Lolita's

[canucklehead]

[Alexandra Gill gives a big thumbs-up to Lolita's in today's Globe, including the fish tacos.

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Here's a link to the review: Lolita's

I stopped by yesterday for a beer and beef taquitos - they are off to a good start.

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Had dinner at Lolita's tonight. Very small space- definitely a place for 2 or 3 people. Though the food leans towards mexican - the decor seemed closer to Kontiki to me - well thought out, fun and just skirting that edge of cheesey. An easy going vibe keeping things humming along. It is the perfect late summer kind of place.

The food is very good - showing good depth of flavor and finesse. The beef taquitos are crisp with a rich pulled beef filling and a deep smokey chipolte sauce that had the right bite of heat. A bit pricey at $9 for two taquitos - but still very good. Other courses were just as good - the Bin 941 pedigree shows itself - but the food is more straightforward and less gimicky than the mother ship.

Won't get into it too much - but it is worth checking out. Dinner for three (two courses) a few drinks - but mostly non-alcoholic - check came to $90 before tip. The cocktail list can get steep - with some of the premium drinks edging towards $11.

[privatejet]

^Got to second canucklehead's review of Lolita's. Had dinner there last weekend- drinks a tad steep, as are appetizers (for what u get) Tacos were a stand out (and good value at $13) as were the mashed potatoes that come with the smoked chicken. Atmosphere was great and though I was sorry to see Random go, a nice addition to Davie Street. I wish them the best there.

[snacky_cat]

Mr Cat and I checked out Lolita's too, a couple of nights back. I was totally gobsmacked by the price of the sangria - $8.25 gets you a highball glass. Tax is included in their prices, but c'mon - $8.25? You can get jugs of perfectly decent sangria at Guu on Thurlow for something like $11.

We had an order of chips and salsa to start ($4.25, no freebies here). Salsa was the standard North American watery kind, but the tortilla chips were fantastic - freshly fried, a little puffy, and dusted with some sort of chili powder mix. They were the crispy bastard offspring of a regular tortilla chip and a piece of Bin's Navajo fry bread.

Both of us opted for the tacos ($13 for two, with extra tortillas, and small side portions of rice, beans and salad). There are 4 flavours to choose from, and we each tried two of them. Mr Cat had the pulled chicken and the carne asada, which apparently were really good (particularly the chicken) but I wouldn't know as I couldn't snag myself a bite. I had the halibut with mango salsa and the potato/mushroom/goat cheese. Both were delicious, and I particularly enjoyed the fish tacos. Soft, perfect masa flour (I think) tortillas, fresh lettuce, great sauces, and what I think was pickled red onion to garnish. Delish. The accessory beans, rice and salad were yummy too.

Great food, if slightly small portions. Avoid bar drinks unless you want to re-mortgage your home. Not a good place for people with claustrophobia or personal space issues.

[*Deborah*]

Mr Cat and I checked out Lolita's too, a couple of nights back. I was totally gobsmacked by the price of the sangria - $8.25 gets you a highball glass. Tax is included in their prices, but c'mon - $8.25? You can get jugs of perfectly decent sangria at Guu on Thurlow for something like $11.

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Was it at least better than my ghetto sangria? that runs about $12/1.5 litres. The good stuff is only a few dollars more.

[snacky_cat]

Was it at least better than my ghetto sangria? that runs about $12/1.5 litres. The good stuff is only a few dollars more.

It was pretty tasty, but I'll take your ghetto sangria any day! I'm a bargain-conscious drunk

I couldn't tell exactly what was in the white sangria liquor-wise, but the fruit selection was mango and pear pieces and a LYCHEE! The lychee was completely awesome - a great addition to any white sangria. Mr Cat had no idea what it was at first, and was wondering if something mysterious, like a scallop, landed in his drink somewhere between bar and table. I made him eat it though, and he liked it.

[Keith Talent]

Thirteen dollar tacos can piss right off. For thirteen bucks I want them folded by Vincente Fox himself.

[*Deborah*]

Was it at least better than my ghetto sangria? that runs about $12/1.5 litres. The good stuff is only a few dollars more.

It was pretty tasty, but I'll take your ghetto sangria any day! I'm a bargain-conscious drunk

I couldn't tell exactly what was in the white sangria liquor-wise, but the fruit selection was mango and pear pieces and a LYCHEE! The lychee was completely awesome - a great addition to any white sangria. Mr Cat had no idea what it was at first, and was wondering if something mysterious, like a scallop, landed in his drink somewhere between bar and table. I made him eat it though, and he liked it.

