Sola

Ratings Guide:
Half handshake, half chest-bump hug – 5 stars
Chest bump – 4 stars
Fist bump – 3 stars
High five – 2 stars
Handshake – 1 star
Manly ass slap – ½ star
Fone and fone – 0 stars



Restaurant: Sola
Location: 3868 N. Lincoln @ Byron


This past 4th of July we were at a friends place enjoying a couple of cold adult beverages and some encased meats when someone asked me, “If you could go to one restaurant, which one would it be?” Of course the question was way too broad for me. I had to know what time of day, what day of week, what’s the traffic like, would I have to wait for a table, was I having a bad day, was I having a good day, was I having a fat day (which is everyday), etc… After a minute of awkward silence we finally agreed that cost was not an issue, travel was not an issue (blink and you’re there), you get the best table in the place, it was up to you what time of day you were eating (brunch, dinner, lunch, breakfast, drunk food, whatever), and that was about it. Well, after we took the time to decide all that, I didn’t have a good answer. In fact, I didn’t have an answer at all. I think I finally defaulted to Dunlay’s On The Square (mostly for the skillet cookie).

Two months later and I finally have a good answer. Sola. I went there for the first time about a week ago and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. I want to go every day. I want to go right now.

Sola has been open for a while, and I’ve heard great things about it for a long time. In fact, on more than one occasion, I’ve actually sent people there to eat, even though I had never actually gone myself. All based simply on the buzz I heard about it from friends I trust (Strip, Linda, Mudd). A while back my wife and some friends were looking for a place to eat and I reco’d Sola, and so they went. My wife loved it, and to this day her friend Aimee claims it’s the best meal she’s ever eaten in the city. Well, now I know why.

The wife and I headed there last week for our five-year anniversary. That alone is something worth talking about. When we first started dating EVERYONE thought we wouldn’t last. One of my wife’s professors actually had a sit down talk with her and advised her not to date me. That I was a clown with no direction and wouldn’t be successful and Amy deserved better. Sadly, she was pretty right on. But, love works in mysterious ways. Or is that God? Doesn’t matter, because you don’t care either way.

When we got there we had to wait a couple of minutes for a table, which wasn’t a big deal because it gave me time to run to the ATM so I’d have some cash to pay the valet guy when we were done. Where we ended up sitting ended up being the big deal. The place is pretty simple. Nothing too fancy, just a nice, simple elegance to it. They have a great little outdoor area on the sidewalk, but it was too cold out so it was closed and we weren’t able to sit out there. They also have a slightly raised section of the restaurant that’s nice and the tables aren’t too crowded together, but we didn’t sit up there either. We sat on the main floor. But, it wasn’t like we sat at a cozy little table in the back, or even at a table with the booth/bench seating. They put us at a tiny little two-top in the middle of the room. It was the only two-top in the area and was surrounded by four and six-tops. It was like they set up all the tables, then found that they had a small space in the middle that wasn’t being fully utilized, so they forced a small little table in there to get the most out of the space. It was so tight that the waitress could only come from one direction. It really was kind of awkward when we first sat down because we were practically participating in the conversation at the table next to us. But, the waitress was so great, and the atmosphere was so nice, and the food was so amazing that we quickly forgot about the awful seating.

Service was fantastic. The waitress had great recommendations and didn’t steer us wrong even once. But then again I’m pretty sure there isn’t a wrong decision on the menu. It’s just that they can point you in the right direction depending on the mood you’re in, which is a big help.

To start things off we went with the artichoke fritters. They were unbelievable. Fried pieces of artichoke with two dips. I’m not even sure what the dips were, but the one that was white was so good I almost took my spoon and started eating it before Amy gave me “that” look. I’ve also heard from several people that the trio of tuna tartars is fantastic. But, I’m not a big tuna fan (or a fan of the Big Tuna, though I do think it’s one of the cooler nicknames I’ve ever heard. Almost as good as the Big Delicious.) so we didn’t get it.

