lolo wine bar

Lolo Wine Bar in East Hollywood is a cozy, chic spot known for its natural wines, nightly dinner menu, and moody ambiance.

One of the best things in life is when one conversation leads to another great idea. While at Bar Etolie with Justine, we began a conversation with one of the bar staff about other local wine bars in the area. She raved about Lolo wine bar – which from the photos looked stunning.

So, a few days later when it was time for dinner with Matt, I did a day of switch of location to lolo. Plus, I wanted to wear my pretty silver dress from Anthropologie just one more time.

Arriving at lolo, I was exceptionally impressed. It was – indeed – beautiful. The tones of black, green and gold were everything I needed to set the tone for a gorgeous night out in Los Angeles.

The first thing I noticed when I arrived at the table – after greeting Matt –  was how cozy and comfortable the courtyard of lolo felt.

The warm lighting cast a soft glow over the space, complementing the tones of the decor. I felt transformed from a mere space in Los Angeles to the comfort of dining in Paris, France or Venice, Italy.

The table itself was a charming bistro style table. Around me, the gentle hum of conversation created an inviting and relaxed atmosphere, making the entire space feel like a perfect retreat from the bustling world outside.

We each began with a glass of Poggiosecco’s 2022 Chianti DOCG, a Sangiovese from Tuscany, Italy. Upon our toasts and first sips, I greatly appreciated the warming taste of lolo’s “Cellar Temp Red” selection of the evening.

Browsing the menu, I wanted to continue my focus of pushing myself to order distinct items on menus, instead of simply focusing on my go-tos.

We started with the CELERY & WALNUT SALAD (medjool dates, comté, mint). I remember I was mid sentence in telling Matt about my recent trip to Hawaii, when I stopped to take a bite of the salad. I was rendered speechless. The flavors were bright, complex and simply excellent.

Later, Matt asked our server what exactly was the magic dust in the dressing that made the salad so delicious.

The answer? Lemon, salt and olive oil. That’s it.

This was a prime example of how using quality ingredients directly influences and enriches the final dish.

Next to arrive to the table were the GRILLED PRAWNS (salmoriglio).

Salmoriglio is an Italian sauce from the south of Italy with lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and herbs. Again, this was another outstanding dish full of rich, fresh flavors. The prawns were plump and the sauce – I wanted to take pieces of bread and douse them in the sauce.

To go with our main dishes, Matt and I ordered glasses of Chubini Cellars’ 2019  Amber Blend (70% Rkatisteli, 30% Chinuri blend) from Kakheti, Georgian Republic. This was a fantastic skin contact wine, with hints of fruit and jasmine tea.

When our CACIO E PEPE (lots of salty cheese & cracked black pepper) and LOLO BAR STEAK (bay leaf butter, little gems, verjus vinaigrette) arrived, we both knew we’d made the right choices.

The al dente chew on the pasta was absolute perfection. It reminded me of what I loved about pasta at Mother Wolf as well as dishes in Italy.

Matt raved about the quality of the pasta. On the other hand, I absolutely loved the sauce.

The steak was – as expected – delicious. Together, this was the perfect pairing for our main course.

For desert, I ordered the MADELEINES (fresh baked with passionfruit cream) and Matt ordered the FRENCH APPLE TART (with crème fraîche).

The ways that I devoured the madeleines… sigh… the light and fluffy cakes were scrumptious. I would go back the lolo for a glass of wine and to slather to madeleines with that passionfruit cream.

Now, the location of lolo is – where it is. Matt and I saw two individuals,  focused on getting their meth hit – attempting to do drugs on Sunset Blvd.

Graciously as always, Matt walked me to my car to make sure I got past them without incident. We both acknowledged that it was a rare situation on this particular stretch of Sunset Blvd in Hollywood.

But, that did not take away the magic of the evening.

Lolo Wine Bar is unquestionably a delicious spot that I am eager to return to for another memorable experience.

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