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Lychee! exotic fruit may explain the uptown price. I think I am doomed to stay in the ghetto (in the gheeeettoooooo).

[Daddy-A]

Thirteen dollar tacos can piss right off. For thirteen bucks I want them folded by Vincente Fox himself.

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Considering Go Fish! does 2 fish tacos for $9 (with no sides) this strangely seems in line. If I weren't so damn addicted to them, I'd join Keith in his condemnation ...

... but I'm just too weak.

A.

[kurtisk]

Thirteen dollar tacos can piss right off. For thirteen bucks I want them folded by Vincente Fox himself.

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Considering Go Fish! does 2 fish tacos for $9 (with no sides) this strangely seems in line.

A.

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I just did the fish taco thing at Go Fish! yesterday and got a side of the coleslaw that has the perfect touch of heat at the end. Does it not usually accompany the tacos there?

k

[Keith Talent]

There's something fundementally wrong with a city that has cheap sushi and expensive tacos.

[Vancouver]

The only 3 places in the world I can think of where the sushi can be cheaper than the tacos are Sydney, Vancouver, and any major city in Japan. All pretty good places - albeit not too great for mexican food!

[Daddy-A]

I just did the fish taco thing at Go Fish! yesterday and got a side of the coleslaw that has the perfect touch of heat at the end.  Does it not usually accompany the tacos there?

DOH! Forgot about the coleslaw. But at 50 cents for that size portion, I don't really consider it a "side".

Still, a DAMN tasty taco. Had another today!

A.

[HKDave]

The only 3 places in the world I can think of where the sushi can be cheaper than the tacos are Sydney, Vancouver, and any major city in Japan.  All pretty good places - albeit not too great for mexican food! 

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Add Hong Kong to that list.... decent cheap sushi available in grocery stores, and what passes for Mexican food is ridiculously expensive.

But if Vancouverites are now paying $13 for tacos, we're getting closer.

[RooStew]

I went the other night and had the tacos. I didn't think $13 was that bad for tacos as I found them pretty damn tasty. Everything super fresh and made withlove. I dont know about blue cheese salad with jalepenos though.

We also had a kessadilla and a few cocktails. The drink prices were steep and can't recommend any of the cocktails. I also thought the $9 white sangria was a rort. We could've spent it on 3 bottles of Boon's.

The atmosphere and crowd was great. Service good and on the ball. Definitly would go back.

Where is this cheap sushi y'all talk of? I thought there was a reason there was 'cheap' sushi and it was cause it ain't good. I'd be keen to check out some of these gems.

I know its off topic, but any recommendations?

[makanmakan]

we went a couple of weeks ago and had a blast at the bar! ordered a lime margarita (shaken, perfect with a salty tangy sweetness), and the raspberry mojito (tart and yummy). yes, the drinks are a tad on the pricey side, but sometimes, ya just gotta! we shared the chicken flautas and the mushroom, goat cheese quesedillas, and guacamole with chips. the flautas were my favourite of the night. the quesedillas were not what i expected, but very tasty, nevertheless, and the salsa verde that came with it was delicious. the guacamole, was a little disappointing, lacked a zing or a kick that i was craving, as was the side of salsa that we ordered. the chips were a bit of a surprise though, definitely not what i was expecting. i didn't mind it at all, although, some of our chips were a little damp/soggy. dessert was a delicious mexican chocolate cake on top of a rum creme anglais sort of sauce. the girl at the bar was so passionate about this dessert that we had to order it.....glad we did! all in all, the vibe is great and i think the bar is the perfect place for us to sit. lila and her crew were very attentive and loads of fun. also noticed that they have a sickly collection of tequila. must go again, try the tacos and beef taquitos, have a tequila tasting, and then stumble home!!

[Bubbalicious]

Went into Lolita's a coupla nights ago after finishing work to meet a friend. It was sometime after midnight and there were only about eight people there, mostly industry-types. (Gotham, West and C were represented.) It was late on a Tuesday and EVERYBODY working there was extremely genuine, polite and friendly. After twenty years in the industry this is something that I truly value. When I finish a shift and I'm back in my real clothes I appreciate being treated the way that I treat the people I look after. Polished and professional.

