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| - I've had two dinners now at Lolita, and both experiences were similar. Lolita is a very good restaurant, top-tier for Cleveland, and a place my wife and I plan to frequent in the future.
I will warn people, though, that if you are immune to the fact that Michael Symon is a famous Iron Chef with an almost religious following in this area, Lolita (like Lola) has its shortcomings.
I can't understand how a restaurant can seat you 30 minutes late and then give you horrible pre-meal bread and you give it 6 stars out of 5. To me, a "better than 5 star" rating is reserved for an absolutely perfect, complaint-free experience.
I was also seated late during my first visit, and right on time during my second. I also was disappointed in the bread, which could rip out a tooth.
The bar staff (Annie and... sorry, don't remember the guy's name) is great. Very friendly and very willing to help. The gentleman bartender gave me a wine recommendation based on my love of the 2007 "The Prisoner" by Orin Swift, and it was a dud recommendation. But, I can chalk that up to personal taste.
Where the Lolita experience shines is during the first course. The dates, the chicken livers, the stuffed pepper, and the beets are all truly outstanding compositions. Some of the best flavors and textures I've had anywhere, including meals that cost 3-4x. The chicken livers are pure heaven.
I have had two average to good entrees, now. I had the hanger steak and the lamb shank at my two visits.
The hanger steak is what you would expect... on the tough side but incredibly flavorful. I know that the latest trend is to use cheap cuts of meat and to make them shine, and sometimes, this works. Sometimes, it is merely "okay." The pile of chickpeas was an eyebrow raiser... lots and lots of chickpeas. They didn't complement the beef in my own personal opinion, which is worth what you're paying for it!
The lamb shank was tiny and the "caviar lentils" were impossible to get on to a fork... I chased them around the bowl my meal was served in all night. The caviar brine flavor in the lentils (I assumed "caviar" designated the size, but it also was an indicator of flavor) overwhelmed the flavor of the lamb shank which was hugely disappointing. Sorry about the dangling participle... the lamb flavor was great. The disappointment came from the fact that the lentils had such a strong flavor as to overwhelm the lamb.
The sides are fantastic. I've now had the brussels sprouts, potatoes, and beans, and they are all wonderful. The most perfect potatoes you'll ever eat.
We had plans to go to the Velvet Tango Room after dinner, so we did not get dessert on our second visit. Dessert on the first visit was great. We had a cherry sorbet and pot du creme, and both were luscious, although nothing terribly innovative, which is OK!
Lolita can be an exceptional value - there wasn't an entree over $19, including the Lake Erie Walleye off-menu special. I think that if I focused on the first course options after a cocktail at the bar, it'd be a 5-star experience.
I'm a Michael Symon fan. But, I have to rate the restaurant on its merits and ignore the fact that Symon has been instrumental in reviving the Cleveland restaurant scene and putting us back on the map.
First Course, I'd give 5 stars.
Main Course, I'd give 3. Nobody at our table, all 4 of us foodies, were impressed.
Sides, I'd give 5.
Dessert, 4.
Details (seating on time and the awful bread), a 3.
When you are an Iron Chef, the details matter.
We'll be back again and again, but we'll probably do small plates.
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