A new chapter opens at Lola's

After months of waiting ('til Elaine got here full time), we finally rolled out our new food menu last weekend.

We wanted to do something different from all the other little roadside places. So, no pinchos (grilled pollo [chicken] or cerdo [pork] on a stick), no pastillos (fried turnovers with various fillings), no pollo al carbon (barbequed chicken). After a lot of discussion, we decided to serve dips in a kind of cross between appetizers and tapas.

Right now the dips we're serving are: Sassy Salsa Bean Dip, Scrumptious Caesar Crumble Dip, Perfectly Pizza Dip, Awesome Asiago Artichoke Dip (the top picture), Oh Wow Olive Walnut Dip, Tasty Thai Peanut Dip, Orange-Pineapple Sweet Tickle, and Happy Mouth Honey Butter. The last two are sweet, kind of dessert or kids' treats. In fact there are special children's-size servings of Happy Mouth Honey Butter and Perfectly Pizza dips.

We also have Lola's Sampler (bottom picture) which includes Awesome Asiago Artichoke, Sassy Salsa Bean and Scrumptious Caesar Crumble dips.

Like everything else at Lola's, it's part of the adventure. The dips have all been really well received. It's only the first weekend but so far the Sampler, Asiago Artichoke and Caesar Crumble are the early favorites.

The dips have been so successful a couple of our friends are planning a business get-together at Lola's, just so they can show off our new dips. Well, that, and the fact they love Lola's and it's a great place to bring friends and clients.

We've also added new drinks to the menu. We've always made one of the best Pina-coladas anywhere (no brag, just fact, supported by MANY testimonials in the guest book). We've added our own special twist and come up with the Pina-LOlada. It's getting rave reviews. We could tell what the secret ingredients are but then we'd have to blow up your computer and erase your memory (a la Men in Black).

We're upgrading the furnishings at Lola's as well. We replaced the plastic chairs with new canvas folding camp chairs. They are MUCH more comfortable. As one friend said, "Now it's just like sitting on my own deck, except the company is better!" We're having new tables made later this month. Don't know yet exactly what they will look like yet because our dear furniture-maker friend is coming down from Michigan later this month to design and build them.

We'll post the entire new menu and pictures of the new furnishings on the website, www.ola-lolas.com, soon.