Sola Soho - an American (cuisine) in London

[zgast]

We had a fantastic tasting menu at this 1 star Michelin restaurant last week. Found it via Andy Hayler, with whom I’d agree that the food punches well above one star - the service is very good but a bit less formal and the decor is even more on the casual side. Menu below - I prefer descriptions to abstract, but whatcha gonna do? We paired this with a nice bio-Riesling from the Finger Lakes recommended by the sommelier  

First course was Parmesan three ways. The gougeres and straws were the two best. Nuts coated in Parmesan overwhelmed the cheese a bit. No picture. 

Salmon course was next - three ways.  Crusted (top), roulade with a great foam/cream, then a gorgeous cucumber ginger soup with cucumber granita and salmon.  We were contorting to get the last of the broth out of the bowl.

 

 

Next up was sea bass done in two ways - a sashimi style piece plus a roll, flash fried, maybe?  The inside remained raw on the latter. They came with a guacamole cream and in a ginger soy broth. The broth was again wonderful.  Those little mushrooms were memorable as well.

Next up was a foie gras terrine served with thin slices of nectarine and smoked duck in a decadent sauce. The dish came with light rolls that were absolutely used to mop up all the sauce.

Next up came two langoustine flambéed table side with Japanese whiskey. Served again in a broth - a welcome lighter course after the foie gras.  The mushroom tortellone were quite nice as well.

Main course was a perfectly cooked lamb. It came with charred onions, short rib (the dark square), parsnip, and polenta. I can’t recall the sauce, but the black garlic purée worked wonderfully with the lamb.

Last up were the desert courses. First was a grapefruit granita with fresh grapefruit and meringue shards. Next was a beautiful chocolate course, dark chocolate, peanut and chocolate, and passion fruit spheres. Last was petit fours. The baba was quite liberally boozed. The marshmallow pleasantly coated. Passion fruit gels continued that flavor profile.