Driving down Court Street the other day with the windows down in the car, I commented to Tuti what a wonderful smell that was that was filling the street, and I wondered what it was.
"That's our black beans cooking." she said.
"Nuh-uh"
"Yeah, it is."
"Wow."
I've smelled our food cooking before, various things, sometimes the black beans, sometimes the Guava Honey BBQ sauce, it usually does flow into the alley from the vents in the kitchen, but I was really surprised how far it reached that day. All the way into the street, detectable even inside the car as you drove through uptown.
There are several stages of smell associated with the cooking of black beans, each is a unique and enjoyable experience. First comes the smells from the fresh veggies that must be chopped, there is a bit of sting from the onion, a mild peppery freshness from the green bell peppers. These are then sauteed in olive oil with garlic, this creates the "sofrito" the base for many Cuban dishes. To this is added white wine, cumin, paprika, oregano and salt and our locally sourced Shagbark black turtle beans. It is then that the magic begins. Without fail, the aroma of black beans begins to flow into the alley. Our signage is not ready yet, but should be ready for installation no later than next week, at which point we will hopefully start to get acknowledged credit for the source of good smells. After only a few short minutes, the spices begin to meld with the wine and sofrito, the beans soften and begin to release their starches, some eventually turning into sugar, giving a slightly sweet, almost banana-like quality to the overall uniquely Cuban aroma being generated. Enjoying these smells, I can sometimes imagine myself sitting near the ocean in Havana, A traditional meal of black beans and rice with maybe pork or some other main course in front of me, a gentle tropical breeze swirling the elements of cuisine and salt ocean air together for an experience like no other.
We only have an alley, and there's no ocean, but the wonderful aroma is here. Come to Sol, linger outside a bit even before coming in if you like, then be transported. To Havana. Maybe to Little Havana. But you will definitely feel like you are somewhere else. And that's part of the magic of Sol.
From your tastebuds to the sights and sounds, Sol Cuban Fusion Restaurant is designed to make you feel like you are somewhere completely different. Located at 33 North Courth Street in Athens, Ohio we offer traditional Cuban cuisine as well some of the best fish, steak, and ribs you can find anywhere. Lunch hours M-SAT 11-3, Dinner Hours M-W 5-9 and TH-SAT 5-10 Call for dinner reservations 740-592-1740 www.solrestaurant.net
Friday, March 30, 2012
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Customer Feedback - Specifics
My last post was of a more general nature, but I'd like to get into some more specifics. I mentioned feedback from customers. For the most part, this has been extremely positive, though there has been negative as well, and I want to talk about samples of both.
Obviously, no restaurant can produce food that can make everyone happy, there are too many palettes out there, and as I have learned from our short time in business, there are a few people out there that NO ONE can make happy, in fact, it seems to me their only happiness seems to come from making others the opposite. That's too bad, and I really can't help those kind of people, though I do my best trying. I have had only a few customers who do not fit into this category of "unpleasable" but HAVE complained about various items, to food not being quite hot enough to the music being a bit loud, or service not quick enough, etc, but they are always polite, and gracious, and understanding. I have even had (especially when we first opened) customers who told me to seat other parties who were not ahead of them because they could see us struggling to keep up, and our limited number and arrangement of tables, and overall very understanding about wait times (which we have drastically reduced.) I can't tell you how nice those kinds of things are to see and to know that for some people, it's really about that - people. Selfless acts can be small and have a big impact. More of those, and the world would definitely be a better place.
On the other hand, this small population of people who seek to make other people miserable. It is very hard to deal with. I have had people tell me how horrible their experience was or the food terrible (when a table next to them with the identical dish has praised it up and down without solicitation.) Interestingly enough, often these same tables that have blasted the quality of the food end up taking their leftovers home. I have also had people use the word "inedible" for something as refined and exotic as our Malanga soup, something we see consistently come back with bowls all but licked. Personally, malanga is not my favorite root vegetable, but I tried the soup and really liked it. I understand if you have a different palette than someone else, but I really feel the word "inedible" is taking it a bit far. Simply ask for something else. We will gladly accomodate that request.
Then, as I have recently discovered, there is the small population of people that not only want to make you miserable, they also only have the guts to do it from behind a computer. I really do not understand their motivation. As an example, on Urban Spoon our food was recently described as bland, both the waitresses and the sophistication of the entire Athens populatation insulted, etc. We are pretty good about keeping an eye on all of our customers. I know for a fact this particular customer did not complain while he was in the restaurant, either about the food or service, but simply waited until he had exited to blast us. How do you respond to that? You don't. And I don't need to. It has nothing to do with the success of Sol. It's in the real world, not the cyberworld where that success takes place. Where we talk to the customers who are praising what we do, watching them laugh, have a good time, enjoy the music, even breaking out in impromptu salsa dancing during their visit.
