Tonight I had dinner with two girlfriends at Solea on Moody Street in Waltham. Solea is owned by the same restaurant group that owns Tapeo on Newbury Street and Dali on Beacon Street in Cambridge.
This was my first trip to Solea and I wasn't sure what to expect. I checked out the menu before arriving and it looked fantastic.
We met up at 6:30pm and walked in to discover the bar area was hopping! We were walked through the bar area, through a dining room and into the back dining room where we were seated at a table right in the window overlooking Moody Street. The sun was streaming in and cast an extra sparkle across the dining room.
The decor in the restaurant was absolutely gorgeous. There were large, romantic chandeliers, beautiful, heavy, rich colored drapes, and framed posters, paintings and photographs that were classic Espana. There was even a poster of La Feria de Cordoba! (The town I lived in when I studied abroad in Spain).
Our waitress greeted us with a smiling face and promptly returned with our pitcher of red sangria. She poured the sangria for us (very lovely) and it was refreshing and delicious. She also brought us a basket of bread with a tomato and parmesan spread.
Solea specializes in Spanish tapas so we ordered a variety of dishes. We started with a traditional Spanish dish, tortilla espanola, which is an omlette with potatoes and onions. It tasted just like they make in Spain!
The second dish was also traditional, called patatas bravas, which literally translates to brave potatoes. These are usually hash brown style potatoes seasoned with an extra kick. These were the best patatas bravas I have had since my trip to Malaga, Spain! I could have ordered six more plates full!
The next dish we tried was spinach and artichoke fritters. These were small, two bite size, compact balls of moist vegetable heaven! They were served over a light pink sauce that was the perfect garnish.
We also tried the poblano relleno (stuffed pepper) which was the largest plate that arrived. It was a fried green pepper stuffed with vegetables and perfectly seasoned. A vegetarian treat!
We also tried the garlic shrimp which came piping hot. The next plate that arrived was the chicken turnover, which was perfect for sharing. It had a flaky crust and tender chicken inside.
Our waitress asked if we'd like to have any dessert. We knew we were too full, but we asked to check out the menu anyway. Although we ultimately passed, I will definitely go back to try the banana cheesecake crusted with chocolate and served with a rum, caramel sauce and the chocolate almond cake served with fresh berries and whipped cream.
Solea is an absolute gem and a must visit restaurant. Not only is the restaurant itself stunning, but the service is excellent and the food is authentic, flavorful and lick-your-plate scrumptious. Its the perfect location for a girls night out, romantic dinner, or large celebration. They even have a private party room if you want a more exclusive dining experience.
Viva Solea!
