Former New American restaurant Lola in Great Neck goes Mediterranean and cuts prices
The exterior of Lola, a restaurant in Great Neck featuring the cooking of chef Michael Ginor (Nov. 14, 2009) Credit: Kirsten Luce
After a nine-day break, Great Neck's Lola reopens Tuesday for dinner with a new menu and lower prices.
From its inception in 2009, Michael Ginor's menu blended New American concepts with global influences -- Thai, Korean, French, Italian, Middle Eastern among them. Now Ginor, with an assist from chef de cuisine Lenny Messina, is highlighting the Mediterranean flavors that informed the menu at his late, lamented Great Neck kosher restaurant Tel Aviv (2008-2011), particularly those of the Levant and North Africa.
Among the meze ($6 each) and small plates ($10 to $15) at Lola are heirloom carrots with Moroccan flavors, roasted beet labaneh, roast cauliflower salad with tahini and pomegranate molasses, falafel with tzatziki and pickled cabbage, Tunisian tuna fricassee (preserved tuna with a savory doughnut and garnishes), shaved kale salad with sumac. Large plates ($19 to $29) include whole grilled branzino with caramelized fennel, lamb kofta with tomato jam and mint-cilantro yogurt, seared Hudson Valley duck breast with Swiss chard and herbed farro, chicken schnitzel with harissa aioli.
Ginor, who is also a partner at Hudson Valley Foie Gras, will feature a duck liver special appetizer every night for $15.
In its earlier incarnation, Lola received 3 1/2 stars from Newsday's Peter M. Gianotti, and was named as one of Newsday's Top 10 New American restaurants in its Top 100 series of 2013 and 2014.
Lola is at 113 Middle Neck Rd., Great Neck, 516-466-5666, restaurantlola.com.
