Solea - CLOSED

• Cuisine(s): Spanish
  Hours: Sun-Thu 7am-11pm, Fri-Sat 7:30am-12am
  Price: $$$$
  Payment Types: All Major Credit Cards
• Attire: casual dressy
  Features: Patio/Sidewalk Dining, Private Party, Banquet Facilities, Wheelchair Accessible
  Serving: Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch
  Alcohol: Full bar
• Reservations: Recommended, Online Reservations Available
  Parking: Meters, Valet

Description

All comebacks are impressive by dint of courage to change and the grit to make it work. But not all are alike. Chef Allen revived his long-standing landmark restaurant in brilliant fashion last year via refurbishment and a revamped menu concept. Solea first opened its doors around that time, but the highly anticipated venue in the glittering new W Hotel South Beach was greeted with sparse business and sluggish reviews. The jump-start occurred with the hiring from Por Fin of Marc Vidal, who had been named one of the top young chefs of Spain in 2005. Vidal installed a menu of small bites ($6 to $16) such as Iberico ham and fried egg over crisp potatoes, chanterelle mushrooms, and truffle oil; rice dishes and paellas served in cast-iron pans ($24 to $28); Mediterranean seafoods ($24 to $34) such as branzino with lentils, smoked sweet paprika vinaigrette, and potato purée; and meat dishes ($21 to $34) found nowhere else — like braised veal cheeks with porcini-Idiazabal cheese toast. Critics have loved the changes, and the swank indoor/outdoor space is buzzing. Solea was a James Beard semifinalist for Best New Restaurant this year. That's what you call a comeback.