I've been trying to go to Lola for some time now and I finally made it there. Since Lola is mostly a tapas kind of restaurant, I had the opportunity to try a variety of dishes and here are the highlights:
1. Jamon Iberico and Manchego cheese platter - 4 stars. The Iberico ham was brilliant, it melts in your mouth and together with Manchego made a perfect pairing with a bottle of Spanish wine. Unfortunately, the portion was on a smaller side for almost EUR 20, especially as far as Manchego cheese was concerned.
2. Shrimp in garlic sauce - 5 stars and the star of the evening. Excellent, with a slightly spicy kick in the sauce and just the right amount of garlic and seasoning. The shrimp was cooked perfectly, it was succulent and soft. I highly recommend this dish.
3. Chorizo in white wine - 3.5-4 stars. A very strong dish that needs something (like a lot of bread or the below mentioned croquettes) to provide some counterbalance. It is very salty and a little spicy and the white wine adds a nice touch of acidity.
4. Mushrooms with asparagus - 3 stars. Very bland and neutral. This dish doesn't stand on its own, but it goes well with the above mentioned chorizo dish.
5. Croquettes (potato) - 5 stars. Wow! So crunchy on the outside and so soft and creamy on the inside. This one is a must as well.
6. Calamari - 4 stars. Good but not great. A little chewier than I would have liked them to be and in a desperate need of a side dip. Also, it could have used more seasoning to provide an extra kick.
They also have a good selection of Spanish wines. The service was friendly and despite the full restaurant the kitchen managed to get the orders out fairly quickly.
Overall, I enjoyed my dining experience at Lola and look forward to going back. read more