Lanui Le'ale'a a la sola! (Holiday Fun at sola!)

Ingredient of the Month: Bacon

Who doesn't love bacon! This month Chef Carol Wallack and Chef de Cuisine Alex Shalev are celebrating one of his favorite foods - bacon! All December long, sola's menu will be all things bacon! From bacon brittle ice cream to sola's mouth watering burger, there is a bacon dish for everyone.

Facts about Bacon

* It's one of the oldest meats in history; the Chinese were preserving and salting pork bellies around 1500 B.C.
* Several slices of bacon are healthier in terms of calories, salt, fat and cholesterol than a hot dog, hamburger or glazed donut.
* The firmer the fat, the less sliced bacon will curl as it cooks.

Burgers, Beer & Bacon!

Indulge yourself with sola's burger, beer and bacon Thursdays!

Every Thursday beginning at 5:30 p.m., Chef Carol Wallack features her burger, a unique beer and a special appetizer infused with sola's house-made bacon.

Some specials include bacon brittle ice cream with apple bread pudding, Morimoto Soba Ale and sola's burger which is normally only available during lunch. This mouth-watering burger is wagyu "kobe" beef dripping with cambazola cheese, house-made bacon, carmelized onions and arugula squeezed between a chewy pretzel roll.

Prix Fixe Menu

With the economy the way it is now, every penny counts. Make your cash go a long way with sola's Prix Fixe menu! Gourmet dining at a great price!

Every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, Chef Carol Wallack and Chef de Cuisine Alex Shalev offer an affordable Three-Course Prix-Fixe Menu available for dinner, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

This month's feature: BACON!

The menu is priced at $30 per person and for just $15 more you can add a wine pairing, selected by our own wine connoisseur, to complement each course.

CONGRATULATIONS

sola has been selected as one of the nation's most wine-friendly restaurants. We have received the Award of Distinction from Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

"Over the past several months, we have worked hard to improve the variety and quality of our wine list. This award is recognition of that effort. I hope all our customers will take advantage of the great values that can be found to complement their dining experience." Sean Murphy, sola General Manager

Wine of the Month:
2005 Klinker Brick Syrah, Lodi, California Limited production wine.

Deep color with smoky aromas and cocoa flavors. Nice long finish. Great with lamb and short ribs. Warms the heart during cold weather.

Drink of the Month: Winter Solstice

Medium bodied ale with caramel and crystal malt flavors, blended with traditional holiday spices.

Ha'ule a la sola! (Fall into sola)

With the economy the way it is now, every penny counts. Make your cash go a long way with sola's Prix Fixe menu!

Every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, Chef Wallack and Chef de Cuisine Alex Shalev offer an affordable Three-Course Prix-Fixe Menu available for dinner, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
The menu is priced at $30 per person and for just $15 more you can add a wine pairing, selected by our own wine connoisseur, to complement each course.

Ingredient of the Month: Squash

Fall is here and now is the time to stay inside and keep warm! Cozy up at sola next to the fireplace while enjoying sola's comforting fall dishes. This month's featured ingredient is squash, which we are using in many menu items, savory and sweet. Next time you dine at sola, finish your meal with the candied squash and sweet potato tart!

Facts about Squash

The smallest squash are usually the tastiest!

Winter squash develops more beta carotene after being stored than it has immediately after picking.

Squash is low in calories, fat and sodium and a good source of fiber and potassium.

Drink of the Month: Kiss My Apple!

Forget the mess of caramel covered apples! Try sola's version with a little twist. The Kiss my Apple is a mix of Stoli vanil, house made caramel apple syrup, cream and walnut liquor. All the taste of a caramel apple in a glass, without the stick!

Wine Dinner

Wednesday, November 12th
6:30 p.m.

Get ready for the cold weather and warm up with wine as we host a wine dinner featuring French wines!

Chef Carol Wallack and Chef de Cuisine Alex Shalev will be serving an eclectic
5-course menu, each paired with complementing wines from France.

Wednesday Courses include:

seared scallop and
tempura oyster
spicy Asian greens, cucumber and soy syrup
paired with,
2007 champalou, vouvray, France

grilled wagyu sirloin steak
braised beef cheek, confit of matsutake mushrooms, 5 spice chesnut puree, crispy leeks
paired with,
2006 d'Auphilhac, Montpeyroux-Languedoc, France

The price is $75 excluding tax and gratuity. Reservations are required by calling
773-327-3868 or www.sola-restaurant.com

Okakopa a la sola! (October at sola!)

