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| - How we managed to get lucky enough, to have a place like Lola's right up the street from where we live, I'll never know. I'm also smart enough to know not to question it - just to be grateful and reap the benefits whenever we can. And we DO!
The staff is as warm and friendly as the food is out of this world. No matter WHAT it is you're getting, may I suggest one of the most heavenly side dishes you will ever eat...the Gouda Grits with the mushroom ragout. Chef Lola was inspired by the divine when she whipped up that one. It's not just good enough to spread onto a shoe and eat; I jokingly told her once that if I ever hit big money at one of the casinos, I want to fill up a bathtub with it and just dive in!!!
As for the other dishes, this is authentic Cajun/Creole-style cuisine. I can remember having this kind of food when I was in 'Nawlins' last, so prepare yourself accordingly. If you prefer your food on the milder, even blander side, this probably is NOT the place for you. Though as far as my experience goes, nothing here is spicy enough to send you to the ER. But this ain't bowls of Cream of Wheat, either.
My typical meal there always starts with the Hot Crab and Artichoke dip. Served with the freshly grilled Garlic Bread, the creamy, salty goodness of the Dip, with hearty chunks of lump crabmeat and tender artichoke pieces is hard to go wrong with. I usually pair that up with the spicy, savory Crawpuppies. To be honest, dealing with the real 'crawdads' freaks me out more than a bit, so it's nice that they infused the sweet, briny meat into these perfect spheres that marry it with a really good hush puppy recipe, served with a tasty aioli dipping sauce.
My favorite go-to for the 'Main Event' has become the boneless chicken breasts, which you can have one of four ways. Mine is usually Blackened (with outrageous Cajun spices) or fried, with a choice of two sides. I would strongly suggest the aforementioned, nectar-of-the-gods Gouda grits, and the Low Country Greens, seasoned to a level that ALMOST rivals your Mama's. (And if it does, you already KNOW BETTER than to admit it!) The Country Potato Salad is also guaranteed to bring tears of joy to your eyes. But one of those two paired with any of the stunning veggie or french fry offerings will give you a tasty meal to remember.
And to insure that it stays in your memory banks for a good little while, save room - even if it means taking doggie bags with you - and go for one of Chef Lola's positively sinful desserts.
I shouldn't - and won't - list the sins I might be willing to commit, for another taste of that Bananas Foster Bread pudding. The Bananas Foster and the Bread Pudding, separately are enough to make your stomach do the happy dance. But COMBINED? If they served it at a NATO "peace summit", who knows? We might actually HAVE world peace, and Lola would be up for a Nobel Prize! And don't forget to pair it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Running a close second to that is the Fig Delight, a sumptuous serving of sweet, baked bodaciousness that came THISclose to unseating the BFBP as the ruler of my heart. Also good with that ice cream.
To sum it up, one visit to Lola's will tell you why we, and so many other people, have become regulars. Nobody else in the Valley or outside of it is doing food like this, and we wish for a long and happy run for this restaurant...and plan on continuing helping it along that journey!
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