For my Christmas gift, my wife promised me a weekend in Cleveland to dine at the restaurants of the newly named Iron Chef. There's a whole lot I like about both Michael Symon's restaurants, Lola and Lolita. \r
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First off, the staff is overly accommodating. We went into Lolita on a busy Friday night and the hostess managed to squeeze us in for a table. She talked with us and we told her how we had planned to try to dine at both restaurants, but Lola was booked for dinner on Saturday and were not able to get reservations. Minutes later she returned to our table to inform us that if we were still interested in dining at Lola on Saturday, that we had had a 6:30 reservations there! We went to the bar after dinner where she followed up by giving me a signed menu from the Iron Chef and recommended Cleveland hot spots for the rest of our weekend. Her tile should be concierge, not hostess. We also had the chance to talk with the manager, who was also very polite and accommodating as well. Oh, and the food at Lolita was exceptional and moderately priced. I ate pork cheeks for the first time and devoured them! \r
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Saturday at Lola was amazing as well!! I instantly felt like I walked into a swank upscale New York establishment! Again the service was fantastic all around! Our meals were perfectly prepared and were exquisite to the last bite. We were also informed by Lolita staff to indulge in the 6 a.m. special for dessert, which was an amazing and savory water watering treat. I will gladly make another voyage to Cleveland for dining extraordinaire and maple bacon ice cream! My weekend dining experience was UNFORGETTABLE and got even better when Michael Symon himself stopped by the table to say hello to my wife and I. What a way to compete the end of a great excursion to Cleveland. \r
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Looking for a good excuse to come back to indulge again!\r
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Pros: Food to die for and excellent service!
Cons: The six hour drive from Chicago.
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