I'm sure they were all well into the double digits of hours worked, after god knows when they may have had their last day off, and even the dishwasher cracked a friendly joke with me as I walked the hall to the washroom. The owner took the time to have a fully-engaged and interesting conversation with us at the bar and this was our first time in, and we'd never met her. If the food was only edible then I'd still go back, 'cause they're open late and they all obviously care about what they are doing.

My friend had been there a while and had a coupla appies and the steak. He said both were fantastic. I only had a quick bite, something with goat cheese that was breaded and deep-fried. It was yummy. (Sorry my accounts of the food are sketchy, but we were there mainly for the booze and hadn't seen one another for a while.)

The drinks are a little more expensive than other places, but the quality of the drinks justifies the price. We were sitting at the bar, so we could see the care and attention that was paid to ensure that each cocktail was perfect. The mango margarita that we tried was delicious, with chunks of real fruit in the glass. Lolita's isn't a chain restaurant using prepackaged syrups and slushy machines with a shot of alcohol for kids who just turned 19. These are well-constructed cocktails for adults who've been around the block a few times. I could go into any restaurant and pay five bucks for a shot of gin and some pop-gun tonic, but if someone is willing to put some effort into mixing a few different ingredients, muddling and shaking until it's just right, then I will gladly pay the couple of extra dollars. Especially if he or she does it with a smile on their face and because they want to do things the right way, not just because they've got tuition or a mortgage or a Visa bill to pay.

I find it funny that a forum of food-and-drink people will tolerate derision of a food or drink based on price alone, especially if the member hadn't tried the item. The nine dollar sangria is on the top of my list of 'gotta-try-before-I-die' now that so many of you are so willing to cut down a place because of one drink. A little lower down are the thirteen dollar tacos. (Never been a big fan of tacos, otherwise they'd be number two on the list.)

Maybe we could start a sub-string of people who've tried sangria in a few places to see which is best and which is worth the money. I say this only in jest. However. if someone were to start one, a factor that would have to be considered is the severity of the hangover caused by each sangria.

[chrisstearns]

The drinks are a little more expensive than other places, but the quality of the drinks justifies the price.  We were sitting at the bar, so we could see the care and attention that was paid to ensure that each cocktail was perfect.  The mango margarita that we tried was delicious, with chunks of real fruit in the glass.  Lolita's isn't a chain restaurant using prepackaged syrups and slushy machines with a shot of alcohol for kids who just turned 19.  These are well-constructed cocktails for adults

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Who put their drinks program together? Anyone know?

Edited September 2, 2005 by chrisstearns (log)

[canucklehead]

I drove by Lolita's tonight and they are packed to the gills - so I don't think that what is said here is going to sink their boat (in fact I don't anything is every said here that is going to put anyone out of business).

The place has a great vibe and is a lot of fun. The food that I sampled was delicous and their homemade ginger beer had a fresh bite. The service is attentive and they did not get flustered in the crush of people.

So - is 11$ steep for a drink? Well - luckily, I don't drink so I won't be feeling the pinch first hand - but this price range puts into the league of some serious bars (Chambar and George for example).

The ingredients may be top notch - but when I was there - the bevy of bartenders (while you can give them 'A' for effort) - were mixing off of recipe cards and the drinks were not being made with a sure hand. The owner was keeping a sharp eye on the bar and giving further instructions as needed. The night I was there - I was sitting at the bar - so I got an unobstructed view of the drink preparations.

Now to be fair - I am not sure how much this effects the quality of a drink (as opposed to food which obviously would be really adversely effected). Also - this might be part of the intial ramp up learning curve.

But - I do think its fair to question the prices of the drinks - if you are going charge top dollar - then you better be delivering a top notch product.

[Vancitygirl]

The ingredients may be top notch - but when I was there - the bevy of bartenders (while you can give them 'A' for effort) - were mixing off of recipe cards and the drinks were not being made with a sure hand. 

Now to be fair - I am not sure how much this effects the quality of a drink (as opposed to food which obviously would be really adversely effected).

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Oh Lee - this kind of talk could get you in trouble! I sometimes wait for my favorite bartender to return to the bar before ordering my next drink. The mixologist has a huge influence on the end product. It is a science!

[PaoPao]

Four friends accompanied Yummy and I to Lolita's Friday night. If there we're just the two of us we could have gotten inside in about ten minutes. But because we we're a larger group we waited about 40 minutes. No problem, it was a nice night and the waitress served us some drinks while we waited.

The space is really warm and inviting and the staff was excellent.

