Lola’s: A Louisiana Kitchen Summerlin
Beignets
Cinnamon Roll
Baked French Toast with Norris Cane Syrup
Andouille Sausage
Leidenheimer Grilled Garlic Bread
Fried Chicken and Fresh Baked Waffle with Roasted Pecan, Fig, Strawberry Butter
Bronzed Catfish over Gouda Grits with Andouille Sausage and Mushroom Ragout
Bronzed Shrimp over Gouda Grits with Andouille Sausage and Mushroom Ragout
Sweet Potato Pecan Pie with Chantilly Cream
Louisiana Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Bananas Foster Bread Pudding with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Owned by Lola Elizabeth Pokorny, with one successful spot already located downtown, Lola’s: A Louisiana Kitchen in Summerlin opened without much fanfare amidst the hubbub surrounding the ‘new’ Downtown, but with the mall mobbed by crowds a short drive up Town Center Drive found Ms. Pokorny’s renovated space to be a pleasant experience – the truncated and unannounced ‘weekend brunch’ menu aside. Apparently once a Ruby Tuesday, with a sunny patio offering an al fresco option to those not sold on modest Mardi Gras décor, our party of three was sat quickly at a cozy four-top and with the dining room mostly empty while the bar bustled with football our service could not have been better, a duo of young ladies eager to answer questions and seek feedback while beverages remained brimming. Happily conversing beneath upbeat Cajun instrumentals it would not be long after ordering that the first round of food would arrive and although beignets were a bit too ‘bready’ while Leidenheimer French Toast proved overpriced and underwhelming compared to the restaurant’s signature bread pudding both the supple cinnamon roll and spicy sausage were excellent, the later a recurring theme in round two. Admittedly a bit disappointed in the lack of oysters on the brunch menu, but soon to find solace in items offered as “signatures,” it was with two plates of creamy gouda grits that the meal moved on and with the stick-a-spoon-up-straight base punched up by rich mushroom gravy and snappy Andouille both the shrimp and flaky fish equally shined, an order of chicken and waffles entirely forgettable in the face of such greatness as I mopped the bowls clean with complimentary grilled bread loaded with garlic. At last arriving at dessert, the full menu offered in addition to two specials, it seemed only proper to select the items designated as Lola’s signatures and although the soft chocolate cake was light yet intense while the hybrid pie was truly a ‘best of both worlds’ amalgam of sweet and savory neither could compare to the bread pudding – a steamy block of custard teaming with cinnamon beneath praline crunch and brown sugar sauce tinged with rum.
THREE STARS: Long lamented for being a cookie-cutter planned community where PF Changs and Olive Garden continue to generate long lines, Lola’s is a welcome addition to the area and the sort of place I can only hope continues to proliferate West as “Downtown Summerlin” develops. Obviously new and still finding its footing, particularly with regard to a ‘brunch’ menu that seems muddled and poorly conceptualized in its lack of NOLA favorites like oysters or crawfish, I look forward to seeing how the restaurant evolves over time and only hope that the unwieldy location does not prove too daunting for those preferring to stick to the same ol’ same ol’ spots further south.
RECOMMENDED: Bronzed Catfish or Shrimp with Gouda Grits, Cinnamon Roll, Sweet Potato Pecan Pie, Bananas Foster Bread Pudding.
AVOID: Beignets, Waffles.
TIP: Brunch is offered 10a-2p on Weekends while a daily 4-6pm Happy Hour offers a few bites at discounted prices.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor
http://lolaslasvegas.com/
