Lola

Tom Douglas, Seattle’s favorite chef and restaurateur, owns 11 eateries.  Hold on, did I count wrong?  There’s Lola (1), Palace Kitchen (2), Dahlia Lounge (3), Dahlia Bakery (4), Etta’s (5), Serious Pie Downtown (6), Seatown (7), Brave Horse Tavern (8), Cuoco (9), Dahlia Workshop (10), and Serious Pie Westlake (11).  Watch out.  I think the man has plans to rule the world, or at least Seattle.

I’ve met Mr. Douglas at a cooking demo, and he’s a jovial and good-natured man.  Anyone who’s as passionate about food as he is and who enjoys sharing his creations would have to be.

I’ve been to three of his eleven restaurants: Lola (twice now), Dahlia Bakery (once to get cookies for The Hubby), and Etta’s (once).  Our good friend, Andy, highly recommends Serious Pie Westlake for Serious biscuit and Serious brunch.

Srsly?

Seriously.

Anyway, for now, let’s talk about Lola.

Lola is grand in a casual way.  If that’s not possible before, well then Lola has made it possible.  The restaurant is spacious and the noise level lively, yet despite that, there remains a feeling of coziness, all thanks to the seating arrangement.

My girlfriend, Norita, was my lunchdate – a nuclear pharmacist and a proud Mom of two, I don’t know how she coordinates her time but she does.  There were so many great options for lunch that we mulled over our choices for several minutes.  I think if our funds were limitless, one of us would have said (probably me), “To hell with it. Give us everything!”  But no deep pockets here so we each had to make a choice.

Norita chose the Squid kebab.  We shared our plates with each other so I got a taste of the grilled squid which were nice and tender.  I love it when I don’t have to do battle with my lunch.  Chewy cephalopods are aggravating, don’t you think.

For me, I heeded the call of the wild and chose the Wild sockeye salmon (I really hope it’s wild sockeye salmon).  The fish (this I’m sure of) was grilled to juicy perfection.  You didn’t think fish could be juicy?  Me too!  But my dish of fish was exactly that at Lola.