I was struggling with what to get for dinner, and decided that I definitely wanted a meat dish. The waitress said their two signature meat dishes were the short ribs or the lamb chops. Now, the lamb champs weren’t on the menu. They were one of the specials of the night. But it sounded like it might be the special every night. The chops were stuffed with some sort of soft cheese, so I figured how could I go wrong with ‘em? She asked me how I wanted them cooked, and I froze up a bit. How do you order lamb? I had no idea, so I went with my standard medium rare. She could tell I was unsure, so she quickly added, “If they aren’t done enough for you, just let us know and we’ll cook you up a new plate.” I was amazed. I’ve never been to a place that was actually enthusiastic about re-cooking your food. Or in this case, cooking you a new dish of it. This is what service at a nice restaurant is supposed to be like. But I didn’t need to have them re-cooked. They were perfect. They were better than perfect (which I know isn’t possible, since there is no such thing at better than perfect, but I’m using it as exaggeration to illustrate a point. So suck it.). They were honestly one of the best dishes that I’ve eaten in the city. No kidding. I don’t even know what else to say about them. And yes, they get an HJ rating, in case you were wondering. Which you weren’t. But in case you were. I would eat them everyday if I could afford it. But I’ll get to that at the end.

Amy went with the ginger glazed salmon. I hate salmon (as you may know depending how much of this site you’ve actually read). But this? Wow. I had not one bite, not two bites, but three. It just had this great, sweet taste to it that wasn’t over-powering but that you also couldn’t get enough of. It also came with like an edamame puree, which I’ve never had before. Again, I don’t like edamame, but this was fantastic (NOTE: I’m going to run out of synonyms for “amazing” by the end of this review. Just a heads up.).

So not only does this place have great entrees, but they also have some amazing side dishes. The fries are a must. They are cooked in truffle oil and are served in one of those giant cone shaped dishes. Just a huge amount of fries. And not just fries, but some of the best fries you’ll ever eat. My only complaint is that I think we got a disproportionate amount of runt fries, which was probably for the best so that I wasn’t tempted to eat the whole order. Which I would have. I also really liked the mac and cheese. It was very creamy, but not the thick kind of creamy (think Velveeta). More like a thicker milky kind of creamy. But I loved it. I always order mac and cheese when it’s on a menu, but this is one of the few times I’d actually get it again.

I don’t want to spend a lot of time on dessert other than to say skip it. Get a coffee or cappuccino or something, but skip the dessert. I didn’t love any of it (except for a green apple sorbet which I really enjoyed). Too bad. This place could have been perfect.

But don’t just take my word for it. Aimee (my wife’s friend) said it was the best meal she’s ever eaten in the city (as mentioned above). Amy (my wife) loves the place. Linda, Strip, and Mudd all highly recommend it. Linda would eat here once a week if she could. My buddy Dave didn’t love the place because he thought everything had too many flavors going on and was trying too hard. I disagree, but thought I would at least give a fair and balanced review. Rex also says the food is very bland, but he has never actually eaten there and is basing his entire review on what he thought the place looked like when he walked by. Don’t trust Rex. Ever.

Cost wise it’s a little expensive. We paid $155 for dinner for two (including tip). Yes we had a bottle of wine, but that was only $30 (which is pretty cheap, I think). Entrees are $20-$30, and most are in the high $20’s. Again, not bad, but it adds up quickly. Especially when you get apps and side items, which are all around $8-$10. But it was worth it. Except for dessert.

And portion sizes. Really good. The entrees were big enough to satisfy, but not so much that you walked away thinking, “I wish I didn’t have that last bite” (which I never think, but normal people probably do.). The sides were all big portions, so they are ideal for sharing, which is nice.

Let me close with this. I always ponder what restaurants I would consider my favorites in the city, or how my top ten might look. I’m not sure if Sola gets the top spot, but it’s definitely in the running, and right now is a for sure top five. But that’s just me.

Half handshake, half chest-bump hug.


Got a question? Send it to josh@borntofork.com.

