If you are looking for a place to enjoy a delicious and nutritious meal, look no further than Lila, a cozy and trendy restaurant in Sarasota. Lila is the sister restaurant of Pomona Bistro and Wine Bar, the acclaimed fine dining establishment that specializes in seasonal and local ingredients. Lila shares the same philosophy, but with a more casual and affordable approach. Lila’s menu is focused on vegetables, grains, and herbs, but also offers some meaty options for the carnivores. Whether you are a vegan, a vegetarian, or an omnivore, you will find something to satisfy your taste buds at Lila.
What to Expect at Lila
Lila is a small and charming space, with a modern-rustic design that blends metal and wood furnishings, a crystal chandelier, and a silvery blue tile strip that highlights the front of the bar. The open kitchen allows you to see the chefs at work, preparing your dishes with fresh and organic ingredients. The plateware is contemporary and white, and your napkin is a dish towel. The atmosphere is lively and fashionable, but also relaxed and friendly.
Lila’s menu is divided into four sections: small side plates, large vegetable plates, sharing platters, and desserts. The portions are generous, but not overwhelming. The prices range from $5 to $18, with most dishes under $15. You can order a variety of dishes to share with your companions, or enjoy a solo meal with a salad, a burger, or a pasta.
What to Eat?
One of the signature dishes at Lila is the open-face burger, which comes with a bun made of spelt, an ancient grain that is more nutrient-dense than processed grains. The burger is made with quinoa, sweet potato, chickpeas, carrots, and seasoning, and is paired with kohlrabi slaw, a crunchy and refreshing salad made with a cabbage-like vegetable. The burger is flavorful and satisfying, and the spelt bun adds a nutty and earthy touch.
Another popular dish is the macro bowl, which has brown rice, avocado, seaweed, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, and a turmeric-tahini vinaigrette. This dish is a balanced and wholesome meal, with a variety of textures and colors. The vinaigrette adds a tangy and creamy flavor, and the seaweed adds a salty and umami note.
If you are in the mood for something warm and comforting, you can try the house-made pappardelle pasta, which is tossed with ricotta, basil, and roasted tomatoes. The pasta is fresh and tender, and the sauce is light and aromatic. The ricotta adds a creamy and mild flavor, and the basil adds a fresh and herbal touch.
Lila also offers some meat dishes, such as the pig belly cooked in duck fat, the buffalo filet mignon, and the merguez sausage. These dishes are small and rich and are meant to complement the vegetable plates. The pig belly is soft, juicy, fatty, and porky, and comes with a mustard-pickle garnish that adds a sharp and tangy contrast. The buffalo filet mignon is light and juicy and is drenched in a creamy Bordelaise sauce that adds a savory and winey flavor. The merguez sausage is spicy and smoky and comes with mustard and onions that add a pungent and sweet flavor.
For dessert, you can choose from a variety of fruit and berry dishes, such as the lemon tart, the apple crumble, or the berry parfait. These desserts are prepared by Pomona’s Master Pastry Chef Lopes and are delivered to Lila every day. The desserts are sweet and decadent, but also light and refreshing. The lemon tart is particularly delicious, with a crisp and buttery crust, a smooth and tangy filling, and a fluffy and sweet meringue topping.
What to Drink?
Lila does not have a liquor bar, but it does have a selection of craft cocktails made with vermouth and kombucha. Vermouth is a fortified wine infused with herbs and spices, and kombucha is a fermented tea drink with probiotics and antioxidants. The cocktails are refreshing and fizzy and have a low alcohol content. You can try the Lila Spritz, which has vermouth, kombucha, lemon, and mint, or the Lila Mule, which has vermouth, kombucha, ginger, and lime.
Lila also offers a variety of teas, coffees, and juices, such as the nushen tea, the espresso, or the bee-pollen basil kombucha. The nushen tea is an herbal tea with rose, lavender, and chamomile, and has a floral and soothing flavor. The espresso is a strong and aromatic coffee that comes with a piece of dark chocolate. The bee-pollen basil kombucha is a homemade kombucha with bee pollen and basil and has a sweet and herbal flavor.
Reservations & Online Ordering at Lila
Lila is a great place to enjoy a delicious and nutritious meal, with a variety of dishes that cater to different dietary preferences and palates. The cuisine is inventive and creative, using fresh and organic ingredients, and combining different flavors and textures and the atmosphere is cozy and trendy, with a friendly and attentive service. Reservations are highly recommended. CLICK HERE to reserve your table.
Lila is a veggie lover’s paradise, but it might also be the spot that turns you into one too. CLICK HERE to order online.
Be sure to check out other STAR Eats N Drinks in Sarasota!
