Chicago Reader

Recent Arrivals

sola
By David Hammond

At SOLA self-described former surfer girl Carol Wallack has dreamed up a menu board with expert balance. A roasted-pepper-and-fennel soup came with a sambuca-infused creme fraiche; a sea greens salad was crisp with water chestnuts and played the bitterness of hijiki against the sweet spiciness of hoisin. There were some gimmicks: the “trio of tuna tartares,” though fresh, were indistinct in flavor; Parmesan fries with truffle oil sounded fabulous but turned out to be a fancified version of what you’d get at Gene and Jude’s. Far more memorable was the black cod, marinated three days in miso paste and rice vinegar, then seared and served with curried sunchokes and bamboo rice; it paired very well with a 2004 Mak sauvignon blanc big with grapefruit notes. We also tried Colorado lamb chops with eggplant and leeks, for which our server suggested a medium-weight Cartlidge & Brown pinot noir—an excellent match. Capping things off were citrus pound cake with mango curd and a molten chocolate cake with sesame brickle ice cream and wasabi-vanilla bean syrup. Sola delivers its entire menu curbside—call ahead, pay with a card, and pull up in front.