Inconsistency: The hobgoblin of new restaurants
While we try to avoid writing about the same places over and over, our most recent trip to Lola's deserves a mention.New eateries are notoriously prone to problems, but after 7 months and several visits I have found Lola's to be wildly consistent. Simply put, every single meal I've eaten there has been absolutely exceptional. The pizza is great, of course (with the sausage and onion being my recent favorite), and their wonderfully imaginative salads are unlike anything in Charleston. I can easily imagine a restaurant getting by on the quality of these salads alone. Lookee:
All of this stands in contrast to the problems some of Charleston's other new restaurants have displayed--like the bone-dry burgers and grey salmon at the Power Alley Grill, and the cold food and slow service at the Bluegrass Kitchen. What was once Lola's only "problem"--the occasionally long wait to get a table--seems to have subsided a bit, especially on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. (Now you know about the good nights to go.) If you're a pizza or salad lover and still haven't been to Lola's, you're missing out on one of Charleston's very best restaurants.
27 Comments:
Well, to be fair, you did omit one huge problem at Lola's - the difficulty of deciding what to order. Hmm...maybe they could offer some selections by the slice, just so people could sample them?
Outrageously priced, and not impressive, sorry but pizza is small, even a large! and toppings are scant. Spent over $48.00 and had very little food to show for it. Won't return.
I will have to say the food is very tasty, but it seems to be too expensive when its all said in done for a pizza and some lettuce. But hey do you expect, another yuppy place for people to be seen spending too much money. (I am sure 1/2 the people venture over to Bridge Road Bistro afterwards for a drink just to be seen there also).
yes, pizza by the slice is a great idea, and each slice will cost $5.
So then, anonymous commenters, what's your favorite pizza in Charleston?
If you value portion size over quality, I remind you that Husson's delivers.
The pizza with spicy shrimp AND the veggie pizza are mouth candy at Soho's. But the anonymous reverse snobs probably don't go there either -- sometimes, it's good to pay for atmosphere and quality.
I love the mushroom/caramelized onion pizza at Soho's. I tried the spicy shrimp & goat cheese pizza once and I got food poisoning (puked all night long). I figured I got a bad shrimp. I've been afraid to order it since.
I've been to Lola's once, and I thought it was fantastic. True, it cost more than a pizza from the frozen aisle at Foodland. It also tastes better. Don't blame us snobs, friends—blame Adam Smith and his damned invisible hand.
Am I right that Lola's is this market's only entry in the "high-end casual" category? That's a pretty bold place to be in Charleston. Most folks here want their pizza like the anonymouses: big, cheap, and crappy. It takes a bit of a leap to grasp the idea of paying extra for really good pizza (as opposed to steak or lobster or something that people expect to be pricey whether it's good or not)—especially knowing that some of your neighbors think it's not just foolish, but borderline immoral. OK, it's a very, very small leap. But businesses here have failed over less; it's harsh country for leaping. If Lola's lasts (and I think they have a great chance), it'll be a minor local breakthrough.
Lola's is one of the few places in town where I don't feel guilty spending too much. It does get a little expensive, but the quality, the taste and the service are worth it to me. And I don't go there to be seen.
husson's and lola's are apples and oranges.
if you enjoy lola's, take a trip to Fayetteville and dine at pies and pints. the ramp, potato and bacon pie is artisan new appalahian cuisine done well. libate with sammy smith.
I've only found that Lola's is really expensive when you go the "make your own" route - those toppings add up WAY too quickly! The regular pizzas are so good, they are worth the splurge!
And the sangria - ooooooohhhhhhh!
Wow. One would thing uber snobs like yourselves would actually read one's post and think about it before commenting.
"I will have to say the food is very tasty," does not imply that Lola's does not serve one fine tasty pizza (although the shrimp pizza at sohos is a delight). However, it is the atmosphere of snobbery which brings it down and other places like it in Charleston.
I dare you to say that the these places do not have the same 50 lawyers drinking their same glass of wine every single weekend. Rotate eatery, repeat, rinse. Do it again next weekend.
What choice does one have really as there are a whole 5-7 decent choices in Charleston. (btw, Sitar is the #1, but where is my Taj Mahal beer?).
Oh yes, I will add that I recently went to New York and had pizza at "the best pizza place in New York" and I will have to say, it was the best pizza and resembled nothing like the pie you get at Lola's. Imagine that, people like different things. Pleae continue to compare Hussons (which acutally is better then most in Charleston) and Lolas/Sohos. I havent laughed enough today.
With nearly 2000 lawyers in Charleston, I guess we should just be glad we're drinking with 50.
Of course you can find better pizza in NYC - you can find better everything in NYC. That fact, plus commentary on the atmosphere at Lola's, were both addressed by Josh in the first post on this blog.
I don't think anyone's slamming Husson's (or Graziano's, or Papa John's for that matter), at least, I'm not. I just wouldn't call Lola's "outrageously priced" (have you bought a pizza from Pizza Hut lately?) and it's just a fact that you can't get pizza like that (I'm mostly referring to the types of toppings they have) anywhere else in town. The point of mentioning Husson's is that if it's cheap, huge pizzas that people want (and I know that I do sometimes), then no, Lola's isn't the place to go. Apples and oranges, as someone else said. Or maybe red delicious apples and granny smiths.
