Review: Lola in St. Louis

Like the subject of The Kinks song of the same name, your first impression of Lola, the new downtown hot spot filling the void after Crepes in the City suddenly vanished last fall, may not be exactly what you expected. From the bike rack outside made from recycled bike parts to the loft-like interior, the eclectic live music to the French-inspired menu, any number of impressions could fit. In an area often known for being more image-conscious than reliable, Lola strives to be more than just another downtown urban hipster nightclub or full-service restaurant. It straddles both – and the approach works.

With Lola co-owner and music entrepreneur Chris Hansen at the helm (he’s also co-owner of Talent Plus Entertainment and a conga player to boot), it makes sense that live music figures prominently in the mix. Music is so important to Lola’s plan that a live lunchtime serenade by a funk, soul, jazz or blues performer isn’t out of the ordinary. While the menu is not extensive, it hits more than enough high notes to keep even the most casual diner interested and satisfied.

Noshing on a bowl of Prince Edward Island mussels seems just right while grooving on a piped-in soundtrack of Thievery Corporation, especially when those mussels are swimming in a Pernod-splashed sauce of white wine, garlic and butter with shaved fennel, shallots and grape tomatoes. Too bad the thick slice of French bread – too light, too airy, no chewiness – added little except the ability to sponge up that flavorful, fragrant liquid. Snails and Tails is a New Orleans-esque twist on a classic dish with the addition of crawfish, baked in garlic and butter, each of the six depressions of the porcelain escargot plate filled with a heavenly bite-size morsel of crawfish tail and snail.

Chefs Jeremy Bowman and Angela Komis pay as much attention to the food and presentation as Hansen and co-manager Cijo Matthews pay to the ambiance and drink menu. Meal sizes under the “nosh” section fit nicely between small plates and full entrées. A meaty trio of encrusted New Zealand lamb chops, stacked and speared with a sprig of rosemary, had the mild tanginess of Dijon mustard and the gentle crunch of panko bread crumbs, but could have used a bit more pan time to hit medium-rare. The side of carrot purée was so addictive my dining companion suggested adding whipped cream and calling it dessert. (Better to wait for a real dessert, like one of the ever-changing dessert crêpes or a special like the macerated strawberry-fig trifle with graham cracker crumbs, mascarpone and coconut for a tart and sweet, creamy and crunchy ending served in a wine glass.) While, at $12, the lamb was affordable, bigger appetites can add a side for an extra $3.50 charge. I went with both the blue cheese mashed potatoes (creamy, cheesy, tangy) and ratatouille (flavorful and tomatoey), but certainly one would have sufficed.

Yes, Lola has crêpes, eight of them, sweet and savory for brunch and dinner. Good news for those who miss the previous occupant. There’s the Carmen, a pudgy crêpe filled with tender rare beef tenderloin and soft, creamy Boursin cheese topped with greens and fried shallots, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar sauce tying it together. The Lolita, with pancetta, asparagus and caramelized onion, sounded spot-on but was not to be. Seems the server thought I asked for the Lola, which wasn’t a bad crêpe: ratatouille and goat cheese topped with crème fraiche, but it was just too creamy when my taste buds were primed for bacon and onions. Chalk it up to a busy room and a loud jam-groove band playing. Otherwise, service was brisk and competent during several visits.

A special of rare ahi tuna on a bed of mixed greens topped with a Mediterranean relish laced with garlic was barely seared, its interior cool and crimson. It would fool a native Hawaiian if he didn’t know it was previously frozen. Nothing wrong with frozen fish as long as it tastes fresh, isn’t mushy and isn’t priced like flown-in fish – at $19, this one passed the test. Topped with kalamata olives, capers and tomatoes, drizzled with a bit of white sauce and accompanied by roasted potato wedges, the dish was as close to a full-size entrée as you’re going to get at Lola. Fish and chips (the “chips” here are potato chips, not fries, provided by local company Billy Goat Chips) come arranged in a parchment paper-lined metal cone – that’s fun – with house-made creamy and spicy tartar sauce on the side that tended to overpower the lightly seasoned battered cod chunks (but made for a great dipping sauce for the chips). I hope the special sausage, gnocchi and fennel soup shows up as a regular, not only because of its brothy, meaty deliciousness, but because unlike most sausage soups, the meat was chopped enough so you got every ingredient in each spoonful. The gnocchi, though, was a distraction: too doughy.

Any new restaurant or club worth its weight in cracked ice must serve fancy, retro-ish drinks, and Lola doesn’t disappoint with its boozy concoctions. Given the French-influenced menu, it’s not surprising to find French wines on the list; surprising is the number (around 14) and decent value.

The band playing often dictates the crowds on particular nights, so it’s not unusual to find a diverse demographic enjoying the night under one roof. And while there’s no dance floor, there may be a ballroom dancer or two swirling around, because, well, things aren’t always what you expect.

To read sommelier Glenn Bardgett's take on Lola's wine and cocktail lists, visit The Sommelier's Take in the reviews section.

NEW AND NOTABLE
Don’t-Miss Dish: Snails and Tails, Lola’s Lamb Lolis, Mussels Pernod
Vibe: Comfy loft feel and an eclectic crowd, but with high ceilings and exposed brick walls, the noise level can supersede the chill vibe.
Entrée Prices: $8 to $12, with some specials hitting $19
Where: Lola, 500 N. 14th St., St. Louis, 314.621.7277
When: Mon. – 4 p.m. to 1:30 a.m., Tue. to Fri. – 11 a.m. to 1:30 a.m., Sat. – 9:30 a.m. to
1:30 a.m., Sun. – 9:30 a.m. to midnight