Ingredient of the Month: Asian Pears

Leaves are beginning to change color and the days of bathing suits and sandals are disappearing quickly! The change in season does bring delicious fall flavors, with Executive Chef Wallack and Chef de cuisine Alex Shalev taking advantage of those by including them on sola's menu.

This month sola is featuring Asian pears, which are great to enjoy alone as a snack or as an addition to a fresh fall salad!

Facts about Asian Pears:

* Asian Pears are High in Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C and Vitamin K.
* Asian pears reach prime quality when they ripen on the tree, just like an apple or peach. These pears are crisp, juicy and slightly sweet with some tartness, especially near the core.
* Asian pears store for a week at room temperature or up to three months in the refrigerator.

Wine of the Month: The Barrel Blend

This October we are highlighting a wine related to one of Chef Wallack's favorite activities-surfing! Perfect for fall, sola is featuring the Barrel Blend red by pro-surfer Kyle Knox and the Hill Family Estate Winery.

This rich red is an artisan blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah and is perfect to pair with sola's Wagyu Steak, new potatoes, cippolinis, wilted greens, red wine ginger demi.

Prix Fixe Menu

Every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, Chef Wallack and Chef de Cuisine Alex Shalev are offering an affordable Three-Course Prix-Fixe Menu available for dinner. The menu is priced at $30 per person and for just $15 more you can add a wine pairing, selected by our own wine connoisseur, to complement each course.

October's featured ingredient is asian pears!

Would you like to see your favorite ingredient featured on sola's prix-fixe menu?
You can send your own suggestions for Chef Wallack to consider for an upcoming menu.

Jump into fall at sola's Autumn Beer Dinner!

MONDAY OCTOBER 20th.

Enjoy a mouth-watering five-course meal by Chef Carol Wallack and Chef de Cuisine Alex Shalev. The menu will feature the freshest fall produce from local farmers, complemented with fall flavored beers by Two Brothers and Allagash Breweries.

Highlights include:

Pumpkin and Soba Gnocchi:
fall mushrooms, butter poached leeks and truffles

Pork, Two Ways:
bacon wrapped tenderloin, braised cheek, Chinese broccoli and pineapple-beet puree.

Doors open at 6 p.m.
Dinner begins at 6:30pm
$65.00 (excluding tax and gratuity)

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Guests who dine at sola can add a voluntary $1 per table to their bill contributing to the Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation.

Ha'ule I loko sola! (Fall Into sola)

Ingredient of the Month:
Farmers Market Asian Melons

As sad as it may be, summer is winding down and autumn falls upon us on September 22nd. The upside of transitioning into a new season is all of the new ingredients that are at their peak! This month, Chef Carol Wallack is featuring Asian melons from Chicago's Green City Market. Stop into sola and try them in our september prix fixe menu.

Facts about Melons

* Melons are a good source of vitamin C and potassium.
* Most melons will benefit from a squeeze of lemon or lime juice to enhance the flavor and served at room temperature.
* Melon seeds were transported to the United States by Columbus and eventually cultivated by Spanish explorers in California.

Due to the growing popularity of our Prix Fixe Menu we have decided to offer it on Mondays beginning in September.

Every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, Chef Wallack and Chef de Cuisine Alex Shalev are offering an affordable Three-Course Prix-Fixe Menu available for dinner, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

The menu is priced at $30 per person and for just $15 more you can add a wine pairing, selected by our own wine connoisseur, to complement each course.

Would you like to see your favorite ingredient featured on sola's prix-fixe menu?
You can send your own suggestions for Chef Wallack to consider for an upcoming menu. Just email sola at dine@sola-restaurant.com.

Drink of the month: Maui-Mosa

Hold on to summer a little longer while sipping on sola's Maui-Mosa, a refreshing mix of champagne, pineapple & passion fruit juice. This cool take on the mimosa will be the perfect pick-me-up while enjoying Brunch at sola!

Open for Brunch

sola is open for brunch every
Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Some of the highlights on the Brunch menu include:

banana macadamia nut pancakes
(bananas, macadamia nuts, nutella cream)
&
chilaquiles
(tortilla hash, eggs, pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream)
&
an assortment of mouth-watering brunch cocktails.

