Last night we went to Solas in downtown Raleigh for dinner. From the outside, the place looks like an upscale NYC nightclub that is sitting in the middle of Glenwood. Inside, the atmosphere is similar. The loud thumping music did not create the relaxed dining vibe that I would expect from an upscale restaurant. Especially since it was a Tuesday night and only a handful of patrons were in the restaurant. We were practically shouting over the table at one another. Aside from that, the decor was very nice. White linens and sheer curtains highlight the blue lighting scheme. Aside from the music, I found the overall effect very pleasing.
Onto the food! The appetizer list was extensive! Some of the more interesting features on the menu are: Elk Carpaccio, Foie Gras, Duck Consomme, and Kobe Sliders. We had the hot rock for the appetizer. It consisted of strips of tenderloin and gulf shrimp seared over a very hot rock (hence the name!). The tenderloin was lovely and juicy, the shrimp were wonderful.
The entrees selection was very diverse. This restaurant is not for the faint of heart. The highlights of the menu were Bison Ribeye, Artic Char, Veal Osso Bucco, Game Hen, and Wild Boar. My fiance thought he was in heaven. I thought for sure he would be all over the blackened Bison Ribeye with huckleberry glaze (he has never met a steak he didn't like), but he went with the Game Hen in a cranberry glaze and apple stuffing. I decided on the ribeye for my entree. Having had bison before, I was curious to see how they would prepare it to make it "less gamey". I am happy to report that not only was the steak cooked to perfection, it was tender and juicy as well. The huckleberry glaze did nothing for me and personally, I would not have missed it. My fiance was extremely pleased with his hen, and has decided that adding apples to the stuffing this Thanksgiving is a terrific idea.
Be warned: the sides at Solas are not part of the entree; howevers the waiters make it seem like they are when you order. Also, when we asked the waiter if the sides were big enough to share, he stated that they were individually portioned. Now, I'm not exactly sure how much our waiter eats on a regular basis, but the two sides we ordered with our meal were more than enough for both of us! We had the sauteed spinach with garlic and the sugar snap peas with macadamian nuts. The sugar snap peas were tasty; however, unless you are warding off vampires (or your date), I would recommend staying clear of the spinach. The garlic was so overpowering I thought I was eating a bowl of garlic cloves instead of spinach.
The wine list is not the most impressive I've seen, but they do have a decent selection. The wines by the glass however, is limited. I had a glass of the Trinity Oaks Pinot Noir with my meal. Overall not a bad pinot, but not a great one either. For $8/glass, I've certainly had better in other restaurants.
For dessert, we ordered the flourless Chocolate Torte. For true chocolate lovers, this is right up your ally. Now I like my chocolate as much as the next girl, but even this was a little much. Death by chocolate is how I would describe it. I think my fiance & I were on a sugar rush by the time we reached the end.
Overall, I found the food enticing, but the music was very distracting and did not create an enjoyable dining experience. I would have to give Solas a B-.
