Lola Lola's

Lola's Menu

3312 Esplanade Ave. (Ponce de Leon St.)
New Orleans, LA 70119
504-488-6946
Map
Cuisine: Spanish
Lola’s is the destination for paella in New Orleans.
Openings: Dinner nightly


Lola's Restaurant Review:


With its nondescript, storefront exterior, Lola's sits right on the edge of a residential neighborhood filled with ethnic restaurants, po’ boy joints and corner groceries. But the place has become an anchor. Fewer than a dozen tables fill a room that can be raucous when babes in arms join their parents. The kitchen, completely open to the dining room, adds its voice to the babble. Outside, patrons frequently wait an hour or more, an endurance test that sometimes has to be suffered standing. Is the food at this minuscule spot worth the hassle? The lines outside the door clearly answer that question. Garlic soup is a fine starter, and the paella would easily hold its own against any other in New Orleans, where very few places prepare authentic paella; order it for one to four diners. Grilled tuna is served with a spicy mojo sauce, while Gorgonzola sauce accents the marinated rack of lamb. The house red wine, Tapeña Garnacha, is rich and fruity, but just peppery enough to be a good complement to paella. There's beer, and you may bring your own wine. Several house-made desserts will vie for your attention, but we recommend the flan.