Pouring your heart and soul into a business, only to watch it grow more slowly than you had hoped, can be a disheartening experience. Overcoming disappointment and revamping a “concept before its time” from niche to broader market takes recognition, persistence and courage.
That strength and resolve flow as smoothly as fine wine from restaurateurs Glenn and Julia Menein. The couple, owners of the new Lola’s Hot Kitchen, revamped their 19-month-old upscale restaurant at 1850 N. Fort Valley Road from Cyrano’s Seafood and Chop House to an “eclectic grub” eatery with lower prices and wider appeal to the neighborhood, sports enthusiasts and travelers.
Lola’s Hot Kitchen offers “more appeal to skiers because it’s more casual,” Julia Menein said. “Cyrano’s was fairly monochromatic and fairly formal looking. It was not fine dining, but definitely a more urban look. Skiers would be intimidated to come in ski clothes or from hiking off the mountain. We took it down a notch – with a lot more color – pop art. It’s much more fun and casual.”
Open seven days a week from 4 to 9 p.m. since March, Lola’s operates with a mission of serving delicious, affordable food that guests will want to return to week after week. The full bar features liquor, wine, bottled and draft beer and vodka-themed Moscow Mules. Some customer food favorites – crab cakes, shrimp and grits, ribs, salads and a few of the desserts – remain on the menu.
New food choices include Angus burgers, waffles, hummus, vegan options and vegetarian dishes. Menein estimates that 75 percent of the menu can be prepared gluten-free. Some diners, even without dietary restrictions, order gluten-free merely because they like the ingredients or the way the food is prepared.
The restaurant’s new name is likely more familiar to customers, who may recognize the audacious and sexy Lola from the American musical “Damn Yankees,” than the flamboyant Cyrano de Bergerac, a Frenchman who fears his large nose hampers his ability to be loved.
“It’s kind of sad because we really loved Cyrano’s and really believed in it,” Menein said. “And we really did everything. We focused on all the details – food, presentation, the flavors. We really had gone to the nth degree in making it what it was. The people who did come loved us. There are always some people who are not going to like whatever you do. It was not well received by enough people – in a price range that people could frequent.”
Now spending an average of $17 per person, versus $37 for Cyrano’s, some of Lola’s customers return several times during the week.
The same amount of work is required whether the restaurant is busy or slow, Menein says. “You might as well be busy. If you have worked that hard, it should be a successful endeavor versus something that’s just making it,” despite a fondness for what is in place.
“You have to listen to the customer base,” Menein added, recounting how they had asked for feedback from both customers and non-customers, many of whom perceived Cryano’s as “very expensive and for special occasions. We took that to heart. We wanted to be more accessible. And so, that was the driving force. Listening to what people said to us and about us, not planting our feet and being intransient and unwilling to change.”
Glenn, director of operations for Beaver Street Brewery and Lumberyard Brewing Company, has 35 years of casual dining restaurant experience. For Lola’s, he manages hiring and “back of the house” operations, including food costing. Julia, with 17 years in the restaurant field, focuses on customer-facing “front of the house” elements, including service and marketing.
With seafood somewhat beyond their scope, the couple had hired a chef to establish the menu for Cyrano’s. This time around, they worked together with their staff on recipes and pricing. Glenn “has a really good feel for what makes up a well-rounded menu,” his wife said. “It’s one thing we do get a lot of compliments on – [Lola’s] menu and how everything really flows together. This kind of menu appeals to everybody. We have a lot more families coming in. It’s very kid-oriented now. We have had more kids in one week [at Lola’s] than one year with Cyrano’s. It’s definitely a menu that appeals to all age groups.”
With names like Seamonkey Cake, Noon Balloon From Rangoon, Fried Bologna Sammich, Dragon Burger, Yolo Fatty Melt and Et Tu Caesar, the new menu tempts smiles from almost anyone. Would-be diners can preview the whole Enchi-Lava [Dip] at www.lolashotkitchen.com.
“Most people say that they loved Cyrano’s, but understand that it was a business decision [to revamp],” Menein reported about returning clientele. Some guests have come to Lola’s “because they were curious, or were patrons of Cyrano’s and loved us for what we did. They have complimented the change-over as ‘clever’ and ‘fun, with a sense of humor’ in what we put on the menu and named things.”
The 50-seat Lola’s Hot Kitchen is “a labor of love for Glenn and [me],” she said. “We hope people will come and try it. We have a huge, fun menu. [The place] is sassy and classy, and there’s just a little bit of Lola in everybody.” FBN
For information, call Lola’s Hot Kitchen at 928-779-0900.
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