It’s not as good as Serious Pie or as classic as Palace Kitchen, but Lola is one of the best outposts of the Tom Douglas empire. Lola has a fairly straightforward m.o., which helps: instead of seafood fusion circa 1993, the kitchen turns out reasonable interpretations of Mediterranean and North African standards.

Tagines, done with traditional proteins like lamb or goat, with flourishes like pine nuts or Meyer lemon, are perfectly prepared, if a little on the small side. Whole fishes (grape leaf-wrapped trout, for instance) are moist and flavorful. The kebabs are delicious, especially the squid, octopus, and lamb varieties.

Lola suffers a bit from the ‘90s feel of many of Douglas’s restaurants, but it’s much hipper than Dahlia Lounge or Etta’s. The huge oak cask for aging wine is a great focal point behind the bar (much better than the neon flame lights hanging above it). It’s a fun place to dine, in the end, with lots of booths, a gorgeous curving bar, great service, and good happy hour. This could be the regular hangout for characters in a prime-time drama about a plucky young law firm—an aesthetic that blends in well with the adjoining Hotel Ändra.