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| - My dinner at Lolita was fantastic and cemented the location as my favorite of Michael Symon's local eateries. Jumping right into the food, the Roasted Bone Marrow appetizer was phenomenal--highlighted by the perfectly grilled bread which gives you just a touch of crispiness followed by total capitulation to the roasted marrow and your palate. I recall the now-defunct Bar Symon had a scaled-down version of this appetizer that was nowhere near in the same class as this dish. The Roasted Dates were also very good (not quite as good as the bone marrow, but hey) with the almonds, bacon, and chiles complementing the controlled sweetness of the dates.
The Roasted Chicken was solid, but wouldn't challenge Greenhouse Tavern's superb "40 Clove" roasted chicken. The meat was adequately juicy and, to its credit, the skin was nice and crispy. I differ from a lot of the other reviewers on the Fried Brussels Sprouts, which seemed overcooked. I don't think the texture change or the addition of walnuts really added any value to the side dish.
I liked the layout of the restaurant. While you might go to Lola for a business lunch, Lolita fits the bill for having an enjoyable dinner with friends. The intimate dining area manages to work with its small spaces without making diners feel cramped together, though the noise level is pretty high from the surrounding din of conversation. Lolita features a full bar with a couple feature drinks, a nice selection of beers, and a serviceable wine selection mostly in the $40 - $60 per bottle range.
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