When we arrived, I was really shocked at the change in atmosphere. I have eaten at its predecessor - Papa Razzi - countless times and Lolita Cocina could not have been more different. The restaurant is more sleek and sexy with dim lighting, red hues, candles and roses. The music is loud and gives the restaurant more of a lounge feel, which is exactly what the place is looking for.
We were first seated at corner table that was right under one of the many speakers in the restaurant. Bret and I were yelling to speak to each other and we asked if we could be moved to another table. Our server, Dorina, was incredibly gracious and made the move as seamless as possible.
Lolita really focuses on presentation just as much as it focuses on its food and beverage. You felt this from the very minute you sat down when a bowl of grapefruit granita arrived in a bowl atop of dry ice and drizzled with tequila. This is meant as a palate cleanser but also puts on a fantastic presentation.
We were also presented with a bottle of habanero hot sauce and we were warned that it was incredibly spicy. Bret and I both have a high tolerance of heat and we found this sauce to be a little mild. It starts off with a sweetness and then a slow burn. It wasn't as hot as we expected but it added a nice flavor to some of our dishes.
I was in need of a cocktail so I decided to start out with the Rubio Sangria, which contained rose wine, orange blossom, mandarin napoleon, silver rum, raspberries, grapes and strawberries. My sangria wasn't overly-sweet and would probably be perfect for a hot summer day.
Since we were enjoying our chips and salsa, we decided to just order a side of guacamole to go along with our chips. We decided to go with the Picante Guacamole, which contained chile oil and fresh green chiles. While the guacamole was good, it was definitely lacking in heat and we both thought it was over-priced at $10 for such a small serving.
By this time, I was ready for another cocktail and I decided to try the Te Dulce, which contained Jeremiah sweet tea, peach liquer, fresh muddled lemon, strawberry, mint and soda water. I asked for the cocktail to go easy on the peach liquer. This cocktail was sweet and refreshing but I lost the muddled lemon and mint flavors to the sweetness of the tea, peach liquer and strawberries.
For my entree, I decided to go with the Blackened Mahi Mahi Tacos. This was an excellent choice as the fish had a nice crispy exterior but still tender and flaky inside. I found the chipotle crema to be addictively spicy and I really enjoyed this dish immensely.
Bret ordered the Carne de Vaca Enchiladas, which contained slow cooked short ribs. He loved this dish but probably loved the side order of Zocalo Corn even more.
Finally, we decided to indulge in dessert. I first decided to go for a liquid dessert and ordered a Tequila Cafe, which included Patron XO Cafe, Stoli vanilla vodka and topped with cream and cinnamon. The presentation was beautiful!
But...Bret convinced me to split the chocolate and espresso bread pudding with him, which was topped with coffee ice cream and drizzled with caramel and chocolate sauce. Um, wow. This dessert was rich and dense. Despite our best efforts, we could only tackle about half of it together.
Finally, after several hours, we were ready for the check and we laughed as it arrived with some cotton candy topped with pop rocks. While I am convinced the cotton candy was watermelon flavored, Bret thinks it tasted like blue raspberry. Either way, it made for a unique ending to a lovely meal and some funny photos.
Finally, I must mention that our server, Dorina, was incredibly pleasant the entire evening. She made great recommendations, talked to us about different tequilas, explained the delayed opening of the restaurant, and more. It honestly felt like we were dining with a friend and she made this meal so much more memorable. Her service is a huge reason why I seriously can't wait to return here again.
Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar is located at 271 Dartmouth Street, Boston, MA.
No comments:
Post a Comment