Anyhow, enough about the negative responses, I'd like to talk about some of the positive responses. First off, we have had many Hispanics from various countries (Argentina, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, etc, and of course Cuba) come to our restaurant. Consistently we have received praise for the authenticity and flavors of the cuisine. I mention this first, because, it helps us to know we are on target with how the food is supposed to really be. In other words, its being eaten by the people who know what it is supposed to REALLY taste like. If it was wrong, they’d know. We could be making food that tastes great, but has no authenticity, and that authenticity is important to us. Locals have praised it as well, and so now we know we can make it authentic AND they'll like it too.
A young woman was in the other night with one of my regular customers, and he told me she wanted to talk to me about something. It was the Sol steak. She said she loved it and that it was one of the best steaks that she'd had, and that every bite was edible and delicious. I had a short discussion with her about how we'd met with suppliers and cooked and eaten boxes of steaks to make sure we'd have the best product out there. I understand the disappointment in getting a steak that is not only inconsistent, or improperly cooked, but that you end up having to cut off 1/3 of it and set it to the side of your plate. It's not satisfying to only eat 2/3 of something nor is it appetizing to have to look at the remaining 1/3 all discombobulated on your plate. We KNOW this and we approach everything based on our own experience, and how WE would like it to be. So that specific feedback was very good. It is EXACTLY what we are aiming for.
Several people have stopped by the kitchen and told us how good everything was, or asked to talk to Tuti on her nights in the kitchen, when they see that she has had a chance to take a break in the dining room.
We have received lots of compliments on the dining room, and what we’ve done with the space. People share their experiences in the Keys, Cuba, etc, and understand exactly the feel we were going for. Again, all of this confirmation from customers makes us feel very good, and lets us know our vision for the food, the environment and the service are all being executed as we had hoped. It is always fun to hear about how a customer has found us and the surprise they have when they open a door in an alleyway and find this almost secret place. While I enjoy hearing about their surprise (and I often actually see it on their faces when they open the door, unsure they are even in the right place) I am ok if the “secret” gets out. The more people that know the better!
Of course, as I recently mentioned in a response to an online review, we are not resting on our laurels. We are constantly reviewing everything we do, asking for customer feedback, and striving to correct mistakes, and achieve a very high level in everything we do.
If you’ve come to Sol already, and had a good experience, we’d love to hear about it, Urban Spoon is a good place, also our Facebook page, or even here on the blog. While we do talk to as many people as possible, we do not get the chance to talk to everyone, and we like to hear your comments. It’s also been my experience that most people only comment on sites like Urban Spoon when they want to express something negative, and I’d like to see that balanced out by the positive feedback I get in the actual dining environment. While I know most everyone is having a good time, and I have no worries regarding that, it would be nice for out of towners to find us online and not be influenced by unbalanced online reviews that do not accurately portray the overall experience most people are having.
I will continue to share customer comments here, and again, we appreciate so much everyone’s patronage of our restaurant and really enjoy seeing you all have a good time. That’s what it’s all about!
Obviously, no restaurant can produce food that can make everyone happy, there are too many palettes out there, and as I have learned from our short time in business, there are a few people out there that NO ONE can make happy, in fact, it seems to me their only happiness seems to come from making others the opposite. That's too bad, and I really can't help those kind of people, though I do my best trying. I have had only a few customers who do not fit into this category of "unpleasable" but HAVE complained about various items, to food not being quite hot enough to the music being a bit loud, or service not quick enough, etc, but they are always polite, and gracious, and understanding. I have even had (especially when we first opened) customers who told me to seat other parties who were not ahead of them because they could see us struggling to keep up, and our limited number and arrangement of tables, and overall very understanding about wait times (which we have drastically reduced.) I can't tell you how nice those kinds of things are to see and to know that for some people, it's really about that - people. Selfless acts can be small and have a big impact. More of those, and the world would definitely be a better place.
On the other hand, this small population of people who seek to make other people miserable. It is very hard to deal with. I have had people tell me how horrible their experience was or the food terrible (when a table next to them with the identical dish has praised it up and down without solicitation.) Interestingly enough, often these same tables that have blasted the quality of the food end up taking their leftovers home. I have also had people use the word "inedible" for something as refined and exotic as our Malanga soup, something we see consistently come back with bowls all but licked. Personally, malanga is not my favorite root vegetable, but I tried the soup and really liked it. I understand if you have a different palette than someone else, but I really feel the word "inedible" is taking it a bit far. Simply ask for something else. We will gladly accomodate that request.
