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Lola is a stunning tapas bar and restaurant in Sylvan Park, a new build that melds Spanish elements in a modern aesthetic.
It had been the concept of restaurateur Maher Fawaz and his group (Kalamatas, Epice, Santo) for several years, and like many great concepts, took time to come to fruition. Lola brings together authentic small plates from Spain, namely the great dining city of San Sebastian, and the wines of the Iberian Peninsula. Sommelier and general manager Melissa Santos says their wine list is navegable—designed to be approachable, easily navigated and food friendly. While each wine is well described on the menu, she is pleased to guide you in pairing. Originally from Mexico, Santos studied the culinary arts in New York and Italy, the latter being where she discovered her passion for wine.
After getting her WSET certification, she enrolled in a wine master’s program in San Sebastian.Executive chef Juliana Aguiar consulted on the project and created the opening menu. Brazilian born, Aguiar has lived in Spain since 2001, where she left her acting career to embrace culinary. She interned with Andoni Aduriz at Mugaritz, an internationally revered restaurant that has maintained its Michelin 2-star status since 2006. She connected with Maher Fawaz at Santo, her own restaurant in Madrid. Fawaz was a customer who became entranced with Aguiar’s food, and eventually hired her. In 2016, Aguiar did a summer residency at Epice serving Spanish-Lebanese fusion meals. At Lola, she is excited to share Spanish tapas and Basque pintxos.
“Everything we are serving has authentic Spanish roots,” Aguiar says. “But nothing is fixed—there is modernization of cuisine. In San Sebastian, a true food destination, everything is a possibility.”Lola’s slogan is “Go to Spain without leaving Nashville.”
Start your journey with a charcuterie board of Spanish cured meats. There are ripples of Iberico ham, lomo—a pork loin cured with smoked paprika and garlic— and circles of Fuet, a rich Catalan salami. Luscious pickled vegetables provide a nice counterpoint to the salty, savory meats.Pimentada is a popular marinated vegetable salad. Aguiar serves a julienne of roasted sweet red bell peppers, red onions, and zucchini on a bed of labna, pooled with pesto. She drapes fillets of tuna belly over the mélange and finishes the assembly with kalamata olive dust. Gently toss the elements together and enjoy.
Order the gildas, which are small, skewered bites served in bars throughout the Basque. Aguiar offers a duo: a traditional one with olives, piquillo peppers, and boquerones and a modern version, replacing the boquerones with ahi tuna crudo in tomato pesto.Almonds abound in Spain; Aguiar makes a tangy almond-based vinaigrette to dress the assorted mixed greens. This salad can freshen the palate between plates.There is much to love about the tartines: thick rustic breads with assorted toppings.
Smoked eggplant butter is the delectable base for roasted squashes, peppers and tomato, an assembly that embodies the tastes of a late summer garden.For dessert, you must get the Basque cheesecake, which, Aguilar notes, is “back in vogue.” It is relished for its caramelized, almost burnt top encasing a creamy interior. Lola’s version is made with Idiazabal, a farmhouse sheep’s milk cheese particular to the Basque and Navarra regions. It imparts buttery, nutty, and smoky notes to the lush dessert. (440 Murphy Rd.; lolanashville.com)