CURB SIDE CARRY OUT ALWAYS AVAILABLE

Save the Dates:

localvore - sept. 10 through sept. 24
Challenge - Eat Only Locally Produced Food For Two Weeks!
For more information click here

beer dinner - monday, october 20
Allagash & Two Brothers Brewing Company @ sola

GREEN HARVEST DINNER

sola is going green with Green Acres Farm

Go green with us on Monday, August 11th at 6:30 p.m.
as we host our first-ever Green Harvest Dinner with Green Acres Farms!

The dinner will be five courses featuring Hawaiian fish, local meats and poultry highlighted with fruits, vegetables and herbs from Green Acres Farms.
Each course will be complemented with organic, sustainable and biodynamic wines from the Pacific Northwest.

The dinner is $85 and reservations can be made by calling 773-327-3868 www.sola-restaurant.com

Brent and Beth Eccles have been farming on their property in North Judson, Indiana, for the past 10 years. Beth's father farmed conventionally in the same region, specializing in Asian vegetables for the Chicago commercial market. Brent and Beth still concentrate on Asian specialties, but grow chemical-free on their farm.

'Aukake wela hahana a la sola!' (August is hot at sola!)

Ingredient of the Month-Peaches

August is the hottest month of the year. A great way to cool off is by sinking your teeth into a juicy peach!

Chef Carol Wallack thinks so, too. Sola is featuring Seedling Farms peaches this month.

Peaches are great to have as a healthy snack or to sweeten your favorite dessert!

Facts about Peaches

* To ripen peaches, store in a brown bag at room temperature. Ripe peaches can be stored in the crisper bin of your refrigerator for up to five or six days.
* The principal peach-growing state is California. World production totaled about 5.5 million metric tons annually; the United States and Italy were the leading producers but here in the midwest we also have fantastic peaches.
* Peaches are high in Vitamin and a good source of Vitamin C.

Prix Fixe Menu

$30 per person
Tuesdays and Wednesdays

Chef Wallack and Chef de Cuisine Shalev are offering a Three-Course Prix-Fixe Menu available for dinner beginning at 5:30 p.m.

The menu is priced at $30 per person and highlights a featured ingredient, which will change each month. What a great way to save and splurge at the same time!

This month's menu will feature peaches!

Savor the fresh flavors of grilled peaches in a baby arugula salad or satisfy your sweet tooth with a blueberry and peach tart, vanilla-ginger frozen yogurt and maple blueberry syrup.

Would you like to see your favorite ingredient featured on sola's prix-fixe menu? You can send your own suggestions for Chef Wallack to consider for an upcoming menu. Just send an email to sola.

Drink of the month Hawaii-"Effen-O"

Next time you come in, go all out and order the Hawaii "Effen-0" cocktail! This delicious drink, perfect for summer, is a mix of Effen black cherry, cointreau, lime & pomegranate juice.

First Annual Green Harvest Dinner

Monday, August 11th
6:30 p.m.

Sola's Chef Carol Wallack & Chef de Cuisine Alex Shalev together with Green Acres Farms will host a 5-course "farm" dinner at sola featuring in-season fruits, herbs and veggies grown on their farm.

The menu will mainly highlight unique Asian ingredients such as bok choy, Japanese eggplant, beautiful Swiss chard, heirloom tomatoes, Thai basil, Japanese zucchini and melons, Asian greens and wild watercress. The freshest local meats and poultry along with, of course, Hawaiian fish and complementing vegetables will be paired with organic, sustainable and biodynamic wines from the Pacific Northwest.

The dinner will be $85 excluding tax and gratuity. Reservations are required by calling sola at 773.327.3868.

Ho'olu komo la kaua a la sola! (Please join us at sola!)

Ingredient of the Month: Avocados

Since avocados are in season right now, stop into sola and try out a couple of Chef Wallack's dishes that include this delicious ingredient.

The Tuna Poke is a combination of Hawaiian big eye, hijiki, avocado, sushi rice timbale, soy syrup, and wasabi oil.

Perfect and light for the hot summer months!

Tuesday and Wednesday

avocado prix fixe

$30

1st course

chilled avocado and edamame soup
wasabi tobiko

2nd course

california sea bass
avocado lime puree, spicy asian greens

3rd course

mango-almond cobbler, avocado lime sorbet

Avocados are a good source of potassium;
each one has more than a medium sized banana, but less sugar.

To ripen an avocado fast, place in a brown paper bag
and set in your oven with only the oven light on.

