Longtime Summerlin restaurant changes ownership

Several Las Vegas bars and restaurants include the name Lola. But the OG Lola, the Lola actually in the house, the Lola local food folk mean when they say, “Her name is Lola,” is Lola Pokorny, owner of Lola’s — A Louisiana Kitchen in Summerlin.

Pokorny, a New Orleans native, opened the first Lola’s in 2007 on West Charleston Boulevard in downtown. She debuted a second Lola’s, in Summerlin, in 2014, later closing the downtown original in 2021 during the pandemic.

This week, Lola’s is celebrating its 10th anniversary and the sale of the restaurant as its namesake moves on to what’s next. But Lola’s is staying in the restaurant family because its general manager, Tamara Jo Martinez Castaneda — who started as a hostess — is the new owner.

Continuing tradition

About a year ago, Pokorny received an unsolicited offer for the restaurant, at 1220 N. Town Center Drive. She sat down with her general manager and reminisced about Lola’s; they both hoped it wouldn’t become something else if Pokorny decided to sell.

“She expressed her desire to be my successor, and that’s how it started,” Pokorny said. “I have three grown children with careers of their own and no desire to be in the restaurant industry. I’m extremely blessed that someone wants to take it and continue with what the community has embraced over the years.”

Boozy itinerary

At noon Saturday, Lola’s will present a Diamonds in the Sky party to mark past and future: “A decade back and a decade forward,” Pokorny said. The cocktail of the fête is Lola’s Private Plane, a bibulous mingling of Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Romano Amaro liqueur, Peychaud’s Aperitivo liqueur and lemon juice.

This cocktail is in keeping with the lively Mardi Gras parties for which Lola’s has become known. The restaurant is also known, among other dishes, for its barbecued shrimp, its shrimp and grits or catfish and grits, and for Pokorny’s take on tchoupitoulas, a Cajun classic that Lola’s serves as crawfish etouffée and catfish on steamed white rice.

And then there are the desserts, which have always been made in-house. “They’re what my mom did once upon a time or ones that I’ve tweaked,” Pokorny said.

For fig delight, Pokorny picks figs from the restaurant garden, makes fig jam, then stuffs a bar cookie with the jam. “I call it a Fig Newton on steroids,” she said.

‘Made my peace’

On Wednesday, Pokorny looked back briefly on her favorite Lola’s memories spanning two locations and almost 20 years. There were the Mardi Gras parties, of course. The customers who became friends. The engaged couples who, after marriage, returned to introduce Pokorny to their newborns.

“For people to pick Lola’s to come to for their landmarks and celebrations was incredibly special to me,” Pokorny said. “I was honored.”

The sale to Martinez Castaneda actually closed about a week ago, so the founder is now officially a diner. How does that feel?

“I’ve made my peace, but I’ll probably always say ‘ours,’ ” Pokorny said. “I told them the other day I’d be a customer, but I’d still bus tables. My new title is FOO: former owner and operator.”

But always Lola.

Contact Johnathan L. Wright at jwright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @JLWTaste on Instagram.