We walked into a dead dining hall at 7:30 on a Wednesday night and I felt a little pang of apprehension. The decor is simple and lovely, the lighting soft, and the seasonal tapas menu makes it look like a welcome addition to the Church St. dining scene.
The menu is quite tasty-sounding but the tapas dishes look a little on the expensivo side. $8 for one ravioli? Not in this hood, darlin'. We went with the larger sharing plates and settled on a Spanish tortilla, Ponzu noodles with tofu, and frites with garlicky mayo.
The tortilla was a bit of a disappointment. It was cooked well but was somewhat tasteless. A heavier hand with the tomato topping might have helped. The Ponzu noods, however, were delicious. A bowlful of steamy tamari broth and chewy udon was perfect for that foggy autumn eve. The frites were another miss. Kinda soggy and lukewarm with nary a hint of the promised garlic-ness in the mayo.
I love the location and my mouth drools when I read their menu but I remain unconvinced. I think I'll venture out for brunch next time and indulge in some second chances. Come on, Lola's, make it work!