GREEN CITY MARKET CHEFS BBQ SUMMER FESTIVAL

Thursday, July 17th6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Join over 50 of Chicago's Top Chefs, including sola's own Chef Carol Wallack, as they prepare delicious tastings using Green City Market foods at this popular annual culinary event.

Tickets: $50 pre-event; $60 at gate and are available for sale at GREEN CITY MARKET each Wednesday & Saturday beginning June 13th through July 11th.

Tickets can also be purchased at sola 773.327.3868

GREAT LAKES BREWING COMPANY BEER DINNER

Tuesday, July 29th 7:00 p.m.

Make your reservation by calling 773.327.3868

Executive Chef Carol Wallack and Chef de' Cuisine Alex Shalev will pair the delectable flavors of sola with a variety of Great Lakes Brewing Co. beer.

Great Lakes Brewing Company is an environmentally and socially conscious brewer of award-winning, all natural beer.

Open for Brunch

Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Come in and try our Pineapple Upside Down French Toast,
vanilla rum, pineapple and crème anglaise

We also offer an assortment of mouth-watering brunch cocktails.

SOLA IS OPEN ON THE 4TH OF JULY

Gourmet Burger with a sola twist

The search for the country's best burger can be an arduous one, but stop in at sola and look no further! Chef Carol Wallack has spent 20 years updating and perfecting her take on the standard American burger, adding gourmet accoutrements and using the highest quality meats and cheeses.

Stop in and try the burger for lunch and you will be hooked.

Beginning June 22nd, we will offer the burger for dinner Sunday through Thursday as our "weekday special" served with truffle fries!

sola's version is a decadent twist on plain old ground chuck and cheddar.

Moist and marbled wagyu beef, cooked medium rare, is blanketed in creamy cambazola cheese, house smoked bacon, fresh arugula, and sweet onions caramelized in bacon fat and pineapple juice, all sandwiched in a pretzel roll.

kau wela a la sola (summer at sola!)

The weather in Chicago is, slowly but surely, getting nicer and that means the opening of the Green City Market in Lincoln Park. Many of sola's summer ingredients are bought at the market which features all locally grown fruits, veggies and herbs. Stop in sola and try the items on the monthly Prix fixe menu, featuring locally grown, organic baby carrots!

Featured Ingredient: Organic Baby Carrots

Carrots are a good source of vitamin A, which is very important for healthy eyesight, skin, growth, and resisting infection in our bodies. Although carrots lose some of their vitamins when peeled, dishes prepared with peeled carrots taste fresher.

Every Tuesday and Wednesday, Chefs Wallack and Shalev offer an affordable Three-Course Prix-Fixe Menu available for dinner, beginning at 5:30 p.m. The menu is priced at $30 per person and highlights the featured ingredient of the month! What a great way to save, splurge, and eat healthy all at the same time.

Drink of the Month: Shark Bite!

There are no sharks in Lake Michigan, but you still might get bit! sola's Shark Bite cocktail is a refreshing mix of absolute citron, blue curacao, lemonade, sprite and grenadine. Perfect for sipping on our outdoor patio.

Ice Cream Flights are Back!

Beginning June 1st, sola will be serving these tasty treats all summer long. What a perfect way to satisfy that craving and cool off!

The ice cream flights feature three tuille cones topped with your choice of flavors. There are many unique flavors to choose from including, banana, brown butter macadamia nut brittle, ginger cream cheese, pineapple - macadamia nut and chocolate green tea. Refreshing sorbets include mango, passionfruit, coconut, lychee melon, guava, strawberry banana. With so many flavors, ice cream flights are perfect for sharing or keeping all for yourself!

What's Going On!

Father's Day, Sunday, June 15th

Treat your favorite guy to brunch or dinner at sola! All dads, golfers or not, will take home a golf ball with sola's logo.

Chicago Botanic Garden Chef Series

On Sunday, June 8th, beginning at 1:30 p.m., Chef Carol Wallack and Assistant Sous Chef Sarah Sutherland will be doing a cooking demonstration on how to utilize fresh fruits and vegetables from the garden. For more information, call 847.835.5440.

