a conversation without being sidetracked by the television.
We both had the Original Town Hall Burger which was served with french fries. The burger itself was very well seasoned and I thought I tasted Worcestershire sauce in the mix. It came with a seasoned mayonnaise that was very good with the burger. We both only had half of our burger and had the leftovers a day later. The burger was great the next day as well!
The fries were good. The hubby liked them better than I did. They had some kind of batter coating which I don't care for as much. They were served with a nacho cheese sauce which gave the meal a little zing.
Nice stop for a late lunch if you are in South Mpls.
Happy Eating!
The restaurant space itself is good - the last restaurant to occupy that space had a dark interior, but Town Hall Brewery has lightened up the color. They have a few TVs for those that want to watch a game. They don't take over the place though and so we actually could have a conversation without being sidetracked by the television.
We both had the Original Town Hall Burger which was served with french fries. The burger itself was very well seasoned and I thought I tasted Worcestershire sauce in the mix. It came with a seasoned mayonnaise that was very good with the burger. We both only had half of our burger and had the leftovers a day later. The burger was great the next day as well!
The fries were good. The hubby liked them better than I did. They had some kind of batter coating which I don't care for as much. They were served with a nacho cheese sauce which gave the meal a little zing.
Nice stop for a late lunch if you are in South Mpls.
Happy Eating!
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Haute Dish
I've been interested in trying Haute Dish since I first heard about it opening and saw that one of their signature items was Tater Tot Hotdish (casserole for those of you south of here!). The hubby, Reservations for One, and I hit it up this weekend for a little pre-Christmas dinner.
The restaurant is in a narrow but very long space. We were escorted by the bar and the front dining room to the back area right by the kitchen. We felt like we might as well have been sitting by the stove with how hot it was in the back room. I was ok, but the hubby and RFO complained about it a bit.
I started out with a glass of La Core Salice - a red wine of some varietal. It was the cheapest on the menu and unfortunately tasted like it as well. I'm sure the second glass would have been fine...the second glass always tastes better! I passed and stuck with water. The hubby ordered a Crispen Hard Cider which is a fermented apple cider beverage served over ice. He has enjoyed it before and it didn't disappoint this time as well.
The three of us shared the Mac & Cheese which was made with large pasta noodles, king crab meat, tallegio cheese, and of course...truffle. It had a bit of a kick with perhaps cayenne or something along those lines. It was very good. I also tried their "Soup of the Moment" which was some sort of pumpkin or squash soup with a super tasty homemade tater tot stuffed with duck confit. I could have had another tot or two with the soup.
The hubby was considering between the Brussel Sprouts Casserole or the Flavor Country Burger. The server said the burger was the best she's had so he went with her recommendation. I'm not sure what all was on his burger, but I believe it included cheese and bacon. He wouldn't let me get close enough to it to really see. It was very good according to him. The burger was served with salt and vinegar fries. He did share his fries with RFO and me - thankfully!
RFO and I both went with the Tater Tot Haute Dish. This dish is a deconstructed hot dish with each ingredient separated but served together. The dish included short ribs, baby green beans, porcini bechamel and tater tots. The short ribs were like a good pot roast - so tender and tasty. RFO said this was one reason she could never be a vegetarian. It was that good! The green beans were crisp and fresh. The tater tots. Well, they had a center of bechamel that just made every bite a delicious, creamy experience. Our only complaint was there were simply not enough tots. So good! While there were other items on the menu that looked appealing too, I would have a hard time going back and not getting the Tater Tot Haute Dish again. So. Good!
We ended our dinner with dessert. RFO and I both had carrot cake and the hubby had the Tapioca dessert. Our carrot cake included kumquats, coriander, and parsnip. It was served with some sort of ice cream that was very tasty. The tapioca was presented with chocolate, sesame, and coconut. It is hard to describe, but it had a piece of chocolate cake, spoonfuls of tapioca on the side and some coconut crisps. He thought it was very good but...RFO and I determined that fork marks on our hands were not a good idea so we did not try to take a bite of his dessert. RFO also enjoyed a French Press decaf coffee with her dessert.
We had a good evening and would definitely go back and try it again!
With all of the snow on the ground, valet parking was the way to go. A little pricey, but worth not having to drive around looking for a spot and trying to walk over snow piles.
Happy Eating!
The restaurant is in a narrow but very long space. We were escorted by the bar and the front dining room to the back area right by the kitchen. We felt like we might as well have been sitting by the stove with how hot it was in the back room. I was ok, but the hubby and RFO complained about it a bit.
I started out with a glass of La Core Salice - a red wine of some varietal. It was the cheapest on the menu and unfortunately tasted like it as well. I'm sure the second glass would have been fine...the second glass always tastes better! I passed and stuck with water. The hubby ordered a Crispen Hard Cider which is a fermented apple cider beverage served over ice. He has enjoyed it before and it didn't disappoint this time as well.
The three of us shared the Mac & Cheese which was made with large pasta noodles, king crab meat, tallegio cheese, and of course...truffle. It had a bit of a kick with perhaps cayenne or something along those lines. It was very good. I also tried their "Soup of the Moment" which was some sort of pumpkin or squash soup with a super tasty homemade tater tot stuffed with duck confit. I could have had another tot or two with the soup.
The hubby was considering between the Brussel Sprouts Casserole or the Flavor Country Burger. The server said the burger was the best she's had so he went with her recommendation. I'm not sure what all was on his burger, but I believe it included cheese and bacon. He wouldn't let me get close enough to it to really see. It was very good according to him. The burger was served with salt and vinegar fries. He did share his fries with RFO and me - thankfully!
