I've been meaning to try Lola for so long, and finally did this weekend. WOW, it's right on pace with other great tapas spots like Tapino. You can't beat the mid-century style inside. The atmosphere on a Friday night gets an A+ for its buzz and eccentricity. It was loud, vibrant and most importantly, fun.
The food was better than I'd expected. I've read so many mixed reviews of this place on Yelp, so I didn't go in expecting the best. I was blown away (though the prices are indeed a bit steep for tapas plates): the harissa chicken was tender, juicy and packed some serious taste with every tiny bite. The marinated flank steak came with an interesting puree of chili oil, cumin, tamarind and some other spices (it was incredibly smoky, and I'm not sure what the source of it was, but it was damn good) and was cooked just right, medium rare and tender as can be. The special of the night, an artichoke dip with slivered almonds, manchego cheese and spices was the highlight of the meal, made even better with grilled flatbreads for dipping pleasure. The sangria was such a pleasant treat that I indulged several times over. Next time I'll just order the pitcher.
This is an excellent pre-First Friday noshing spot. You'll find me there from now on.