Her Name Was Lola

Actually its name is Lola Bistro and since MR has requested that I do the write up on our lunch there, I will oblige.

Typically going to high end restaurants is not an activity that one would associate with Wife's clan. However, there is a significant sub-culture of gastronomes consisting of all of my brood plus Styling with RM and her betrothed. So John the Armenian had noted that Cleveland is the home of Iron Chef Michael Symon's restaurant, Lola Bistro a few months ago and said it would be a shame to be so close and not go. Who am I to stand in the way of such an opportunity?

John found they were open for lunch and we had made a reservation for six assuming that Wife and I would join John and MR with room for two more if any wanted to go. With most of the reunion leaving promptly Monday morning we had many takers. Both SwRM and Andrew were up for it as was Mrs. Living in the Sticks and her daughter-in-law, Stacey both of whom had read many of our culinary escapades on the blogs and wanted to see what it was like to take part in one.

The prices for lunch were quite reasonable. As the purpose was gastronomy, we sampled a number of appetizers first. There were:

• Beef Cheek Pirogi
• Toasted Haloumi Cheese with Red Pepper coated Watermelon
• Beet Salad with Goat Cheese

The first was classic Symon focusing on the richness of the meat. The touch of red pepper powder on the melon was an awesome twist with the cheese. We all thought the beet salad very good as well.

Main dishes were:

• Mac and Cheese with roasted chicken and goat cheese
• Mushroom and asparagus salad
• Chickpea salad with hanger steak and a chimichurri like sauce
• Fried Bologna sandwich
• House made Pastrami sandwich
• Grilled cheese sandwich

On the whole we were not as high on these. The mac and cheese was just OK as was the mushroom and asparagus salad and grilled cheese sandwich. the pastrami was very good but not enough fat (hard to believe from a guy like Symon) and with the toasted rye it came out too salty. The chickpea salad and hanger steak (served separately from the salad) were very good and the Fried Bologna sandwich was over the top - like a very subtle, super top notch hot dog. I think we might have done better with more main dish types of plates. However for the price, it was as good or better than one finds day in and day out in most cities.

Four of us enjoyed a bottle of Gavi, a dry, light wine from the Northeast of Italy.

We had a great time sharing all the plates and discussing all the food.