Sola Gets New Ownership & Chef
Former chef-owner John Wolferth has sold Sola to Donna Mozzone and new chef David Clouser (recently of Berwyn’s Nectar and the Inn at Montchanin in Delaware). The restaurant’s contemporary American theme will remain the same, with entrees in the 20s.
May 24, 2006 @ 7:27 am
The restaurant is fabulous! The quality of food is suberb, particularly for this pricerange.
June 15, 2006 @ 2:53 pm
I had dinner a couple of weeks ago at Sola and loved everything about it. The food was innovative, the service was attentive but not overbearing, we weren’t rushed and our food came as ordered. Our daughter was able to get a vegetarian dish, even though there were none on the menu. We liked that it was BYOB and the guy next to us actually brough beer – which was his beverage of choice. I highly recommend Sola for a nice Saturday night or mid-week (when it is easier to get a reservation) dinner.
July 24, 2006 @ 8:25 am
I first visited Sola last November, late in the evening when only 3 other tables were populated, and LOVED it. Being young and poor on the Main Line, I’m always a little wary of BYOB pretension– although I am more educated about wine than many, I just can’t afford pricey bottles to accompany an already expensive meal! My waiter at Sola expressed interest in the $8 bottle of “Big Red Truck” that I had brought (chosen, as per my favorite method, because I found the label creative!), which turned out to be quite good– and laughed with me when I jokingly asked if the corking fee would be reduced b/c of the screw-top on the bottle! 🙂
Our main course was excellent, but both my fiancee and I were astonished by the AMAZING soup that started our meal– a pureed Butternut Squash and Granny Smith concoction, served warm (not HOT, allowing some of the subtler flavors to really pop). When I asked our waiter about what had gone into the recipe, he begged off for a moment… and then John Wolferth himself came out and, after listening to us gush about the soup for a moment, promptly gave me the entire rundown of ingredients AND the recipe.
I took my out-of-town parents there for my graduation dinner this past Spring, apparently just after the change of ownership (which we found out about after our meal, when the new proprietor questioned us on our experience). While it had been a bustling evening, the service was still very very good– but I was a little disappointed in the food. Our meals were all good, and arrived in a timely and correct manner, but seemed to lack some of the sparkle and subtlety that Wolferth’s had; there had been a little question in my mind at the “okayness” of the meal, which, when I found out about the different chef, was answered.
Hopefully, as the new owners get into the swing of things, Sola will get back its spark!
August 9, 2007 @ 5:11 pm
We ate at Sola the other weekend, and it was a wonderful dining experience. The restaurant is cozy and beautifully decorated in a style that evokes the 1930’s, and the wait staff is extremely prompt and professional. Dave, the chef, served a tantalizing array of Continental fusion cuisine that combined the complexity of French flavors and textures with the lightness of the Mediterrenean. The vegetables (all locally grown) were fresh and flavorful. I was torn between my favorite appetizers – grilled squid (succulent and juicy) or sushi-grade tuna tartare (tender and spicy.) The enree of grilled scallops in white truffle oil, served on a bed of Israeli couscous was scrumptuous, perfectly cooked and melting in my mouth. My boyfriend enjoyed the duck – it is served in an intricate sauce atop fig preserves, and the combination of sweet, sour and earthy notes was mind-blowing. I recommend the blueberry cake for a light dessert, while Ben preferred the chocolate cake (with warm creamy ganache.) The food was beautifully presented, perfectly apportioned and delicious, and most importantly (particularly for French-inspired cuisine,) the sauces did not detract from the freshness and texture of the food. We will definitely return to Sola for romantic dinners a deux and special occasions!