Cafe 28

Ratings Guide:
Half handshake, half chest-bump hug – 5 stars
Chest bump – 4 stars
Fist bump – 3 stars
High five – 2 stars
Handshake – 1 star
Fone and fone – 0 stars
Manly-ass slap – ½ star


Restaurant: Café 28
Location: 1800 W. Irving Park Rd.

The quick review: This is my favorite restaurant in the city.

The long review: Café 28 offers a great combination of Cuban and Mexican-style foods that are filled with FLAVOR FLAV. I don’t think I’ve every ordered a thing off the menu that I would call “just OK” or “average” or “tastes like meat soaked in urine”. I think the best part about it is that it is always good. I’ve never had a bad experience. I’ve gone on Mondays, mid-week and weekends and the food always delivers.

They keep the menu relatively simple. You aren’t flipping through twelve pages of elaborate choices trying to narrow your choices and then having to ask the waiter for advice. Whether it’s fish, pork, chicken or steak, they’ll have something that will make your mouth water.

But, that’s if you’re even lucky enough to get to dinner. For me, it’s tough to get past the butter. It’s easily the best butter I’ve had in the city. They bring out this basket filled with wonderful bread and this little cup of jalapeño butter (it may not be jalapeño butter, but I know it’s really f-ing good. Sadly, I’ve only been there a half-a-dozen times, and I’m not sure what the butter is made of. I’d ask, but I’m usually busy trying to fit two pieces of bread into my mouth at the same time.). I’ll be honest, I can’t think of the last time I went there and didn’t make it to a third basket of bread and a fourth side of butter. If it wasn’t for my wife slapping the knife out of my hand there’s a good chance I would actually spread the butter onto all of my food. It’s that good. And I’m that fat.

And as long as we’re not talking about entrees, let’s move on to some of the sides. Or one in particular. The jalapeño mashed potatoes (yes, I am sure these are made with jalapeños). Again, I always order a side of these, even if they already come with my meal. Again, I’m very fat and have a problem controlling my appetite.

For starters, you can’t go wrong with the quesadillas. I’ve seen them ordered as a meal, which is a fine choice. Sadly, I’ve never seen anyone spread the butter on them, but they’re good enough that you probably don’t need to. Now, I would highly recommend starting off with the green tamales. These things are like a cake mixed with a block of cheese and some green stuff and so much tastiness that they’ll actually distract you from ordering that third basket of bread and butter.

I’m not going to spend a lot of time on the entrees. They are all fantastic. The crusted halibut, the chicken, the pulled pork something-or-other sandwich, the chipotle chicken – they are all going to get the job done. But, if you’re only going to go one time, and you have no problems eating animals, order the jalapeño pork chops. These are the best things in the world. Maybe even better than the butter. Maybe. And they aren’t spicy. They actually have this ungodly blend of sweetness and jalapeño. Almost like honey with some hot sauce type of action. I’m doing a terrible job of describing them. Just make sure you give them a try. And get a side of jalapeño mashed potatoes (on top of the ones that come with the pork chops). You won’t be able to finish it all, but you’ll want to try, and that’s always fun to watch for everyone else.

They even have dessert, and the pistachio cake will take you by surprise and satisfy your sweet tooth. A nice end to a perfect meal.

Now, seating can be tough and very hit or miss. Come at the wrong time on a Friday or Saturday night and you’ll be waiting for an hour or more. But, I’ve also been there on a Saturday night at around seven and sat right down. They even have a small little patio in the back, which if you can sit there, I would. It has the best view of four brick walls in the city.

Um, let’s see. Atmosphere is great. Cool artwork. Super-friendly waitstaff. Oh, and their drinks are great. Especially the mojitos. Yes, mojitos are close to jumping the shark (even though jumping the shark has jumped the shark), but they are still tasty and go perfect with whatever you order.

I don’t know what else I can say. My guess is if you give it a try, you’ll walk out of there saying, “Yeah, that was great. Not the best place I’ve eaten in the city, but still, it was great. And I want to go back.” For me, I walk out of there saying, “I wonder if they’ll let me take the butter home?”

It easily gets a half handshake, half chest-bump hug.