Then, as I have recently discovered, there is the small population of people that not only want to make you miserable, they also only have the guts to do it from behind a computer. I really do not understand their motivation. As an example, on Urban Spoon our food was recently described as bland, both the waitresses and the sophistication of the entire Athens populatation insulted, etc. We are pretty good about keeping an eye on all of our customers. I know for a fact this particular customer did not complain while he was in the restaurant, either about the food or service, but simply waited until he had exited to blast us. How do you respond to that? You don't. And I don't need to. It has nothing to do with the success of Sol. It's in the real world, not the cyberworld where that success takes place. Where we talk to the customers who are praising what we do, watching them laugh, have a good time, enjoy the music, even breaking out in impromptu salsa dancing during their visit.
Anyhow, enough about the negative responses, I'd like to talk about some of the positive responses. First off, we have had many Hispanics from various countries (Argentina, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, etc, and of course Cuba) come to our restaurant. Consistently we have received praise for the authenticity and flavors of the cuisine. I mention this first, because, it helps us to know we are on target with how the food is supposed to really be. In other words, its being eaten by the people who know what it is supposed to REALLY taste like. If it was wrong, they’d know. We could be making food that tastes great, but has no authenticity, and that authenticity is important to us. Locals have praised it as well, and so now we know we can make it authentic AND they'll like it too.
A young woman was in the other night with one of my regular customers, and he told me she wanted to talk to me about something. It was the Sol steak. She said she loved it and that it was one of the best steaks that she'd had, and that every bite was edible and delicious. I had a short discussion with her about how we'd met with suppliers and cooked and eaten boxes of steaks to make sure we'd have the best product out there. I understand the disappointment in getting a steak that is not only inconsistent, or improperly cooked, but that you end up having to cut off 1/3 of it and set it to the side of your plate. It's not satisfying to only eat 2/3 of something nor is it appetizing to have to look at the remaining 1/3 all discombobulated on your plate. We KNOW this and we approach everything based on our own experience, and how WE would like it to be. So that specific feedback was very good. It is EXACTLY what we are aiming for.
Several people have stopped by the kitchen and told us how good everything was, or asked to talk to Tuti on her nights in the kitchen, when they see that she has had a chance to take a break in the dining room.
We have received lots of compliments on the dining room, and what we’ve done with the space. People share their experiences in the Keys, Cuba, etc, and understand exactly the feel we were going for. Again, all of this confirmation from customers makes us feel very good, and lets us know our vision for the food, the environment and the service are all being executed as we had hoped. It is always fun to hear about how a customer has found us and the surprise they have when they open a door in an alleyway and find this almost secret place. While I enjoy hearing about their surprise (and I often actually see it on their faces when they open the door, unsure they are even in the right place) I am ok if the “secret” gets out. The more people that know the better!
Of course, as I recently mentioned in a response to an online review, we are not resting on our laurels. We are constantly reviewing everything we do, asking for customer feedback, and striving to correct mistakes, and achieve a very high level in everything we do.
If you’ve come to Sol already, and had a good experience, we’d love to hear about it, Urban Spoon is a good place, also our Facebook page, or even here on the blog. While we do talk to as many people as possible, we do not get the chance to talk to everyone, and we like to hear your comments. It’s also been my experience that most people only comment on sites like Urban Spoon when they want to express something negative, and I’d like to see that balanced out by the positive feedback I get in the actual dining environment. While I know most everyone is having a good time, and I have no worries regarding that, it would be nice for out of towners to find us online and not be influenced by unbalanced online reviews that do not accurately portray the overall experience most people are having.
I will continue to share customer comments here, and again, we appreciate so much everyone’s patronage of our restaurant and really enjoy seeing you all have a good time. That’s what it’s all about!
Internet media, feedback, and advertising
So, we have been very busy at Sol Restaurant, and I haven't had much of a chance to get on here and do any blogging. But, there is quite a bit I'd like to discuss, and so I am going to try to do a few entries over the next day. I wanted to share some statistics regarding the blog, here is the latest:
As you can see, interest in the blog has remained steady, with over 7500 views (the majority of them in the last month and a half since we posted a menu.) Even with very little activity on the blog, interest has remained. I hope that the activity increases as more customers come in, and I continue to add entries. There is interest in several parts of the world, I have had friends that live in other countries tell their parents who still live in Athens about it and they've come in to dine. I think that's pretty cool, information traveling around the world and making it back, turning into an actual customer. I mention all of this not as a pat on the back, but simply to share what other people are thinking and looking at with regards to Sol, and to segue into my next topic, our patrons.
We have with the exception of the Visitor's Guide done no advertising. We have no sign in the alley, no sign over the sidewalk, no lighting, we have not even had a chance to finish the trim above the door and a (what was supposed to be temporary) piece of plywood still hangs above it, the finish nails I temporarily tacked it up with rusting in place. All of these will be addressed in the next few weeks. Yet with all of this, we pack the house consistently Thursday - Saturday and have done the same M-W of this week. Lunch is picking up and following suit. Again, not back-patting...I'll get there...
