My wife and I went on a little get away to Cleveland, and there is no way I could come to town without going to one of Michael Symon's restaurants! Lolita is in kind of a Bohemian area with little shops and few other places to eat. There were also a few other local watering holes.
We were planning on going for a late lunch at Lucky's down the street, but they stop serving food at 3 (fyi). We decided to go to a local bar down the street, and wait for Lolita to open at 4. The reason that this is important is I was not dressed for a nice dinner place, so I was a little worried. As we were walking in a guy was sweeping the front steps, and I asked him if they had a dress code. He laughed and said that I was fine.
My wife and I got the baked dates with bacon and a ricotta dip. Yep that's right two appetizers for two people! They were both very very very good! I had the lamb and my wife had the gnocchi. They were both as good as it gets!!!! The lamb was $18 and the gnocchi was $15! That is soooooooo cheap! In Chicago my lamb would have been $28 and it would have been a third of the size!
They have a good beer and wine list. I had a Belgian Lager that I have never had. I can't remember the name(great info right). Something else to keep in mind for any out of towners. I guess in Cleveland you can't get hard alcohol on Sundays. Nothing like pointless laws that only apply one day a week!
If anyone out there knows Michael Symon, can you tell him to open a restaurant in Chicago. How about Riverside!!! I would be there once a week.