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Chef Michael WagnerLola's on Harrison |
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954-927-9851Chef Michael Wagner - Mr. November, 2011
A namesake to his late grandmother, and positioned to heighten the area’s culinary presence, Lola’s on Harrison is an elegantly cozy dining destination showcasing chef/owner Michael Wagner’s mouthwatering contemporary American cuisine. With a professional background that most up-and-coming south Floridian chef’s dream of and a restaurant that has built a solid reputation on serving up quality comfort foods with top notch service, Chef Wagner (34) is at the top of his game.
A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America 1995, Wagner was born and raised on Long Island, New York and relocated to Miami in the early 1990s stumbling upon what was to become a major turning point in his life. Finding himself uniquely situated between two generations of known South Floridian chefs, Wagner leapt onto Miami’s culinary scene post Mango Gang phenomenon as the second generation of soon-to-be top toques were starting to bloom.
Working his way through various high profile Miami kitchens, Wagner found himself side by side with such local legends as Mark Militello (Mark’s Place), Johnny Vinczencz (Astor Place/Johnny V), Tim Andriola (Timo), and Chef Allen Susser (Chef Allen’s). There he was introduced to South Florida’s plethora of tropical fruits and vegetables, contemporary fusion cuisine, as well as the ins and outs of a fine dining kitchen. The talented young chef landed a position at South Beach hotspot Tuscan Steak where he served as executive chef from 1999 to 2003. He later served as executive chef at Perricone’s Marketplace and Café and then helped open Abe and Louie’s Boca Raton in 2005-2006. Finally realizing a life long dream of opening his own restaurant, Chef Wagner concentrated his efforts into developing the menu, concept and décor for Lola’s on Harrison.
Focused on being value-oriented and coupled with a neighborhood restaurant personality; Wagner wanted to provide “approachable comfort food combined with warm, over the top service”. It was not long before the critic’s vote was in, and Lola’s on Harrison went from Wagner’s vision to being one of the “Top 20 Best New Restaurants in Florida” according to Florida Trend Magazine, rated “Best Restaurant in South Broward” New Times Best of 2008 and a “Noteworthy Newcomer” designated by Zagat 2008. The NY Times declared “if you want to dine in sophisticated style, downtown offers at least one option in Lola’s on Harrison and Boca Magazine boldly exclaimed “two words, Michael Wagner; three words Lola’s on Harrison; four words, make your reservation now!”
Putting the emphasis on fresh and simple, his menu features award winning appetizers – purple potato skins with sundried tomato crème fraiche, roasted garlic, smoked bacon, chives and American sturgeon caviar and the infamous “falling off the bone” beef short rib, roasted aromatic vegetables, orange-horse radish gremolata, natural pan juices, topped with ricotta salata. Entrees include the Coca Cola BBQ beef ribs with tarragon infused creamed yellow corn, and buttermilk onion rings as well as grilled skirt steak served with Wagner’s very own creation, Lola’s Housemade Steak Sauce.
In case you didn't read his bio, Michael named his restaurant after his late grandmother and there's a photo of him, above, holding a photo that hangs the wall at his restaurant with Grandma Lola and the future chef sitting on her lap. Michael's a good boy...and a great chef. Taylor trys to sneak a taste of the outrageous Coca Cola BBQ Sauce that is one of Michael's claims to fame. He's a big Jets fan too and asked if we could shoot a few pics with his jersey on. "Sure", we said. "Do you have any vegetable in the kitchen that might resemble a football?" And, voila...a, well, we're not sure what that is (a casaba maybe?) but Michael definitely scores for creativity!
Makeup by Gina Seebauer, Photography by Michael Herb of 204 Studios