OPEN FOR BRUNCH

Sola is open for Brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 10a.m. to 2p.m. Some of the highlights on the Brunch menu include Eggs Benedict with Housemade Canadian Bacon and Banana Macadamia Nut Pancakes, Bananas, Macadamia Nuts, Nutella Cream, in addition to an assortment of mouth-watering brunch cocktails

CURB SIDE CARRY OUT

Curb Side Carry Out is always available at sola. Simply call in your order and drive up to sola. No need to get out of your car. We will bring your order to you.

sola is going bananas

Every Tuesday & Wednesday

Prix Fixe Menu

This month's menu features sweet bananas! $30

wine pairing additional $15

unagi timbale

avocado, banana, cucumber and asian greens salad
with yuzu vinaigrette

(2005 kuentz-bas, blend, Alsace, france)

scallops with banana tempura

housemade bacon, chinese black rice, organic soy syrup

(2007 pine ridge, chenin blanc-viognier, napa valley, California)

banana coconut fritters

mango - passionfruit - banana mousse, raspberry paint

(2001 grande maison, cuvee mademoiselle, monbazillac, france)

Menu available for dinner, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday & Wednesday Only

coupons & other special offers not applicable to prix fixe menu

Ho I Ioko Sola! (spring into sola)

Aloha,
The weather is finally warming up in Chicago! Here at sola we are taking advantage of all the fresh ingredients that spring brings.

Three-Course Prix-fixe $30

Every Tuesday and Wednesday, we offer a three course prix-fixe menu for dinner, beginning at 5:30 p.m. The menu highlights each month's featured ingredient.

Bananas!

This month we are featuring the most well known tropical fruit, the banana! Take care of your banana craving by also stopping into sola during Brunch to try the Banana Macadamia Nut Pancakes with Nutella Cream!

Facts about Bananas

There are five types of bananas:
* Red: have a green/red peel and pink fruit flesh. They taste the same as yellow bananas. The redder a fruit, the more carotene it contains, so maybe they are healthier than their yellow colleagues.

* Fruit: are the normal, yellow bananas, 15-30 cm.

* Apple: are smaller, 8-10 cm. and ripen faster. They are also yellow.

* Baby: is yellow as well and measure 6-8 cm. It is the sweetest of the banana family

* Baking: are 30-40 cm. large and are green, yellow or red-like. They cannot be eaten raw. They fulfill the role of the potato in the tropical countries.

Sunday, May 11th

Dinner reservations are available for Mother's Day

Open for Brunch

sola is open for Brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Some of the highlights on the Brunch menu include our black forest omelette,gruyere, crispy leeks, black forest ham, caramelized onions and banana macadamia nut pancakes, bananas, macadamia nuts, nutella cream, in addition to an assortment of mouth-watering brunch cocktails.

10th Annual Food Arts BBQ Challenge

2008 will mark the 10th annual Food Arts BBQ to benefit Share Our Strength. The BBQ Challenge is hosted by Food Arts on May 18th at Galleria Marchetti during the National Restaurant Association show in Chicago. Sola won this challenge last year with our mini short rib sandwiches accompanied with pineapple milkshakes. This year we're going for the "back to back" win, with our 'kalua' berkshire pork sandwiches with pickled pineapple and sola mai tai's.

Drink of the Month

Aloe Ha

Get ready for summer by sipping on sola's Aloe Ha, a mixture of ketel one, bombay sapphire, aloe juice, white grape juice, and lime. Although, you probably don't have sunburn yet, the aloe will be sure to calm and relax!

Ho I Ioko Sola! (spring into sola)

PRIX FIXE INGREDIENT

Every Tuesday and Wednesday, Chef Wallack is offering an affordable Three-Course Prix-Fixe Menu for dinner, beginning at 5:30 p.m. The menu is priced at $30 per person and highlights a featured ingredient, which changes each month. What a great way to save and splurge at the same time!

This month's menu will feature sweet & savory fig!

Facts about Figs

* Figs provide more dietary fiber per serving than any other common dried or fresh fruit.

* Figs are among the tastiest and most versatile of fruits, happy in company with wine, honey, sugar, sweet spices such as ginger, cinnamon and cloves and the sharpness of lemon and orange.

macadamia nut and bleu cheese fritters
fig and fuji apple chutney, fig syrup with micro shiso

New York strip steak
roasted root vegetables, housemade bacon, fig demi

fig & honey cake
goat cheese chantilly cream, fig & balsamic syrup

For an additional $15 per person you can have this dinner paired with wine to complete your experience

Would you like to see your favorite ingredient featured on sola's pre fixe menu? Send your own suggestions for Chef Wallack to consider for an upcoming menu. Email sola at dine@sola-restaurant.com.

