By Brian Sherman

The inventor of the telephone once said, “When one door closes, another door opens.” Alexander Graham Bell obviously wasn’t directly referencing the Mount Pleasant culinary scene when he uttered this profound principle, but the wisdom of his words might apply in this case. The Mustard Seed closed its doors on October 1, 2023, and, just more than a month later on November 2, LoLA, which had already tasted success offering its Cajun and Creole recipes in North Charleston, greeted its first customers in the same building on Chuck Dawley Boulevard.

“I love this location, and I’m really pleased with how Mount Pleasant has received us,” said Jeff Filosa, who has enjoyed a wealth of experience in the restaurant business in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. “When this property became available, 30 people were trying to get it.”

LoLA is a play on “Lowcountry Louisiana,” though Filosa is originally from New England. He moved south as a teenager and never returned to his roots in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. He owned restaurants in downtown Charleston in the 1990s but sold them when he opted to make his living in the banking profession.

However, the hospitality business beckoned again, and in 2010, Filosa answered the call, opening what he called “a serious food truck.” “Lowcountry Creole” was among the area’s top caterers and traveled to events and festivals – and also served as the kitchen for LoLA North Charleston for five years. However, he said, he always wanted to test the Mount Pleasant market. Apparently, he’s glad he did; after six months in business, he’s already planning to build a patio facing Chuck Dawley Boulevard and expand the bar area.

LoLA is a family business – Filosa’s sons, Matthew and Nick, both play key roles. The menu includes a wide range of Creole and Cajun fare, from Lowcountry Shrimp & Grits – local shrimp, stone-ground grits, bacon, andouille sausage and mushroom gravy – to Blackened Redfish and Cajun Fettuccine Alfredo. Filosa said his bestsellers though are the Bayou Bowl Classics: Classic Jambalaya – roasted chicken and local shrimp with tomatoes, andouille sausage, and rice; Vegetarian Jambalaya – squash, tomatoes, mushrooms, red onions, shredded carrots, legumes, and rice; and Etouffee – a stew of smothered seafood in gravy and andouille sausage over rice.

LoLA also offers a variety of gumbos, soups, and salads. There’s a lot more from which to choose, however, and not all of it originated in Bayou country. Filosa said the restaurant offers specials every day, which allows him and his chefs to “get creative and do what we want.” Guests can expect to have the option of ordering fresh seafood such as mushroom and caramelized onion risotto, topped with a golden tilefish. And, of course, there are the Poboys that were known throughout the Lowcountry when they were a staple aboard Filosa’s food truck. The problem, according to Filosa, is that “in our restaurant, there are too many things to try. You’re just going to have to come back and see us.” “We’re not trying to be good,” he added. “We’re trying to blow you away.”

Filosa pointed out that guests can look forward to more than just the food when they visit LoLA. The people who work there actually love their jobs, and they’re challenged daily to share their positive vibes. “Our employees aren’t allowed to say “Have a good one,’” Filosa explained. “We want to be different than the rest. We want them to think about it and come up with something better.”

“We love food and we like to make people happy,” he concluded.