43 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com then, Kim and Devit had become fluent in English and were brought on board to manage the front of the house. When asked about the most rewarding part of working in the restaurant business with her family, Kim answered that she loves getting to see her mom, dad and brother every day, while serving the community together. She also noted that whether it’s popular dishes like Pad Thai, Korean curry, coconut soup, basil leaf stir fry, Tom Yum or Tom Kha, her mother and father put their heart and soul into every single meal that they cook for their customers. Since Pattaya Thai doesn’t accept reservations, visit the Lors at 607 Johnnie Dodds Blvd. “We are open seven days a week. Come by and see us anytime,” said Kim. NICK’S GERMAN KITCHEN Guten Appetit from Nick and Kelly Ruhotina! As restaurateurs since 2004, the Ruhotinas founded an upscale boutique restaurant called Mezzo in Darmstadt, Germany. Fifteen years later, the Mezzo brand, blending European specialties with a focus on German and Italian cuisine, found its way to Mount Pleasant, where in 2021, the Ruhotinas renamed the establishment Nick’s German Kitchen, based on the high demand for more of his specialties like the schnitzel and spaetzle. At 15, the Ruhotinas’ son Devin started hosting at Nick’s and now at 18, he is a server, delivering additional authentic dishes such as bratwurst, bread dumplings, pork chops, Berlin-style veal liver, potato pancakes and Bavarian pretzels paired with creamy sauerkraut and sweet mustard. “The most rewarding part of having a family-run business,” said Kelly, “is definitely our intimate atmosphere and the friendships that we have formed with our guests. And it’s wonderful to be so close to the community every single day and to hear firsthand how our dining experiences impact people, evoking memories of past trips or family meals. That sense of belonging is so important not only for our guests, but for us as well.” To make a reservation, visit nicksgerman.com. LOLA Inspired by the mysterious aura of the foggy swamp culture of Louisiana, Jeff Filosa and his two sons, Nick Filosa and Matt Filosa, launched Louisiana Seafood Kitchen, a food truck catering and traveling lunch service, in 2011. When the business grew so quickly that the truck could only hold enough supplies for an hour and a half, it became clear that the Filosas needed to open a brick-andmortar space. In 2016, they founded LoLA in Park Circle and by the end of 2023 the brand had expanded into Mount Pleasant. Now, Matt runs the kitchen in Park Circle, while Nick oversees the Mount Pleasant location. Jeff said that in between times his daughter, Ali Filosa, helped at the Park Circle location as a server and bartender. Having cooked what he called “Gulf Coast cuisine” since he was a boy, and with extensive experience in the restaurant industry dating back to the 1970s, Filosa said that he has invested decades in learning how to cook authentic Cajun food. His formula for running a successful restaurant business is inherent from his Italian heritage, which he said is akin to the Cajun culture of cooking together as families and competing over who has the best recipe. Filosa added that he prides himself on LoLA’s high level of service and dresseddown comfort food that invites guests to feel at home. Whether ordering the etouffee, gumbo, jambalaya, gator bites, boudin sausage or the freshest crawfish overnighted from Louisiana, pair your courses with a hurricane cocktail and you’ll be transported into the magical world of Creole culture. Visit lolaparkcircle.com to reserve your table. family Nick, Kelly and Devin from Nick’s German Kitchen. Filosa family from LoLA
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