Table for 4

Sola
3868 N. Lincoln

The Basics
Where you’ll find it: 3868 N. Lincoln. At the corner of Lincoln and Byron. www.sola-restaurant.com. (773) 327-3868.

When it’s open: 5:30 p.m.-10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 5:30 p.m.-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Reservations: A definite for the weekend crowd. ... The response on the phone indicated they were happy we called and made sure we would be taken care of.

What you’ve heard: I heard that it was an interesting place combining California cuisine with Asian and Hawaiian influences. Pretty new. I read up on Carol Wallack (owner) and her experience with “Deleece” and catering to Hollywood stars like James Garner and Jack Nicholson.

Visual Aids
First impressions: The very first impression came from the general manager, John Arents, who was standing proud to greet us. ... We were able to street park outside the window. ... Gas burning fire at the entrance warmed the setting without feeling like you were in a lodge. Very clean-looking bar with an inviting atmoshpere should we have had to wait for our table. ... Was not surprised with the wonderful choices on the menu.

The atmosphere: It had a modern feel to it with oversized booths and dim lighting. It’s located in Lakeview but had a Gold Coast feel to it. ... It wasn’t at all a stuffy crowd, but it’s probably a place where you’d feel more comfortable dressed up a bit.

The Experience

At your service: I actually had to change reservations and they were extremely accomodating. ... We were able to be seated with out the entire party, which some restaurants do not allow. ... The waitress was extremely friendly and warm and helped with our selection of drinks and food. When the appetizers, entrees and deserts came out, the servers assisted so that we all received them at the same time, which was first class. We were the last table for the night and did not feel rushed or pressured to leave. ... Overall, no complaints on the service. It was excellent and far outweighed my expectations. Very friendly and professional.

Get your drink on: The pomegranate mojito was very fruity and not too sweet. I stuck with them all night until the cordials at the end. ... I had flirtinis, which were like a French martini with chambord, sparkling wine and Stoli rasberry. The specialty drinks were fun. ... Stephanie had dirty martinis with stuffed blue-cheese olives. Her first one was a tad too olivey (if that is a word), and they were great about taking it back for another. We also had desert wines that the server recommended. They were great too, and came in cool serving glasses. ... The wine line list was large, although we didn’t have any. ... Drinks were yummy, and that’s coming from some tough critics!

Menu variety and prices: Prices were mid-range from $16-$28, and appetizers were $6-$12. The menu didn’t have a bunch of options, but enough to satisfy.

Description of what you did decide on: We chose four appetizers, the best of which was the trio of tuna tartares, which were fantastic. Excellent if you like sushi. Highly recommend. ... Also, the artichoke fritters and lobster spring rolls were wonderful (and came with good sauces), and the crab cakes amazing. Very tasty and not too far away from traditional crabcakes. ... The cook also came out and described each appetizer before we dug in. Very helpful to warn that one of the sauces was spicy. ... For the main course, Stephanie had the miso black cod, Heather had the New York strip, Jesse the black pepper tuna and Nicholas the vegetable pot pie. Side orders were macaroni & cheese, onion straws and truffle parmesan fries. ... The New York strip was amazing and served with fried onion straws and garlic smashed potatoes. The sauce on it was scrumptious. ... For dessert, we enjoyed soft center chocolate cake, Thai coffee créme brulee, carmalized banana napoleon and an assorted cheese plate. ... Try the cordials after dinner. We had a Churchill’s (10-year tawny) and Boston Bual, which was very sweet. ... The créme brulee could have been a tad warmer but was flavorful and had a stronger coffee flavor to add to the custard.

Something that caught your eye: Some of the drinks we didn’t try were the sakitinis (with Japanese sake) and the strawberry vanilla martini that a neighboring table had with a fresh strawberry that looked tasty. ... The valet opened the door for us, which is always a great first impression, and the host and hostess greeted us and took our coats. ... The art-deco style bathrooms were cool.

What you’ll tell your friends: Loved it and can’t wait to go back! Very swanky and fresh, but reasonable. ... I would highly recommend this for any time of the year. Go hungry, but don’t worry about starting your evening adventure with a full stomach that’ll make you not want to sleep on your side! ... Save room for the desserts and cordials.

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