this was my first time to cleveland, and i have to say that the city is too quiet for a city! lolita's is in the historic district, which is supposedly to be a more lively area of the city. man - it felt a little bit like ghost town in comparison to DC. however, when we walked into lolita's, it was pretty lively. there were several empty tables, but the waitresses wouldnt seat us and said there were only seats at the bar. I guess you have to make a reservation before hand... luckily there were two open spots at the bar. the bartender was nice and friendly, and easy to talk to and everyone that sat around us was very friendly.
food:
duck meatballs - moist and delicious. it was good, but the marinara sauce on it was so plain and regular that it lost points for me there.
mussels - ehhh... there was still sand in my mussels. i hate places who dont let them soak in water before cooking to get rid of the sand.
porcini crusted sirloin - cooked to perfection, but i got really full on the apps that i didnt have much room for the steak.
fried brussels sprouts - HOLY MOLY. BEST SIDE EVER. never thought that brussel sprouts could taste so freakin delicious, but they did. AMAZING. the entree with the side was worth 4 stars on its own.
i really wish i couldve tasted more items... but i was just too full to eat anymore. Chef Symon definitely has a good feel for ingredients and flavors... def worth a visit.