Sol's concept is different than most other restaurant's, especially the chains. We want to do more than serve a meal, kick out the customer, add the dollar to the ledger and move on. We are trying to create an entire experience, and it sincerely matters to us. We take it personally. We want it to be a personal experience. I feel that the majority of our customers are having this experience. I believe that most of our customers are leaving happy, and I see repeat customers, so I know they are enjoying themselves. The point I am getting to, is that Sol is not advertising, it is not numbers, it is not corporate or packaged, or an exact formula, it is people, it is community, it is an idea, and it is a success, and it is because of the people that have come in, enjoyed themselves, talked with us, and talked with other people. We sincerely appreciate everyone's kind words and support, their feedback, their positive criticism, and we will continue to work hard to offer the best, most enjoyable experience we can. Thanks!
As you can see, interest in the blog has remained steady, with over 7500 views (the majority of them in the last month and a half since we posted a menu.) Even with very little activity on the blog, interest has remained. I hope that the activity increases as more customers come in, and I continue to add entries. There is interest in several parts of the world, I have had friends that live in other countries tell their parents who still live in Athens about it and they've come in to dine. I think that's pretty cool, information traveling around the world and making it back, turning into an actual customer. I mention all of this not as a pat on the back, but simply to share what other people are thinking and looking at with regards to Sol, and to segue into my next topic, our patrons.
We have with the exception of the Visitor's Guide done no advertising. We have no sign in the alley, no sign over the sidewalk, no lighting, we have not even had a chance to finish the trim above the door and a (what was supposed to be temporary) piece of plywood still hangs above it, the finish nails I temporarily tacked it up with rusting in place. All of these will be addressed in the next few weeks. Yet with all of this, we pack the house consistently Thursday - Saturday and have done the same M-W of this week. Lunch is picking up and following suit. Again, not back-patting...I'll get there...
Sol's concept is different than most other restaurant's, especially the chains. We want to do more than serve a meal, kick out the customer, add the dollar to the ledger and move on. We are trying to create an entire experience, and it sincerely matters to us. We take it personally. We want it to be a personal experience. I feel that the majority of our customers are having this experience. I believe that most of our customers are leaving happy, and I see repeat customers, so I know they are enjoying themselves. The point I am getting to, is that Sol is not advertising, it is not numbers, it is not corporate or packaged, or an exact formula, it is people, it is community, it is an idea, and it is a success, and it is because of the people that have come in, enjoyed themselves, talked with us, and talked with other people. We sincerely appreciate everyone's kind words and support, their feedback, their positive criticism, and we will continue to work hard to offer the best, most enjoyable experience we can. Thanks!
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Regarding Reservations
We have had several issues regarding reservations. I just wanted to address those here, and try to explain some things so that everyone has the best experience possible. We are trying to offer the service of reservations, because so few restaurants in the area do so, while allowing for a certain amount of walkins. We feel this is a service to our patrons and they appreciate having the option. It is a very hard thing to balance though, especially with a restaurant as small as ours.
>Our hours of operation are as follows:
Lunch - Monday through Friday 11AM-2PM. We are closed from 2PM-5PM to prepare for dinner service, reservations are not necessary for lunch.
Dinner - Monday through Wednesday 5PM-9PM, Thursday-Saturday 5PM-10PM. Reservations and walkins accepted.
>Several people have come in saying they have reservations and we were not able to find them in the book. Some, I feel, have left voicemails and thought this confirmed their reservation, though it does not. We simply can't get back to everyone's voicemails, there are too many, so unless you speak to someone directly who can confirm your date and time, your reservation is not confirmed.
>Any size party can make a reservation, from one and up, though parties over eight are more difficult to acommodate, so if you are interested in making a reservation for a very large party, the earlier the better. We have had reservations for parties of twelve and fifteen.
>If you do have a reservation, you will most likely be seated almost as soon as you arrive. Our goal is to seat you within 10-15 minutes. However, many people are staying a very long time (in excess of two hours) we are finding, as they are really enjoying themselves, and we are very happy that they are enjoying the food, service and intimate nature of the space. This has on occasion, however, caused a few bottlenecks and with our limited number of tables, sometimes causes a delay. We will do our best to inform you of any delays and get you seated within that 10-15 minutes. Please keep in mind that without your reservation, there is the chance we would not be able to seat you at all, so the reservation is still of great value.
>If your reservation is for a party of 2,4,8, etc and you arrive with an extra person, making it an odd numbered party of 3,5,9, respectively, there is the chance this will delay us seating you according to your original reservation. It usually means reassigning a non-allocated table in order to accomodate the odd numbered person and there may not be a table available.
