Lola’s shouldn’t be an unfamiliar name in the local F&B scene these days — having been in operations as Lola’s Cafe for a number of years now, Lola’s had finally expanded its main brand after the introduction of several other notable brands over the years; these include the now-defunct On The Table previously at Pasir Panjang Road, the now-defunct Suzette previously at The Esplanade, as well as Dumpling Darlings which operates at Amoy Street and Circular Road, and Lucky Dumplings at ION Orchard. With the opening of their newest space at Lorong Mambong in Holland Village which takes over the former premises of the now-defunct JOMO, Lola’s has also introduced an updated logo that is also used at the original spot at Kovan. Occupying a shop unit that consists of two levels at Lorong Mambong, Lola’s Cafe had completed redesigned the space; the first level is pretty much reserved for outdoor dining — the indoor space at the ground level being a more of a service area with the espresso bar and cake counter taking up most of the space there, while the second level is the main indoor dining hall. The interior is decked in a rather earthy tone that is soothing to the eyes with use of terracotta and wooden elements; lots of greenery is also used to create a look that is close to nature. Those who have visited Lola’s at Kovan might find the menu served at their new outpost at Lorong Mambong somewhat familiar; the menu is split into several sections where the items listed in the All-Day, Dessert and Waffles section of the menu are available throughout its operating hours, while the dishes on the Brunch section are available from 9am to 3pm. The Pasta section of the menu, which is exclusively available at Lorong Mambong, is available from both 9am to 3pm, and from 5:30pm to 9:30pm, while the Dinner items are available only from 5:30pm to 9:30pm. Whilst most of the items do seem to be carried from their existing menu at Kovan, the Lorong Mambong outlet does serve a few exclusive items — this includes the Tsukune Sando in the Brunch section of the menu.

Also exclusive to the menu at Lorong Mambong in the Dinner section of the menu would be the Mushroom & Ricotta Ravioli that we have decided to go for. Being much of a fan of ravioli, this was a clear draw for us considering how it featured elements such as Handmade Mushroom & Ricotta Ravioli, Brown Butter, Fried Sage, Walnuts, Parmesan, Wine — sage, brown butter and walnuts being things that we especially love to have in a ravioli dish. We were initially rather sceptical about how the dish would turn out, but was left really surprised by how well-executed these were — the handmade ravioli served here does seem bigger than what we are used to having at other establishments. We also liked how the pasta was well-made; not too doughy nor chewy, but does hold up to the mushroom and ricotta fillings pretty well — the mushroom providing a slightly qq-texture and an earthy flavour profile that matches against the savoury brown butter sauce that is spiked sigh a little bit of parmesan pretty well. The fried sage gives a slight twist of textures; somewhat crisp, yet carries a distinct herb-y note that adds on to the brown butter sauce — all that whilst the walnuts helped to add a bit of nuttiness and a crunch factor to the dish. All in all, a dish that we thoroughly enjoyed given how it attempts to hit a multitude of textures and flavours to provide that extra “oomph”.

Always had that impression that Lola’s serves pretty decent food, but at a rather safe level — the impression of our meals at Lola’s at Kovan previously were more of decent cafe fare at a rather affordable price, though nothing much to shout about in general. Having dropped by their new Lorong Mambong outlet, we did feel that they have since progressed beyond the standards that we have expected them to be at — the Mushroom & Ricotta Ravioli was actually really well-executed and could certainly compare against what some bistros were serving up previously as well. Perhaps the rise in standards stems from their experience gained over time especially with the success of Dumpling Darlings — we are definitely seeing some sort of a change from what they were when they first started out as Lola’s Cafe in Kovan. It goes without saying that their latest outpost at Lorong Mambong would be a destination that cafe-hoppers should put in the list of places to check out — that being said, we do feel like those whom probably have given them a go several years ago should make a timely revisit as well; we are truly impressed with how they are like now, and would certainly return for more when the time allows for it!