RFO and I both went with the Tater Tot Haute Dish. This dish is a deconstructed hot dish with each ingredient separated but served together. The dish included short ribs, baby green beans, porcini bechamel and tater tots. The short ribs were like a good pot roast - so tender and tasty. RFO said this was one reason she could never be a vegetarian. It was that good! The green beans were crisp and fresh. The tater tots. Well, they had a center of bechamel that just made every bite a delicious, creamy experience. Our only complaint was there were simply not enough tots. So good! While there were other items on the menu that looked appealing too, I would have a hard time going back and not getting the Tater Tot Haute Dish again. So. Good!
We ended our dinner with dessert. RFO and I both had carrot cake and the hubby had the Tapioca dessert. Our carrot cake included kumquats, coriander, and parsnip. It was served with some sort of ice cream that was very tasty. The tapioca was presented with chocolate, sesame, and coconut. It is hard to describe, but it had a piece of chocolate cake, spoonfuls of tapioca on the side and some coconut crisps. He thought it was very good but...RFO and I determined that fork marks on our hands were not a good idea so we did not try to take a bite of his dessert. RFO also enjoyed a French Press decaf coffee with her dessert.
We had a good evening and would definitely go back and try it again!
With all of the snow on the ground, valet parking was the way to go. A little pricey, but worth not having to drive around looking for a spot and trying to walk over snow piles.
Happy Eating!
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Pizzeria Lola
The area has seen a surge in new pizza places to try - not a bad trend for those of us who like to try new restaurants and could eat pizza every day of the week! First up...Pizzeria Lola!
Pizzeria Lola has only been open a couple of weeks and we heard the lines to get in can be long. We were the early birds and managed to walk right in and grab a two top. Good thing...within 30 minutes of our arrival the wait was 30-45 minutes.
It's a small restaurant minimally decorated around a huge wood fired oven. There is a bar area toward the back of the restaurant which was packed with people waiting for a table. Not a ton of room, but at least they will always be full. It's in a great neighborhood with lots of families nearby so I think there will always be a lot of children around. Definitely kid friendly.
I was impressed with their list of local tap beers. I went with Fulton's Lonely Blonde Ale - super good! Can't wait until Fulton is in bottles! Just a nice refreshing end to the week.
The pizzas are about a plate size 10-12 inches and we were told 2 pizzas would be good to share if we weren't getting anything else. We went with that advice since we couldn't agree on what we wanted. I got the special which included fig, Gorgonzola cheese, and guanciale. Guanciale was described as something similar to prosciutto. It was thinner, crispier and more translucent than prosciutto. It was very good and the pizza was a hit with both of us!
The hubby went with The Boise which included potato, fontina, caramelized onion and rosemary. It was also very good, but I think I won with the special. I'll be glad to go back and try other options soon!
We finished with dessert. I had the ice cream sandwich which was homemade ice cream between two chocolate chip cookies. So. Good. The hubby just had a dish of vanilla ice cream with cocoa nibs. It was good, but a little pricey for a dish of ice cream.
All in all we were very pleased with the restaurant. They have a few kinks to work out in their service - the hubby had to wait a long time for a refill of his soda, even though the waiter had asked him twice if he wanted one. They also had some booths that weren't turned very quickly. They could have seated parties and then brought out the plates and silverware. Instead, the bar area was packed when some of those people could have at least been sitting in a booth getting closer to the yummy goodness of the pizza. These kinks can get worked out and I think Pizzeria Lola will do a killer business.
Pizzeria Lola has only been open a couple of weeks and we heard the lines to get in can be long. We were the early birds and managed to walk right in and grab a two top. Good thing...within 30 minutes of our arrival the wait was 30-45 minutes.
It's a small restaurant minimally decorated around a huge wood fired oven. There is a bar area toward the back of the restaurant which was packed with people waiting for a table. Not a ton of room, but at least they will always be full. It's in a great neighborhood with lots of families nearby so I think there will always be a lot of children around. Definitely kid friendly.
I was impressed with their list of local tap beers. I went with Fulton's Lonely Blonde Ale - super good! Can't wait until Fulton is in bottles! Just a nice refreshing end to the week.
The pizzas are about a plate size 10-12 inches and we were told 2 pizzas would be good to share if we weren't getting anything else. We went with that advice since we couldn't agree on what we wanted. I got the special which included fig, Gorgonzola cheese, and guanciale. Guanciale was described as something similar to prosciutto. It was thinner, crispier and more translucent than prosciutto. It was very good and the pizza was a hit with both of us!
The hubby went with The Boise which included potato, fontina, caramelized onion and rosemary. It was also very good, but I think I won with the special. I'll be glad to go back and try other options soon!
We finished with dessert. I had the ice cream sandwich which was homemade ice cream between two chocolate chip cookies. So. Good. The hubby just had a dish of vanilla ice cream with cocoa nibs. It was good, but a little pricey for a dish of ice cream.
All in all we were very pleased with the restaurant. They have a few kinks to work out in their service - the hubby had to wait a long time for a refill of his soda, even though the waiter had asked him twice if he wanted one. They also had some booths that weren't turned very quickly. They could have seated parties and then brought out the plates and silverware. Instead, the bar area was packed when some of those people could have at least been sitting in a booth getting closer to the yummy goodness of the pizza. These kinks can get worked out and I think Pizzeria Lola will do a killer business.
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