Lola restaurant
Lola restaurant in great neck, offers manhattan sophistication . urban chic ambiance and an eclectic menu of gourmet new american cuisine. Award winning Executive Chef Michael Ginor and chef De Cuisine Kwaku Boah have combined forces at Lola restaurant with a look and culinary style rarely found outside Manhattan. Chef Ginor is world renowned for his culinary artistry and his innovative production and distribution of foie gras. His company Hudson Valley Foie Gras (HVFG), is the major foie gras producer in the United States.. show Chef Michael has dedicated his time to the many facets of the culinary world, including product development,creating and organizing gourmet and charitable events, workshops and demonstrations. He is a food and travel contributor to Food Arts magazine, The James Beard Magazine, Art Culinare, and many other stellar publications. He has also helped create an intercultural culinary exchange program, introducing american ingredients and techniques to world markets. Such events have been organizaed in Argentina, Canada, Great Britain, Finland, Hong Kong, Israel, Mexico, Russian Singapore and Thailand. es Chef Michael traveled to Thailand and visited remote regions to showcase their unique cuisine . In 2009 Michael opened Lola with exceptional critical acclaim. Lola is located in the heart of Great Neck, adjacent to the Great Neck Movie Theater. Lola offers suburban diners an upscale urban style venue, with a very different cuisine. Once inside the restaurant, it becomes immediately apparent that this restaurant is not just a an ordinary local dining venue. Lola’s decor and ambiance are definitely Manhattan in their cutting edge sophistication and style with brightly colored walls , artwork, a fully stocked bar and contemporary artwork. While its appearance is luxe, the restaurant is affordable and offers innovative American Cuisine, with a strong french and asian influence.
Chef Ginor personally greeted us and supervised our special tasting menu of Tapas (small plate) dishes. We began our tasting with a green papaya salad with crispy whiting. This was followed by Lola’s ” torchon of foie gras” with pickled rhubarb, smoked almond crumble and an almond gel. Artistically plated and although small in actual size it proved filling and satisfying.
His next selection was a personal favorite of mine an exquisitely prepared plate of “lola ” cured gravlax with mint yogurt, pickled beets and butterbread crumbs. A fabulous dish with beautifully sliced gravlax atop a gleaming white plate of assorted beets, yogurt and crumbs.
It was now time for a small plate with a seared sea scallop atop of cauliflower puree, jicima, and mint. Another neptunian masterpiece from an amazing kitchen. This was followed by a plate of miso cod with black forbidden rice daikon. This is a Thai dish which at one time was only served to Thai royalty. Fascinating and delicious.
After a brief intermezzo, we were thoroughly delighted with an amazing entree of Hudson Valley duck 3 Ways. Our plate was filled with Roast Duck Breast, seared fois gras, confit, with braised cabbage, truffled polenta, and crispy brussel sprout leaves. A duck dish that was incredible to view and even better to eat.
Chef Ginor’s home made ice cream and special deserts of warm pistachio cake and strawberry rhubarb gallette were simply out of this world delicious!
Lola’s was a very pleasant interlude on a nasty weekday night. It offered gourmet asian fusion dishes in a manner and style unlike any other venue on Long Island, and definitely worth a ride to sample Chef Ginor’s exciting cuisine. He is a man for all global cuisines and seasons.
“Lola’s” Restaurant 113 Middleneck Road, Great Neck, Long Island telephone 516-466-5666
