Above: Courtesy of LoLa 41
Where Geography and Fine Food Come Together
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By GERRY and PAMELA BARKER
North Palm Beach Life Published October, 2020. 
PALM BEACH_ What, you may ask, do Italy, Albania, Turkey, Greece, Kazakhstan, China and Long Island have in common? The answer: They all sit on the 41st parallel, as does its restaurant namesake, LoLa 41, in Nantucket ("LoLa" meaning longitude - latitude). Late in 2019, it was announced a second location would open here, about 12 parallels to the south.
“We are thrilled to bring LoLa 41 to Palm Beach,” said restaurateur Marco Coelho in a press release. “It makes perfect sense. So many of our friends and guests from Nantucket spend their winters here, and we’re eager to open our doors to visitors and residents alike who will be experiencing LoLa 41 for the first time.” The 156-seat bistro and sushi bar, located on the corner of Sunset Avenue and Bradley Park, also would serve as the signature restaurant for the White Elephant, a new luxury boutique hotel next door. LoLa 41 Palm Beach made its debut last February, with the hotel scheduled to open in March. But as we are all painfully know, COVID changed life for everyone. The restaurant was able to reopen in late May, and now the White Elephant is only days away from its grand opening as well -- a good reason for us to experience the restaurant for the first time. |
The bar service area at LoLa 41 (NBPL Photo)
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The vibe is classic, elegant and chic...
Modern art matches with classic style. Check out the ceiling.
The outdoor patio is a great space to relax and enjoy the beautiful Palm Beach days and nights. It was closed the day we were there as construction finished up
at the hotel. Photos: North Palm Beach Life |
Behind the well-stocked bar.
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The lunch menu features lots of choices ...
For starters, Gerry had the Cantonese Style Pork Pot Sticks, with ginger scallion dipping sauce. They were fried just right,
not overly crunchy, and the sauce was perfect. ($19) 
Gerry's next course was the Florida Crispy Hogfish sandwich. While the name may not sound appetizing, it is considered by many to be sweeter than grouper. The grilled brioche bun was soft and tasty, and the mango salsa, combined the the tomatillo tarter, was a flavorful delight. It came with enough fries for the whole restaurant. ($20)
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Pam went with the Conch Fritters. She got an ample portion, perfectly complemented with a choice of tomatillo tarter sauce or the piquillo pepper gastrique. I tried one and loved
the sweetness of the gastrique sauce. ($16) 
Pam opted for the Crab Stuffed Avocado Salad, featuring King Crab,
Kani Kama (imitation crab), mango, orange tobika (a form of caviar) and ponzu sauce. ($19) In addition, there's a selection of Palm Beach Flavors, like Duck and Waffles, Avocado Toast and LoLa Buttermilk Pancakes, as well burgers and extensive sushi selections. |
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For dessert, we shared the Pretzel Parfait. You eat your way through decadent layers of whipped cream, cookie crumble, mascarpone and caramel, topped with pretzels. It was a fitting encore to our first dining experience at LoLa 41. |
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Also notable ...
* While the restaurant is serving at full capacity, the servers are all wearing masks and the manager told us they observe social distancing by separating customers as much as possible.
* They are a cashless restaurant. Credit/debit cards only.
* Valet parking is available for dinner but not at lunch.
* They are a cashless restaurant. Credit/debit cards only.
* Valet parking is available for dinner but not at lunch.
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As the signature restaurant for the White Elephant boutique hotel next door, visitors are in for a treat. And they don't have to trek all the way to the 41st parallel to enjoy great food. |
