Diary: A Great New Lunch Place Emerges.

Written by Tom Fitzmorris November 02, 2017 12:01 in

DiningDiarySquare-150x150 Monday, October 30, 2017. Great Sandwiches @ Lola. Mary Ann is on for lunch, and the place she suggests is Lola, the restaurant operated by the husband-and-wife chef couple Keith and Nealy Frentz. Lola (no apostrophe-s) is two restaurants in one. In the evening, it's a gourmet bistro. In daytime, it's a lunch house with an excellent array of sandwiches, made with good deli meats, house-made breads, and well-assembled salads of find greens and vegetables. Perhaps it's because I went there a few times while I was on jury duty (the courthouse is across the street), I consigned the place to the fast-lunch category. Which is why we never went there at midday. The lunch we had made that response clearly inaccurate. We started with a pair of homemade hot soups made with shredded beef, potatoes, and white cheddar. A little cream was in there, with just enough red pepper. The sandwiches were equally rustic and good, served on focaccia with a filling of ham, roast pork, cheese and greens. It was almost like a Cuban sandwich, but with a more interesting texture. Both orders came with good piles of salad. The grilled salmon salad with French dressing (made with blue cheese and tomatoes went to Mary Ann. We were sitting outside, of course. Although the temperatures were on the cool side--and it's about time they did--it was not uncomfortable for us to sit next to the ancient but recently- added railroad passenger car next to the deck. (The building is the old Covington Railroad Depot from the 1940s and before.) MA likes the environment well enough that we now have a new restaurant for lunch on Mondays. (She picks restaurant according to atmosphere, not food, and she freely admits that.) Lola. Covington: 517 N New Hampshire. 985-892-4992.