>If you call the day of, and especially the night of the date you want a reservation, there is a good chance we are already in the thick of trying to prepare for that day's service and may not be able to get to the phone quick enough, especially to listen through all of the voicemails, make notes and call everyone back. Our recommendation is that you call M-F between the hours of 10AM-4PM and at least one day prior to the date of your reservation. This not to say that you are not welcome to call anytime you like and leave a voicemail, just that this is the best time to reach us.
>We recommend that if a particular time of day and not so much a particular date is important for you, that you make reservations Monday-Wednesday, as these are our less busy days. This goes for walkins as well. We welcome you to come by without a reservation, but Thursday through Saturday (and especially Friday and Saturday are very busy) and there is a good chance that your wait will be anywhere from 20-60 minutes, if there is any availability at all.
>There are no regular reservations for lunch, only walkins. However, if you have a special event for a large group of people, call us in advance and we will try to accommodate you
>If you need to cancel your reservation for any reason, especially for a larger party, please let us know as soon as possible, preferably at least two hours prior. If you do not show up within fifteen minutes of your reservation, we may seat someone else at the table. We will still prioritize your seating to walkins when you arrive, but you will likely experience further delay.
Again, we are just trying to make sure everyone has the best experience possible, from the process of making reservations through the receipt of their bill, and that they leave happy with their experience at Sol.
Thanks for your patience and support,
Todd and Tuti Wilson
Sol Restaurant
>Our hours of operation are as follows:
Lunch - Monday through Friday 11AM-2PM. We are closed from 2PM-5PM to prepare for dinner service, reservations are not necessary for lunch.
Dinner - Monday through Wednesday 5PM-9PM, Thursday-Saturday 5PM-10PM. Reservations and walkins accepted.
>Several people have come in saying they have reservations and we were not able to find them in the book. Some, I feel, have left voicemails and thought this confirmed their reservation, though it does not. We simply can't get back to everyone's voicemails, there are too many, so unless you speak to someone directly who can confirm your date and time, your reservation is not confirmed.
>Any size party can make a reservation, from one and up, though parties over eight are more difficult to acommodate, so if you are interested in making a reservation for a very large party, the earlier the better. We have had reservations for parties of twelve and fifteen.
>If you do have a reservation, you will most likely be seated almost as soon as you arrive. Our goal is to seat you within 10-15 minutes. However, many people are staying a very long time (in excess of two hours) we are finding, as they are really enjoying themselves, and we are very happy that they are enjoying the food, service and intimate nature of the space. This has on occasion, however, caused a few bottlenecks and with our limited number of tables, sometimes causes a delay. We will do our best to inform you of any delays and get you seated within that 10-15 minutes. Please keep in mind that without your reservation, there is the chance we would not be able to seat you at all, so the reservation is still of great value.
>If your reservation is for a party of 2,4,8, etc and you arrive with an extra person, making it an odd numbered party of 3,5,9, respectively, there is the chance this will delay us seating you according to your original reservation. It usually means reassigning a non-allocated table in order to accomodate the odd numbered person and there may not be a table available.
>If you call the day of, and especially the night of the date you want a reservation, there is a good chance we are already in the thick of trying to prepare for that day's service and may not be able to get to the phone quick enough, especially to listen through all of the voicemails, make notes and call everyone back. Our recommendation is that you call M-F between the hours of 10AM-4PM and at least one day prior to the date of your reservation. This not to say that you are not welcome to call anytime you like and leave a voicemail, just that this is the best time to reach us.
>We recommend that if a particular time of day and not so much a particular date is important for you, that you make reservations Monday-Wednesday, as these are our less busy days. This goes for walkins as well. We welcome you to come by without a reservation, but Thursday through Saturday (and especially Friday and Saturday are very busy) and there is a good chance that your wait will be anywhere from 20-60 minutes, if there is any availability at all.
>There are no regular reservations for lunch, only walkins. However, if you have a special event for a large group of people, call us in advance and we will try to accommodate you
>If you need to cancel your reservation for any reason, especially for a larger party, please let us know as soon as possible, preferably at least two hours prior. If you do not show up within fifteen minutes of your reservation, we may seat someone else at the table. We will still prioritize your seating to walkins when you arrive, but you will likely experience further delay.
Again, we are just trying to make sure everyone has the best experience possible, from the process of making reservations through the receipt of their bill, and that they leave happy with their experience at Sol.
Thanks for your patience and support,
Todd and Tuti Wilson
Sol Restaurant
Friday, February 10, 2012
Lunch is coming...
