Solare: Burning bright in Liberty Station

Solare means “sunny” in Italian; what a great way to connect San Diego’s laid-back, outdoor lifestyle with the warmth of Italian hospitality.

I recently had a date night at Solare, and I will be honest, I had no idea what to expect. I was taken aback by how charming the space was. I was immediately drawn to the warmth of the dining room, with its solid furniture; the tables were substantial, with the logoed sides of wine boxes artfully inlaid into the center of the tables, and each was set beautifully, from the napkins to the silverware. A clear glass wine room, complete with a dining table, commanded the center of the space.

There is even a counter seat for two with a window into the kitchen so you can watch the Executive Chef Denise Grande work her magic. No pressure, Denise. This table has a clear view of how the sausage is made, and I have to say, as a chef, I was impressed with how well maintained that kitchen is. 

Solare Ristorante Italiano Bar & Lounge is located on the beautiful grounds of Liberty Station, right around the corner from the Cygnet Theater. Art patrons can enjoy a special Pre-Theater Menu with three courses designed to get you to the performance before the curtain comes up. Dinner and a show have always been a winning combination. Not a theatergoer? Never fear; the premiere movie theater, The Lot, is a stone’s throw away.

Cooking Classes: Solare has those; they post them right on the menu. I was told the classes are small and intimate, and they sell out fast. After eating at Solare, who wouldn’t want to capture a little bit of that magic for home? Solare also hosts wine dinners that sound delicious and informative. 

There is a lot to unpack with Solare, but at the core of it all is great food, so let’s talk about that.  

When we arrived at Solare, Georgia, our host greeted us with a friendly smile and took us to our table. Paula, our server for the evening, arrived shortly thereafter; she could not have been more delightful. Paula did a beautiful job walking us through the menu and helping us decide how we would like our experience to unfold. Yes, this was not just a dinner; it was an experience. Of course, I had a lot of questions, and before I knew it, Tommy Smerik, one of the owners, greeted us at the table. I gleaned so much information from Tommy, from the restaurant’s history to its partnerships with unique purveyors. 

Just a quick but important interjection: Tommy runs Solare with his father and his brother. Do you know how special it is to find a family-owned restaurant where the family actually runs the day-to-day operations? It’s rare and such a treat. 

Solare sources its local seafood from Tommy Gomes at TunaVille Market and Grocery, so its daily offerings could not be more local and fresh. There was, however, a paper insert alerting guests to something really special: the wild-caught fresh King Salmon from the Alaskan waters of Sitka Sound. Tommy explained that his family knows the owners of 10th & M Seafoods in Anchorage, Alaska. Solare has their King Salmon flown in daily when it is in season. Solare’s chef both cooks and serves this beauty from the great Northwest on a cedar plank with a lemon chive butter. The effort Solare puts into bringing this treat to their guests is certainly not lost on me. 

Deciding what to have was extremely difficult as the menu was studded with standout choices. I had done my homework and suspected that my Greek girlfriend Georgia would choose the Costolette de Agnello: Seared Sicilian-style pistachio-crusted lamb chops served with sautéed spinach and roasted fingerling potatoes with a light dusting of cheese and a truffle infusion. I was not wrong; Georgia chose the lamb, but only on the condition that I chose the Risotto Tarufo e Capesante: Seared wild scallops, Vialone Nano rice, butter, Grana Padano cheese, and freshly foraged Italian black truffles. Georgia is a sucker for scallops. I think we all know how this meal went; sharing is caring, as they say.

The scallops were divine, but it was the execution of the risotto that got my full attention; first of all, the type of rice means something: Riso Nano Vialone Veronese has a protected geographical indication. Long story short, this rice is a national treasure, and I could taste the reason why. The creamy rice was topped with Italian black truffles sliced paper thin; this dish took me to flavor town and left me there without a ride home.

I jumped the gun a bit as we started our culinary experience with the Insalata Pesche Grigliate: Grilled local peaches, 18-month Prosciutto Crudo di Parma, served with arugula, crumbled goat cheese, and Umbrian Olive Oil. If you have not experienced grilled peaches, you are not living your best life; I savored every bite as did Georgia.

Our second starter was the Frittura di Mare all’Italiana: Crispy Baja shrimp, calamari, and seasonal vegetables with a house-made Calabrian chili pepper mostarda. Yes, this dish contained fun things fried to a golden brown, but it was the sauce that had us referencing our phones to learn more about it. Mostarda is a traditional Italian condiment made with fruit, syrup, and spices like a spicy relish or chutney. It was the perfect foil to the salty fried goodies from the land and sea. 

Drinks are important, and after a palate cleanse of prosecco, I chose the house old fashioned made with their proprietary amari blend, and Georgia had a nice glass of syrah. I don’t want to skip over this amari blend, as Tommy makes this concoction from all the amari he has on his shelves, and there are quite a few bottles. I am a serious student of amari; Tommy gave me a taste of his concoction separate from my cocktail, and the blend really spoke to me. Tommy and I geeked out on amari for a quick minute while I savored his alchemy.

Dessert is always the nail in the coffin for Georgia and me, as we only eat like this when there is a story afoot. So there we were; it was go big or go home time. We went big with two espressos and the Crema Bruciata al Pistacchio. I expected a traditional creme brûlée with pistachios on top. Wrong; there were pistachios on top, but the first bite revealed the pistachio paste that was laced into the custard. The wow factor on this was immense; it was mind-blowingly good, and we did our best not to lick the custard dish clean. There was some talk of nipping the dish and actually licking it clean in the car, but we couldn’t end the night like savages.

Executive Chef Denise Grande came to our table, and I was able to shower her with praise on so many points about our meal, none more than the perfectly executed risotto with freshly shaved black truffle. The rice was so flavorful with just the right amount of truffle. So many spots overdo the truffle flavor; too much of a good thing happens a lot. Risotto takes time and finesse, and doing it properly in a restaurant setting is hard. As they would say at the Cygnet Theater, bravo, Denise; this risotto was worthy of a standing ovation. 

The way we were greeted when we first walked into Solare by our charming host, the attention to detail of our server Paula, the warm hospitality that Tommy showed us, and the craftsmanship and artistry of Chef Grande made this a truly memorable experience. I will cherish this dinner for quite some time.  

Once we got to our car, Georgia and I took off our shoes and walked the long grass promenade that runs down the middle of the barracks at Liberty Station; the full moon was cresting the buildings. We were trying to walk off our meal but to no avail; It was a special night and a fun experience, and we owe it all to the dedicated team at Solare. All this makes me want to attend one of their wine dinners.

If you have tickets to the Cygnet Theater, Solare and their pre-theater meal is a no-brainer. Wine dinners, cooking classes, and heaping servings of service and hospitality — it’s a 15-minute drive from the Island. What are you waiting for? 

Solare
2820 Roosevelt Road, Liberty Station
Point Loma, San Diego 92106

Hours
Happy Hour: Every day 4 PM – 5:30
Dinner: Monday to Thursday 4:30 PM – Closing
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Lunch: 11:30 AM – 3:00 PM
Dinner: 4:30 PM – Closing