As for the "50 lawyers," see that first post for Josh's take. I'll refrain from being too harsh, lest I malign my entire profession, but let's just say that I know all too well what you're talking about. However, I have not found that the air of snobbery extends to the waitstaff at Lola's, just some of the clientele. Personally, my desire for yummy food will beat out my desire for an ideal social scene every time.
It's obvious that you could take any random corner hole-in-the-wall pizza joint out of NYC, stick it in Charleston, and it would instantly be the best pizza place within hundreds of miles.
And yeah, I get tired of listening to the same group of doctors n' lawyers n' such at Lolas. I also don't like sitting next to a G.W. high school mini-reunion every time I go there. But the food is good. I'm not a "snob" because I think the food is worth the trouble.
Once, again, I have never been harsh (the opposite actually) of the food at Lola's. It just that sometimes, at me for least, the scene can tarnish the food. Luckily for you the food can overcome.
However, in an era of takeout (especially on one's deck/patio in this nice weather), it seems easier to get it to go then pay 3.5 a beer (soho's , whats up with that), and tag an extra 20 percent tip onto it all.
(Yes Jennifer, I saw your antish snob comment concerning the Jazz festival :-p)
I digress, time to comment on the Chinese article, which was excellent btw.
Isn't it kind of snobby being able to even afford a deck/patio, teh anti snob That's rather uppity. You should be eating on an overturned pickle bucket for the most anti-effete effect.
Oy gevalt! How did lawyers and laissez-faire economics get on the pizza blog!!
Lola's is great! The food is excellent(my fave is the spinach pie with the basalmic glaze, yum!) -- and honestly, the owner is one of the nicest, down-to-earth girls I know. Who gives a crap who you dine with--eat your food and leave or get take out!
For the price-- I don't mind paying a little more for quality ingredients and the work that goes into it.
Another note on the price: the husband and I ordered a pie from Papa John's a few weeks ago and spent $20 for a delivered, 2 topping pizza.
Btw, was at Lola's Saturday night and as I said before it was "tasty" and to my delight the place was 1/2 full from 7-9pm+. Couldnt figure out why it was empty. Holiday weekend I presume.
Oh, and to the anon. poster who thinks decks and patios are only for rich snobs, you must not get out much into rural W.Va. Every house house has a front porch. But I will eat your pickle anyways. As long as it stored in a fridge. No warm ones please. Lechatnoir, coupons are your friends.
Could the people who own Lola's buy the Bluegrass Kitchen so that we can have some good food on the East End?
Ooof. If the number of lawyers in a restaurant in Charleston determines whether you'll eat there, then you must cook for yourself most times. Just ignore them. Besides...would you rather eat alongside 100 hipsters talking about Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and their latest found art installations?
East end annie is, 'out to lunch'!
The Blue Grass Kitchen are in
their infancy stage. Watch them
grow under the fine command of
the Steele family. Lola's is an
excellent and fresh option when
dining in or out.
What is it with all of these labels
everyone is so intent on putting
on someone who studied more
diligently in school than others?
Lola's or Blue Grass Kitchen will
take your money no matter what
walk of life you come from in this
world. The problem seems to be we
get too caught up in who is eating
beside us. Are we that socially
sick we cannot make a leap and
accept those who are different
from us? What gives? Those that
have more please go out and support
as often as you like. Those that
have less, save and go out when
you can...Both restaurants are
great choices and are both family
owned...Food for thought...
The Bluegrass Kitchen has had over year to get its act together. I'd really like to like the place - it's convenient and god knows the East End needs it. However, after five trips there of increasingly bad food I've given up. The Steele's may be salt of the earth folks, but the food is just plain bad and the service worse. Just my opinion, if you like the place I mean no offense.
I have to agree with Quirky. The Bluegrass Kitchen is simply not up to par, and, in fact, looks and feels alot more like some kids "playing" at having a restaurant. The staff is very unprofessional as well. On my last visit there they were more interested in discussing their personal lives with their friends at the counter than serving my party of four. When we finally got our food it was cold, not fresh and we left most of it. The space is great and as the saying goes, "It would be nice place to open a restaurant."
Lola's is the best. I read the Schwarz review in the paper. Bob Schwarz is an idiot- a malcontent who dispenses his pearls of wisdom to other idiots who can't operate the brain that's been given them. The small pizza can vary in amount of cheese and quantity, but the crust and other ingredients are superb. (Besides, there's a girl there I have a slight crush on, so my opinion is prejudiced.)
Husson's pizza is cardboard with a red sauce which may have comes from a tomato base gathered from a elementary school cafeteria.
Sinbad's comes a close second. That man is a genius. Hummus and pizza that good? Props to Sam!
Overpriced? Try Soho's. Sweet Buddha! Pretense? In spades my friends.
Other than those places? I don't eat pizza from other places.
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