We had the Sangria (half 7-up / half wine and some fruit) which was decent. Yummy and I ordered between the two of us: Guac and chips, the Jalapeño and Corn soup which came with cornbread, Caesar Salad, Beef Taquitos, Beef and Chicken Tacos, and the Steak.

All in all I thought everything was just ok. Nothing really stood out to me as a "Wow" type dish. Probably if I had to pick, the steak was the best thing followed by the Taquitos. Not that these we're really a standout type dish compared to other restaurants, just out of what we ordered.

To me the taco fillings we're tough and without much flavour, the Guac and chips had mostly bean dip with a mound of Guac on top, and the caesar was soggy.

It also bugs the hell out of me to pay for Chips and Salsa in a Mexican Joint.

Would I go back? Probably not when I could choose Banano's or Topanga instead for IMO much better food.

[chrisstearns]

So - is 11$ steep for a drink? 

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It depends what is in the drink. Is it made with rail booze, powdered juice mix and artificilly flavoured liqueur--thrown together by a disinterested, poorly trained bartender? Then yes.

Is it carefully crafted with top-shelf spirits, hand-squeezed citrus juices, homemade syrups, and good quality liqueurs? Then no.

Re-frame your question in food terms and think about it: is $50 steep for a steak? Why?

Well - luckily, I don't drink so I won't be feeling the pinch first hand - but this price range puts into the league of some serious bars (Chambar and George for example).

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Any bar can be serious about their drinks, whether it's in a posh lounge, tony hotel bar or a casual Mexican joint. The only prerequisites are passion and hard work on the part of the bartenders. In fact, it's more of the casual places we need to start taking mixing seriously.

(I'm speaking generally here, not about Lolita specifically, as I haven't been there yet. But your question seemed to deal with bartending in general.)

But - I do think its fair to question the prices of the drinks - if you are going charge top dollar - then you better be delivering a top notch product.

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True. It's a shame that too many bars (the 'tony' places are some of the guiltiest) charge a lot for too little.

[Bubbalicious]

I find it funny that a forum of food-and-drink people will tolerate derision of a food or drink based on price alone, especially if the member hadn't tried the item.  The nine dollar sangria is on the top of my list of 'gotta-try-before-I-die' 

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Tried it. The red one. Didn't finish it. Really disappointing. A little bit of real fruit on the bottom of the glass, but not enough. Won't ever have another.

[Jamie B]

In answer to your question, Chris, Lee is the person who put together the bar package (Lucy Mae Browns, Quay).

On another note, I don't understand how people can gripe about paying $8.25 for a highball-sized glass of wine with liquor and fruit added. My understanding is that they use the same formula as everyone else when calculating their prices. If you start with more expensive base ingredients, of course the price is going to increase. If you start with cheap, one-dimensional, thin box wine, frozen oj, etc, then I'm sure you might be able to cost a sangria for $3 if you tried hard enough.

[*Deborah*]

Probably, Jamie B, my concept of sangria just differs dramatically from yours.

I have always understood it as a refreshing way to use cheap, rough wine. I would not adulterate really good wine with juice or fruit or whatnot. But, to me, there's something about having the bite of a hot-weather vin de pays sort of wine mixed up with some seltzer, some juice, some brandy, and for me likely just sliced juicy oranges, rather than any exotic fruit, on ice, on a hot day.

It seems that Lolita's is presenting something more artful.

I have not studied the history of sangria, so maybe my view of it is completely wrong, and maybe I should be excited to try a more refined presentation.

*shrug*

Yo no se.

[Jamie B]

There's nothing wrong with inexpensive sangria, just as there is nothing wrong with the pricery version. My poorly made point was just that wine (and brandy) is a product with greatly varying price points.

You are right in stating that traditionally sangria was created to help down wine that you might find a little difficult to enjoy on its own. But the automobile also used to just be a means of transportation. Now it's a entertainment center, status symbol, etc. Cocktails, like humans, are continually evolving (and hopefully for the better) ;-)

My personal sangria recipe is a little heavy in the booze department, and usually falls into the $10 category (mind you I also have things like kiwi, mango, fresh squeezed juices, etc in it). But on the other hand, people don't come up to me to ask "why so much?", but rather "can I have your recipe?". I think maybe the issue is: why so much for what appears to be an unexceptional sangria? (I personally haven't tried it as I am still working my way through the other cocktails first. Perhaps Wednesday. ;-) )