On holiday to discover the Costa Smeralda, one of the most famous places in Sardinia, where the days pass in the turquoise sea and the evenings are enlivened by music and good food. Sunset time is the moment between day and night. We can enjoy it on the white beaches of Porto Rotondo or sitting on the sofas of the Lola, admiring the reflections of the water on the dock. Surrounded by olive trees and warm lights we decide to discover their nikkei menu, an original fusion of Japanese and Peruvian cuisine.
To make it a real aperitif we decided to accompany this spectacular view by sipping something that makes us feel really on vacation. The proposals on the menu are creative cocktails with combinations of particular flavors such as those of the “Lola” drink: the alcoholic base is accompanied by the tropical flavor of passion fruit and a yuzu foam, foam of Asian citrus fruit, and a pollen homemade syrup.
For our aperitif, we get advice from the barman: two drinks inspired by the Orient arrive at the table, the “Machu Picchu”, a cocktail with fresh notes with gin, basil, cucumber, and lime, and the “Kyoto”, sake infused with petals of rose that takes us with the mind directly to Japan and its cherry blossom trees.
For those who want to be surprised by the more “spicy” side of Lola, we recommend trying “Hot & Smokey”, which takes its name from its two main ingredients: Peruvian peppers and smoked tequila (Casamigos Mezcal).
The gastronomic proposals also unite together Japan and Peru. We chose to try the salmon tiradito yuzu- the Japanese mandarin – and the rocoto pepper, a typical Peruvian pepper. Tiradito is a dish that comes from sashimi, typically Japanese, subsequently revisited by the Peruvians with sauces and “Aji Amarillo” chilli. Then we continued with one of the most famous street food of Asian cuisine, the bao, stuffed in different ways.
Another preparation that has caught our attention is that of yakitori, skewers of meat or fish cooked on the grill on the “robata”, a Japanese grill, using Binchōtan or “white coal” charcoal. At Lola’s, there are several alternatives: chicken, salmon, octopus, shrimp, scallops, and Japanese Wagyu meat.
Finally, the Uramaki menu offers the great classics, such as Tiger and Dragon Roll, and more original combinations such as those of the Lola Roll- with smoked moray eel and twisted salmon – and the passion roll- with scallop tartare and passion fruit.
The combinations of Lola’s food and cocktails together with the refined and welcoming location and the incredible sunset overlooking the harbor made our aperitif moment unique. Thanks to the creativity of the team and the passion for the culinary world, Lola’s menu is constantly evolving, under the supervision of the director Zoe Zanchi, always looking for new tastes.