We have had dozens of people try to come to SOl for lunch this last week. In an interview with the A-News I said or tentative opening date for lunch was Feb 6th, but that we needed to get dinner operations 100% before that could happen. We felt we needed more time and we did not want the quality of either lunch or dinner service to suffer by trying to do too much too soon. Given the physical restraints of our facility, their are logistical issues with even bringing in enough food to supply service all day, and so the processes must be timed perfectly. Also, the training of an additional set of staff was not possible while trying to perfect the performance of the dinner service. There is still plenty to learn and the dinner staff is doing a great job, they will continue to improve their skills.
Lunch WILL begin Monday, Feb 13th, and will be from 11-2. Sol will then close from 2-5 to prepare for dinner service. Weekly lunch hours will be M-F 11-2. At this time, there will be no lunch on Saturday or Sunday, but we see breakfast and brunches in Sol's future and have already come up with lots of yummy menu items we are excited to share with everyone.
We are finalizing the lunch menu now and rushing to get them printed for Monday, as soon as we have the text finalized, you will be able to find it here. I am estimating that will be tomorrow or Sunday.
Thanks again for your patronage and we look forward to seeing you for a delicious lunch at Sol!
Lunch WILL begin Monday, Feb 13th, and will be from 11-2. Sol will then close from 2-5 to prepare for dinner service. Weekly lunch hours will be M-F 11-2. At this time, there will be no lunch on Saturday or Sunday, but we see breakfast and brunches in Sol's future and have already come up with lots of yummy menu items we are excited to share with everyone.
We are finalizing the lunch menu now and rushing to get them printed for Monday, as soon as we have the text finalized, you will be able to find it here. I am estimating that will be tomorrow or Sunday.
Thanks again for your patronage and we look forward to seeing you for a delicious lunch at Sol!
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Voicemail, Valentine's Day and more...
I'd like to start off by thanking everyone for their support for making our Grand Opening weekend last week such a success. We were packed every night Thursday through Saturday and I think we were able to accomodate nearly everyone, both reservations and walkins, with only some minor bumps. Thanks to everyone for being patient. One thing somehow that got missed was the large number of voicemails which piled up in our voicemail box. We didn't realize that so many calls got missed on Thursday and Friday, and actually caused our voicemailbox for this week to be full. I have been going through the voicemails and will be returning the calls of everyone who is still needing a reservation for a later date. I think in the heat of the battle we were not able to answer the phone very much as we were very busy making sure everything went smoothly. We did answer the phone a lot and took many reservations, so I hope everyone can understand that the volume of calls was simply more than we could answer and/or return. We do take walkins so don't think that just because you don't get through for a reservation that you will not be able to come to Sol!
Managing a blend of reservations and walkins is difficult, but we are trying very hard as we feel that offering reservations is something many people appreciate.
We will be offering a special Valentine's Day package that includes choice of entrees, appetizer, salad, dessert and a glass of champagne. It is tailored to couples, and will be priced between $60-75 a couple. As soon as we finalize the details we will post it here. We are taking reservations for Valentines Day now.
Last night was another smooth night and we'd like to put a special thanks out to Tony from Tony's bar for his encouraging words and to Jess and Jason from Fluff Bakery for the yummy donuts they brought over to us after their meal. They were thankfully gobbled up by all of the staff.
Hope to see you all soon at Sol!
Managing a blend of reservations and walkins is difficult, but we are trying very hard as we feel that offering reservations is something many people appreciate.
We will be offering a special Valentine's Day package that includes choice of entrees, appetizer, salad, dessert and a glass of champagne. It is tailored to couples, and will be priced between $60-75 a couple. As soon as we finalize the details we will post it here. We are taking reservations for Valentines Day now.
Last night was another smooth night and we'd like to put a special thanks out to Tony from Tony's bar for his encouraging words and to Jess and Jason from Fluff Bakery for the yummy donuts they brought over to us after their meal. They were thankfully gobbled up by all of the staff.
Hope to see you all soon at Sol!
Sunday, January 22, 2012
The Dinner Menu
Ok, you've beem asking for a while now, and here it is. I finally got Tuti to let me post it. (She wanted to make sure it was as final as possible.)
As far as content, it should be very close to what you see at the restaurant when you come in next week for dinner (hint hint!) The lunch menu will follow shortly, we are not opening for lunch until the next week. Of course, we have to format and print the menus, how they will actually look has yet to be determined. We will also have a mixed drink menu, but it looks like the liquor license details will not be finalized at opening, so for now, it is on hold.
There are many vegetarian options on this menu (I've marked them with asterisks), and there will likely be more, we are experimenting with ways to make some of them vegetarian that are not currently.
ENJOY!
