Weekend Brunch at Lola’s Mexican Cuisine

Former LA Times Food Editor Russ Parsons was quoted as saying “Lola’s green salsa may be the single most compulsively delicious sauce since the heyday of the white garlic paste at Zankou Chicken.” This was enough for me to invite my wife for brunch at Lola’s Mexican Cuisine in Long Beach.

Complimentary chips and salsa arrived at our table. As expected, we received both their red and green salsas with freshly made chips. I tried both the red and the green salsa and despite my desire not to get filled up with chips, I felt that the green sauce was indeed addictive.Some of the regulars refer to it as “green crack”.

Lola’s Mexican Cuisine is located on 4th Street, Retro Row in Long Beach and I was delighted to find unmetered street parking. Lola’s features outdoor patio seating right on 4th Street in one of Long Beach’s very first “parklets.”

The dining room is nicely decorated with bold Dia de los Muertos decor. Outdoor seating is not limited to the streetside parklet; diners can enjoy a quieter experience in the back of the restaurant. Since it was rather chilly that morning, we opted to dine indoors.

Lola’s menu is based on contemporary Mexican cuisine. An example of this is that elote isn’t served as corn on the cob. Instead, corn is shucked to create their Mexican City Street Corn. Because they shuck the corn for you, you don’t have to be concerned about biting into the corn cob and watching the corn kernels flying in the direction of your dining partner.

Their Pasilla Chilaquillas is actually a Mexican breakfast casserole that is simmered in a spicy, smoky pasilla chile sauce. The tortilla chips are topped with crumbled queso fresco, microgreens, two sunny side up eggs and drizzled with Mexican crema. My wife was quite happy with her selection.

I’ve seen huevos rancheros prepared a number of different ways and decided to see how Lola’s prepares theirs. It was served in a deconstructed fashion. The tortillas were fried and topped with a tasty tomatillo salsa and served with a side of refried pinto beans. This was then topped with a small amount of sliced green peppers.

The brunch menu had many items of interest to me. They have the mandatory Breakfast Burrito,  and they also featured items like Mexican French Toast drizzled with dulce de leche, the Concha Breakfast Sandwich, and Blue Corn Pancakes topped with honey, center cut bacon and two eggs.

Even if you don’t do brunch, there are many reasons to visit Lola’s: They feature a Taco Tuesday and our server told us that the Al Pastor Tacos are to die for. Many of the menu items are labeled gluten free and vegetarian.

Weekend Brunch takes place Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Happy Hour runs Monday – Friday from 3-6 p.m. and features $5 cocktails, bottled beers and house wine. Lola’s. Happy Hour food includes Queso Fundido, Cheese Quesadilla, Mole Chicken Nachos, Mexican Pizza, Mexican, Street Corn, Guacamole, Handmade Sopes Trio, Hand Rolled Taquitos, Tinga Tostaditas, Lola’s Cuetes at only $6 each.

Lola’s Mexican Cuisine, 2030 E 4th St, Long Beach, CA 90814; 562.343.5506
lolasmexicancuisine.com