On Tuesday we decided to try the new Lo-Lo’s Fried Chicken and Waffles at Scottsdale Rd. and Thomas. The original Lo-Lo’s, just south of downtown Phoenix has been open since 2002. Both are owned and run by Larry “Lo-Lo” White, the grandson of Mrs. White, long time proprietor of Mrs. White’s Golden Rule Cafe. The original Lo-Lo’s is a fun experience. The little house is crammed with ramshackle tables and chairs through which the servers sidle. It’s always crowded, but especially on weekends, where the wait can be over an hour. The mostly African-American customers chat outside on the street. As outsiders, we’ve always been treated courteously, but with some reserve.
The new location in Scottsdale is, of course, more upscale, particularly since it is new. It’s kind of cute, with lots of red upholstery and chrome accents, but it lacks decoration and a down-home feeling. Maybe when the patina of grease, found in all restaurants in which the deep fryer is the main cooking utensil, builds up a little more (it’s already starting) things will feel more natural. The weirdest thing for me, though, was the total whiteness of the customers, contrasted with the mostly black staff. It just wasn’t Lo-Lo’s. The other thing that has changed, perhaps for the better, is that the salt shaker has been retired. Most soul food has enough salt to make your feet swell up for a week, but here I was almost tempted to add some at the table.
The bestselling dish at Lo-Lo’s is KK’s Number 1. This consists of three pieces of southern fried chicken, two waffles, two cheese covered eggs, onions, and a side of grits ( $13). Since I’m not particularly fond of waffles (you’ll have to judge the quality of these yourself) or eggs, we decided to split Lo-Lo’s Famous Soulfood Platter ($13). On it are the three pieces of chicken (breast, thigh, and wing - legs are served with other selections) which can be fried or smothered in gravy, or two pieces of catfish or cod pan-fried in a special batter, and two sides plus cornbread. Here’s a partial listing of sides, ala carte they cost between $3.50 and $4.00: beans over rice, collard greens, smothered potatoes, fries, mac and cheese, cheese grits and candy sweets. Ken also ordered a piece of fish.
Our very full plate arrived in reasonable time. The chicken was fairly moist, and nicely crunchy - but lacking in salt. The pieces were good size. The cheese grits were disappointing, they were just plain grits with a sprinkling of cheese on top, and on top of that a huge wad of margarine. The cornbread sported the same margarine top hat, but despite that it was quite dry. The candy sweets are good, not so overly sweet that they’d pass for dessert. I tried dipping a piece of cornbread in their liquid, but it refused to absorb any. Ken said his fish was okay, but felt the portion was small for the money. By the way, I’ve had the mac and cheese before, and it’s not very interesting, not very creamy.
The only dessert offered is red velvet cake, something I totally don’t understand. The cake part has no distinguishable taste, not even vanilla, just red dye. Why? I can never identify the flavor of the frosting either. I guess it’s a cultural phenomenon.
All in all, it wasn’t a particularly satisfying lunch and I don’t think we’d go back. Unfortunately, the last time we were at Restaurant 28 my chicken was bad, very dry and impossibly salty. I’m willing to give them another chance since it was incredibly good the time before, but I’m leery. We still have to try the chicken at Stacey’s, but they only serve it once a week. Happily The Satisfied Frog is supposed to reopen in January - they make a reliably good batch.
Lo-Lo’s Chicken and Waffles
10 W. Yuma St. Phoenix (I recommend you go to this location) 602-340-1304
M-Th 10-7, Friday 10-10, Sat. 10-7, Sunday 10-4
or
2765 N. Scottsdale Rd. Scottsdale
480-945-1920
M-Sunday (although when we went on a Sunday it was closed) 7-3
later hours will be added soon
loloschickenandwaffles.com
Your reviews are tending to be quite annoying. You start off this review fine with a bit of history of Mrs. White's and her family heritage and then diminish your opinion with your statement, "we've always been treated courteously, but with some reserve.", I have found serious reserve with nearly all 5 star restaurants I have ever had occasion to visit. North Scottsdale is notorious for the snooty blonde hostess so detached from her own humanity you might assume you have entered the epicurean Twilight Zone. I too have been to Lo-Lo's and although being white have never sensed being an "outsider", matter of fact they seem as American as me, but then I don't choose to see color as having merit here, especially in your review.
ReplyDeleteThe new locations is more "upscale"? It's in a strip mall or maybe you have reservations about the down home flair the original location has. The place needs a patina of grease and "it's already starting" - what is wrong with you? Lo-Lo's has been open a bit more than a month and you see a build up of grease??? You are starting to come off as a racist, especially after considering your other review where a womans name was of such a tone as to turn you off from the establishment.
Generalizations about "Most soul food has enough salt...", you are going beyond the pale and belittling your own intellect when you make such blanket statements. How about someone commenting on your site that you can't possibly review American cuisine because all you Asians eat dog so how would you know what tastes good?
"Lacking in salt" this is a personal preference and one that a restaurant best respects its customers health when dishes are not overly salted so as to allow one to make such an adjustment - you just like to complain. Grits are just that - GRITS. With a little salt and pepper for my taste, they are great, my wife likes the flavor of them plain - go figure.
If you have so much experience with soul food that you can make blanket statements about how salty soul food is in general, then you should also be well aware that cornbread by and large is DRY! Unless you go to a restaurant that caters to a distinct ethnic group that enjoys everything they eat salted and sugary.
About the mac and cheese, so it wasn't very creamy, was there enough cheese, enough salt, was the macaroni firm or mushy and although it wasn't creamy you obviously had it before and ordered it again, so it must have been good enough to eat twice but still required some a half hearted slam to continue the tone of disdain.
Red Velvet Cake, you "guess it's a cultural phenomenon"? Wow, that's amazing, ever had durian? Deep fried scorpion? Rattlesnake, sheep intestines, brain - come on Roz, there are a million cultural phenomenon out in the world. Your continuing effort to belabor your disaffection for Lo-Lo's smacks of vendetta. Id even go so far as to suggest you show your true colors that you are trying to cement yourself into the 'White' world by showing your intollerance for ethnicity. Like you said, "Happily The Satisfied Frog is supposed to reopen", why of course you should be happy, out in Cave Creek / Carefree we hardly ever see a Black, Hindu, Hispanic, or other ethnic type and are solidly surrounded by just us white people and the occasional Asian trying to take on the snobbery of supposed whiteness so as to elevate themselves to the "correct" class.
Boo on your reviews.