Appetizers
Empanadas (pastry pocket)
3 Beef Empanadas- filled with traditional Cuban Picadillo
or
3 Vegetarian Empanadas- filled with rice, beans, tofu and cheese *
6.5
Chips and Salsa *
Shagbark tortilla chips served with a flight of freshly made fire roasted salsa, black bean salsa and cucumber avocado salsa
6.5
Tostones *
Twice fried plantains served with garlic mojo dipping sauce
5
Flatbreads
The Cuban - topped with mustard, swiss cheese, dill pickle and shredded pork
6
The Ropa- topped with house made avocado spread, shredded seasoned beef, gouda cheese and sliced red onion
6
La Italiana- sliced, ripened tomatoes, crushed garlic, fresh mozzarella drizzled with olive oil and topped with fresh basil and cracked pepper *
5
Florida Fish Spread
A creamy smoked fish served with lemon wedges, crackers and hot sauce
7.5
Soups and Salads
(served with bread)
Sopa de Falda - Simmered with shredded beef, carrots, onions, potatoes, with a hint of lime and angel hair pasta
5
Creamy Plantain Soup garnished with wedge of lime and cilantro
4
Red Bean Soup - Made with Shagbark Adzuki Beans, ham, chorizo, potatoes and carrots garnished with cilantro and sour cream
5
Black Bean Soup - made with Shagbark black turtle beans *
4
Sol Salad- mixed greens, dried cranberries, candied nuts, feta, grape tomatoes, cucumbers and julienned carrots
6.50, with chicken 9
Chicken Salad- Mixed greens, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, croutons
8
Avocado Salad - avocado, red onion, tomatoes served on a bed of mixed greens dressed with olive oil and vinegar, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper *
6
House Salad- Mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots *
3.5
Dinner Entrees
(all served with house salad and bread)
Picadillo- A true Cuban comfort food - choice of seasoned ground beef or tofu served on a bed of white rice *
9.5
make it "a caballo" (fried egg on top) for one dollar more
Chicken Fricasse- Chicken stewed with potatoes in a tomato and wine sauce served with white rice
12
Arroz con Pollo - Traditionally served on special occasions or birthdays but served everyday for you at Sol - Chicken breast sautéed in olive oil, then cooked with chicken broth, white wine, beer, tomato sauce, sofrito and yellow arborio rice, garnished with peas and pimientos
(this dish requires special made to order preparations, so please allow for just a bit more time)
14
Lechon Asado- Pork roast, marinated in a sour orange mojo and slow cooked, served with white rice, black beans and plantains
15
Shrimp Pasta "Al Ajillo"- Garlic Shrimp served over linguini and cream sauce
15
with Chicken
13
Pasta Only *
11
Ropa Vieja - said to have been introduced to Cuba by Spanish sailors - Flank Steak simmered until the meat is so tender it falls apart to resemble "old clothes", seasoned with tomato sauce, white wine, onions, green peppers and garlic served with white rice and black beans
16
Carne Asada - Eye of Round Roast stuffed with Spanish chorizo, Ham, carrots, olives, braised with white wine and a gravy made from onions, green peppers and garlic
Served with white rice, black beans
18
Sol Steak with Chimichurri - Our version of an Argentinean steakhouse classic
served with a side of chimichurri sauce, white rice, Shagbark Adzuki beans, and plantains
20
Dessert Menu
(featuring Snowville Creamery dairy products)
Flan de Queso - A traditional Cuban custard, cooked in and topped with its own delicious caramel sauce
5
Arroz con Leche - Creamy, rich and sweet, our Cuban rice pudding made with milk, cinnamon and a hint of citrus
5
Tres Leches - Our version of this classic features an already moist cake drenched in three kinds of milk (regular, evaporated and sweetened condensed milk) topped with whipped cream and seasonal fruit
6
World's Best Chocolate Cake
We simply didn't know how else to describe it! Our three layer chocolate cake has just a hint of our Cuban espresso in it and comes on a warm puddle of chocolate sauce. Perfect for sharing
7
add a side of vanilla ice cream
1.5
Beverages
Soda - We feature Pepsi products with free refills
1.5
Coffee - All of our coffee is handcrafted using Cuban espresso which is a dark roasted finely ground arabica bean, sweetened with sugar, and features Snowville Creamery where milk is used
Un Cafecito - Cuban Espresso served in a demitasse cup
2.5
Cortadito - half milk/half coffee served in a demitasse cup
2.5
Cafe con Leche - Hot milk with coffee
3
Iced Coffee - Generous portion of cuban coffee mixed with milk and poured over ice
4
As far as content, it should be very close to what you see at the restaurant when you come in next week for dinner (hint hint!) The lunch menu will follow shortly, we are not opening for lunch until the next week. Of course, we have to format and print the menus, how they will actually look has yet to be determined. We will also have a mixed drink menu, but it looks like the liquor license details will not be finalized at opening, so for now, it is on hold.
