The food is worthy and chef Bill Downes displays a knack for creating dishes with lovely fluidity at this casually elegant, artsy restaurant.
By: Antoinette Buckley
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Lila |
I love the femininity and lilting cadence as the name Lila (pronounced "lie-luh") rolls off the tongue. Its name seems the perfect complement for the casually elegant, artsy restaurant with matching bar that has made its home in the grander and more beautiful National Hotel (built in 1851) in Frenchtown. Frenchtown, the quaint micro-village where art galleries, antique shops, historic buildings and Victorian homes make up the town’s ambience, welcomed Lila to its handful of inspired restaurants two years ago.
Owned by a husband-and-wife team, Bill Downes (chef) and Tisha Downes (manager), Lila is simply arranged, yet has a way of engaging those who enter. It is brightly lit and colored in tones of green with some eye-catching decorative elements. The most distinctive one is the collection of black-and-white photographs that celebrate the human spirit and give a personal, familial feel to the space since many of the photos picture Bill and Tisha’s ancestry or Bill and Tisha themselves enjoying life with family and friends. The display is artistically uplifting and warm. One stroll around the room to admire the photography is all it takes to become connected to Lila.
The menu changes seasonally and generally presents a flirtatious mix of bar food and upscale New American cuisine that perhaps should be limited to the latter, since the other doesn’t seem a good fit here in the dining room of Lila’s. Bill and Tisha Downes also own the hotel’s grittier Rathskeller’s Pub, located at basement level, where bar food is just the thing. I can appreciate offering grab-a-bite fare at Lila in an effort to minimize formality and capitalize on the diverse food desires of clientele, but, at the very least, the two genres should be better organized on the menu. Otherwise the whole dining experience (especially for newcomers) becomes murky as customers unconsciously search for the kind of evening they are supposed to be having.
However, Bill maintains that the mix has been working well for the restaurant and emphasizes that Lila is not a special-occasion restaurant. The menu is the same for lunch and dinner, as Bill and Tisha refuse to raise prices for dinner "justifying" adding an extra spoonful to the portion. Yes, all portions are appropriate in size regardless of lunch or dinner and all are accommodated from children to entrée-salad-eaters, but there are mixed signals being sent.
The menu is at once small and broad. It has a surprisingly petite feel even while navigating through the Chicken BLT Wrap ($9) and Grilled Black Angus Burger ($9) en-route to something more like Monkfish Cassoulet ($24) or Pan Seared Brazilian Lobster Tail served with country mashed potatoes and bourbon beurre blanc ($30). Flavors span the globe with French, Italian, Middle Eastern, Asian, Spanish and Mexican influences. While varying prices and genres make the kind of dining experience completely open-ended, one thing is for certain: the kitchen is competent. For the most part, food is prepared with expertise, putting together well-balanced flavors and delivering it in stylish form on plates of varying shapes and colors.
Brought before all else, warm rolls served with bright herb butter are just right. The Spicy Crab Dip ($13), from the "Tapas" section of the fall menu rather than the "Appetizer" section of the menu, was characteristically conducive to sharing. Served with rounds of crostini, the not-so-spicy crab dip was typical of a dip served as a starter at a friend’s home while entertaining friends. This dish, despite the superior-quality crab used, was neither here nor there in this setting and no longer appears on the winter menu. It would come off better served alongside a smattering of tapas surrounded by a group of friends and a round of drinks.
The special soup of the day, Sweet Potato and Shrimp Bisque ($6), brought autumn and a seafood favorite together in one bowl. The combination was smooth, creamy and unadulterated by over-seasoning, leaving it to its subtle sweet nature. Another success from the "Appetizer" section of the menu was the Thai Peanut Chicken and Soba Noodles ($10). A generous mound of noodles integrated with shreds of carrot, zucchini, yellow squash and of course strips of chicken delivered a nice hit of heat and lots of peanut flavor.
A dish like Porcini Dusted Jumbo Scallops ($23) served with melted leek asparagus risotto is at home here at Lila. Scallops cooked to a gentle turn were served with a cohesive, creamy risotto incorporating nuggets of asparagus cut professionally on an angle. A generous crank of the pepper mill combined with the scant porcini dusting worked to compliment the sweetness of the scallops. A little more salt would have served the dish well.
Service can be young and unpolished, but it is genuine. Our server shared helpful tips about the menu and interesting tidbits about the restaurant. When he didn’t have an answer, he made sure to find it and reported back. I have respect and patience for that.
Grilled Rib Eye Steak ($25) came medium when medium rare was ordered. But, service scored points for admitting the error and offering to cook up another. Although the vast cut of meat was fatty in spots, all was forgiven since this contributes to the superior flavor. A side of Yukon Gold country mashed potatoes with roasted shallots was heavenly. Potatoes were partially skinned, cut in ½ inch pieces and bound together by a light creaminess. An Argentinean chimichurri sauce (an oil flavored by a puree of herbs) drizzled around the plate created interest.
The Crispy Carmel Banana Cheesecake Roll ($7) is a stroke of genius. Banana-flavored cheesecake filling is rolled up in a crispy pastry that is then dipped in cinnamon sugar and drizzled with a warm caramel sauce. It’s bananas foster meets cheesecake and each is the better for it. Warm Chocolate Ganache Lava Cake ($7) is modeled after the trendy round chocolate cake with warm chocolate in the center that oozes when cut. While quite acceptable, this innovation on a contemporary favorite doesn’t reach the level of decadence that I’ve come to expect.
Lila has a manageable wine list with a good selection of reasonably priced wines. Noteworthy beers such as Cordendock, Brooklyn Brown and the local favorite, Riverhorse, also are offered. Overall, the food is worthy and chef Bill Downes displays a knack for creating dishes with lovely fluidity that, in fact, match the gracefulness in the name. Now, continue playing mellow music in the background, tuck away the menu items that send mixed messages, dim the lights just a little and… aaaahh, Lila.

