A Saturday in New Orleans, Part III: Lola’s

I was recently invited to join a good friend, TVO, at Lola’s in New Orleans. This small Spanish gem is tucked into a large house on Esplanade Avenue in Mid-City. 

Now I especially love eating in New Orleans. There are so many fantastic restaurants (if you avoid tourist drab) in such a small metropolitan area; that combined with a smaller post-Katrina population and tourists creates a level of competition that drives out all bad meals. If you are in or soon visiting New Orleans, check out local food critic Tom Fitzmorris’ www.nomenu.com for a comprehensive list of what restaurants are open, complete with a pretty trusty rating system. 

The specialty at Lola’s is the paella. This thick rice dish is one of my favorites and so hard to find in the states, so I was pretty excited to see it as the focal point in the menu. Lola’s paella is made in the traditional fashion in their fabulous open-air kitchen, and the whole dining room smells of saffron and rich stocks. 

We started with a traditional ceviche and a bottle of Septima Malbec. Each restaurant makes their ceviche differently, and Lola’s was not a disappointment. It had a super crisp aroma of citrus and fresh fish, and an equally beguiling flavor. Chunks of whitefish, avocado, shrimp, tomatoes, red onion and peppers all marinated in lime juice. Yum yum, indeed. 

The paella came out after some time (paella is rather time intensive). My friend had ordered the meat variety (beef, chicken, sausage) while I had chosen the seafood variety. Both were steaming hot and served in the traditional paella skillet. 

The saffron flavor in each was delicate and subtle -- a little saffron goes a long way. The rice was fluffy and juicy and burst with flavor. Baby octopus sprinkled in with calamari rings, scallops, hunks of whitefish, shrimp, lobster. I felt like I had died and gone to heaven. 

We closed Lola’s down that night. The combination of great wine, tantalizing food, snappy conversation, and steamy temperatures make dining in New Orleans a real treat. I truly suggest a trip just for the food.