There are many vegetarian options on this menu (I've marked them with asterisks), and there will likely be more, we are experimenting with ways to make some of them vegetarian that are not currently.
ENJOY!
Appetizers
Empanadas (pastry pocket)
3 Beef Empanadas- filled with traditional Cuban Picadillo
or
3 Vegetarian Empanadas- filled with rice, beans, tofu and cheese *
6.5
Chips and Salsa *
Shagbark tortilla chips served with a flight of freshly made fire roasted salsa, black bean salsa and cucumber avocado salsa
6.5
Tostones *
Twice fried plantains served with garlic mojo dipping sauce
5
Flatbreads
The Cuban - topped with mustard, swiss cheese, dill pickle and shredded pork
6
The Ropa- topped with house made avocado spread, shredded seasoned beef, gouda cheese and sliced red onion
6
La Italiana- sliced, ripened tomatoes, crushed garlic, fresh mozzarella drizzled with olive oil and topped with fresh basil and cracked pepper *
5
Florida Fish Spread
A creamy smoked fish served with lemon wedges, crackers and hot sauce
7.5
Soups and Salads
(served with bread)
Sopa de Falda - Simmered with shredded beef, carrots, onions, potatoes, with a hint of lime and angel hair pasta
5
Creamy Plantain Soup garnished with wedge of lime and cilantro
4
Red Bean Soup - Made with Shagbark Adzuki Beans, ham, chorizo, potatoes and carrots garnished with cilantro and sour cream
5
Black Bean Soup - made with Shagbark black turtle beans *
4
Sol Salad- mixed greens, dried cranberries, candied nuts, feta, grape tomatoes, cucumbers and julienned carrots
6.50, with chicken 9
Chicken Salad- Mixed greens, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, croutons
8
Avocado Salad - avocado, red onion, tomatoes served on a bed of mixed greens dressed with olive oil and vinegar, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper *
6
House Salad- Mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots *
3.5
Dinner Entrees
(all served with house salad and bread)
Picadillo- A true Cuban comfort food - choice of seasoned ground beef or tofu served on a bed of white rice *
9.5
make it "a caballo" (fried egg on top) for one dollar more
Chicken Fricasse- Chicken stewed with potatoes in a tomato and wine sauce served with white rice
12
Arroz con Pollo - Traditionally served on special occasions or birthdays but served everyday for you at Sol - Chicken breast sautéed in olive oil, then cooked with chicken broth, white wine, beer, tomato sauce, sofrito and yellow arborio rice, garnished with peas and pimientos
(this dish requires special made to order preparations, so please allow for just a bit more time)
14
Lechon Asado- Pork roast, marinated in a sour orange mojo and slow cooked, served with white rice, black beans and plantains
15
Shrimp Pasta "Al Ajillo"- Garlic Shrimp served over linguini and cream sauce
15
with Chicken
13
Pasta Only *
11
Ropa Vieja - said to have been introduced to Cuba by Spanish sailors - Flank Steak simmered until the meat is so tender it falls apart to resemble "old clothes", seasoned with tomato sauce, white wine, onions, green peppers and garlic served with white rice and black beans
16
Carne Asada - Eye of Round Roast stuffed with Spanish chorizo, Ham, carrots, olives, braised with white wine and a gravy made from onions, green peppers and garlic
Served with white rice, black beans
18
Sol Steak with Chimichurri - Our version of an Argentinean steakhouse classic
served with a side of chimichurri sauce, white rice, Shagbark Adzuki beans, and plantains
20
Dessert Menu
(featuring Snowville Creamery dairy products)
Flan de Queso - A traditional Cuban custard, cooked in and topped with its own delicious caramel sauce
5
Arroz con Leche - Creamy, rich and sweet, our Cuban rice pudding made with milk, cinnamon and a hint of citrus
5
Tres Leches - Our version of this classic features an already moist cake drenched in three kinds of milk (regular, evaporated and sweetened condensed milk) topped with whipped cream and seasonal fruit
6
World's Best Chocolate Cake
We simply didn't know how else to describe it! Our three layer chocolate cake has just a hint of our Cuban espresso in it and comes on a warm puddle of chocolate sauce. Perfect for sharing
7
add a side of vanilla ice cream
1.5
Beverages
Soda - We feature Pepsi products with free refills
1.5
Coffee - All of our coffee is handcrafted using Cuban espresso which is a dark roasted finely ground arabica bean, sweetened with sugar, and features Snowville Creamery where milk is used
Un Cafecito - Cuban Espresso served in a demitasse cup
2.5
Cortadito - half milk/half coffee served in a demitasse cup
2.5
Cafe con Leche - Hot milk with coffee
3
Iced Coffee - Generous portion of cuban coffee mixed with milk and poured over ice
4
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