Neighborhood restaurants have that innate appeal.

They don’t even have to be special, though it helps if they are. Though any restaurant along any street in Portland could be considered a neighborhood place, I define one as this: within the density of a residential neighborhood is the anomalous eatery nestled into the streetscape of row houses, apartment buildings and single family homes.  A perfect example of the genre is Lolita, a dining focal point of Munjoy Hill’s continuing gentrification.

A convivial crowd convenes nightly at Lolita

A convivial crowd convenes nightly at Lolita

I urged friends to join me the other night because I had noticed a signpost I’d seen earlier in the day announcing a special $50 dinner for two that included a main course, salad, side dish and sour-dough bread.  These special menus occur several times a week.  Monday, for instance, is tapas night.

Had we stayed within the limits of the menu, it would be tantamount to $25 per person to enjoy a brined double-thick pork chop for two, cooked in the wood oven; a side of ratatouille, salad with pickled onions and grilled sour-dough bread accompanied.

The beautifully presented pork chop platter with ratatouille, salad and grilled bread

The beautifully presented pork chop platter with ratatouille, salad and grilled bread

But other menu favorites like the trio of pots for $10 were too alluring to pass up: the spreads included a garlicky eggplant dip; a rich chicken liver mousse and one of my favorites, the very savory spread of sardine puree enhanced with harissa and white beans. Add wine and cocktails and that modest $25 per person tabulation grew to nearly $60 including the extras, tax and tip.

Clockwide: Montana, Lolita's major domo; the three pots include eggplant, chicken liver and sardine puree; the gathering crowd and the wood oven, the focal point in the kitchen

Clockwide: Montana, Lolita’s major domo; the three pots include eggplant, chicken liver and sardine puree; the gathering crowd and the wood oven, the focal point in the kitchen

But it was well worth it because the food is so good here—tremendous flavors, gutsy preparations.  I had been several weeks prior to dine at the bar and had a wonderful meal of small plates: a piquant tuna tartare, a bracing grilled squash with a garlicky pistachio aioli and a robust stew of mixed shellfish.

Ever since Lolita opened several years ago it has enhanced the area as a dining destination.  Blue Spoon, The Front Room and Lolita’s former self, Bar Lola, delivered to the mix.  But Lolita now achieves the next level: with a menu of small plates and large, offering bistro-style fare with a Mediterranean bias.

The first thought that came to me as our party settled in was this: Lolita is like the Caiola’s of the East End—the quintessential neighborhood bistro–as the latter has wooed local diners there for over 10 years.  That’s it’s recently changed hands when Caiola’s founding chef Abby Harmon sold it to Damian Sansonetti of Piccolo renown will undoubtedly bring noteworthy changes to the restaurant.

lolita room

The brined chop—so thick it could nearly qualify as a roast—was a tricky piece of meat to cook well.  Over a wood fire it has to sear fast and finish cooking to medium rare state over very high heat to keep it juicy and tender.

The chop

The chop

The meat was a tad too well done and the cutting implement we had was not sharp enough to easily carve the massive chop into tender slices.  I think the kitchen should have carved the meat and presented at the table that way.  Still the meat was delicious served with the great ratatouille and salad.

Lolita, 90 Congress St., Portland, ME 207-775-5652 www.lolita-portland.com

Rating: a solid 4-star dining experience with inventive cooking in an architecturally attractive space with his rows of banquettes and bar seating.

Service: Excellent, now that their long time server, Montana, has returned from a stint at Honey Paw to be manager of this great neighborhood establishment.

Tables: close together comfortable

Parking: Street parking only

$$$: moderately expensive, depending on the range of small, medium and large plates offered