sola

sola - 3868 n. lincoln ave. chicago, il
billed as "contemporary american piqued with asian and hawaiian flavors."
fantastic! great food and unpretentious atmosphere. kid friendly. kids are encouraged to draw on the paper coverlets. appetizers are small plates. so we chose several apps. see below for the menu choices my friend and i had. the truffle parmesan fries were just as good as they sound and there are a lot of them. cb took them home for leftovers. we each had specials as well. cb had striped sea bass and i had a beet salad w/ duck confit. the salad was good, but the duck confit was a little too salty. the quail tempura was perfection - just lightly battered and crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside and the dipping sauce was just right. the sweet potato soup was delicious with just enough crab for texture and flavor. for dessert, there are choices like soft center chocolate cake, green tea creme brulee and banana coconut fritters. we opted to choose the flight of 3 scoops of housemade ice cream or sorbet. there are at least 6 flavors available to choose from. cb chose red currant sorbet, sesame brittle ice cream and macadamia nut brittle ice cream. i had red currant sorbet, lychee melon sorbet and thai basil ice cream. all were amazing. the red currant was my favorite then the lychee melon. the thai basil was great, but seemed heavy next to the two sorbets. the sesame brittle was especially yummy with a crunch to boot.

artichoke fritters $7
soy lime & white truffle-honey sauces
the soup today $5
seasonal selection: sweet potato w/ crab
quail tempura $11
natural jus, citrus chile dipping sauce
truffle parmesan fries $8

entrees cost between $25 - $29

re: tasty beverages
although i have no business making wine recommendations, i loved the 2006 allan scott sauvignon blanc, marlborough, australia - sweet and fruity. cb really liked her kojitini made with shochu, ginger syrup, and white grape juice.

(wikipedia reference: shōchū (焼酎, Shōchū^?) is an alcoholic beverage of Japan, most commonly distilled from barley, sweet potato or rice. Typically it is 25% alcohol by volume, making it weaker than whisky, but stronger than wine and sake)

final analysis: go! i know i'll be going back with friends. next time i might try the monthly prix-fixe featuring a main ingredient $30. february was bacon. march is sweet potato.