James Beard House

On May 6th Chef Carol Wallack, Chef Aleksiy Shalev and sola staff will head to New York to cook a dinner at the esteemed James Beard House!

In honor of this event, Chefs Wallack and Shalev will be hosting a Chicago James Beard Dinner on Thursday, May 1st. The dinner, which is priced at $85.00, excluding tax and gratuity, will be 5-courses, each paired with complementing wines.

berkshire "kalua" pork pot stickers
mango, asian green and cucumber salad
2006 innocent bystander, pinot gris
(Victoria, Australia)

vietnamese style pho with oxtail dumpling
bean sprouts, herbs, and chilies
2005 laetitia, estate, pinot noir
(Arroyo Grande Valley)

cocoa nib crusted scallops
butter poached baby artichoke, soba dumpling,
truffle caviar vinaigrette
2006 domaine coteau, pinot noir
(Willamette, Oregon)

double cut "sola" lamb chops
stuffed with cambazola
served with curried eggplant, chinese long beans and crispy cippolini onion
2004 d'arenberg, footbolt, shiraz
(McLaren Vale, Australia)

braised pineapple
coconut sorbet, macadamia nut strudel
2004 oremus, late harvest furmint
(Hungary)

Reservations are required by calling sola at 773.327.3868

Chicago History Chef Presentation

Chef Wallack
April, 29th
7:00pm - 8:30pm

Come and see Chef Wallack speak on a panel of Chicago's most talented chefs, including Michael Kornick, Gale Gand, and Bruce Sherman, about current trends in the city's cuisine, their own personal contributions and where Chicago falls on the culinary map.

Open for Brunch

sola is open for brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Highlights on the brunch menu include:

eggs benedict
housemade canadian bacon and hollandaise

pineapple upside down french toast
vanilla, rum, pineapple and crème anglaise

banana macadamia nut pancakes
bananas, macadamia nuts, nutella cream

We also have an assortment of mouth-watering brunch cocktails:

wasabi bloody mary
fresh tomato juice, spices, garnished with shrimp & pickled asparagus

palmango mimosa
champagne, mango & pomegranate juice

Aloha,
Carol Wallack, executive chef / owner
sola restaurant

hawaiian l'a a la sola (hawaiian fish at sola)

Aloha!

In February we offered our first prix fixe menu featuring bacon as our key ingredient. The bacon brittle ice-cream was a big hit for all of you bacon lovers. We would like to thank all of our loyal patrons for making our first prix fixe menu a huge success.

Hawaiian Seafood

Summer is slowly sneaking up on us and that means swim suits and less clothing! A great way to prepare for the season is to start eating healthy. Chef Wallack's favorite thing to eat and serve is Hawaiian seafood, which sola is best known for. Stop in and try the ahi tuna, (hoisin-mustard-panko crusted, bamboo rice, avocado tempura, soy-wasabi buerre blanc), mahi mahi, (wasabi crusted, curried sunchokes, coconut butter) or sola's classic tuna trio, (sweet, salty and spicy with thai cucumber salsa and ginger confit).

Facts about Hawaiian Seafood:

* Nutrition experts say that protein from fish is of better quality than plant sources like beans because it contains more of the essential amino acids needed to build and repair cells for the body.

* The beauty of eating seafood is that it allows for a greater variety of foods in your diet. It's readily available, relatively inexpensive and provides nutritious protein and beneficial fat, which can ultimately contribute to a healthful diet

*Seafood is rich in omega 3 fatty acids, which are proven to be good for the heart.

Featured Ingredient Prix Fixe

Every Tuesday and Wednesday
(featured ingredient changes monthly)

Every Tuesday and Wednesday, Chef Wallack is offering an affordable Three-Course Prix-Fixe Menu available for dinner, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

The menu is priced at $30 per person and highlights a featured ingredient, which will change each month. What a great way to save and splurge at the same time! This month's menu will feature mouth-watering.......

Sweet Potatoes

japanese sweet potato soup
-crab salad and chili oil

wild striped bass with soba
-sweet potato dumplings, organic spiced carrots, lobster gastrique

hawaiian sweet potato
-pecan tart, chantilly cream with brandy and gran marnier

Would you like to see your favorite ingredient featured on sola's pre fixe menu? You can send your own suggestions for Chef Wallack to consider for an upcoming menu. Just click here.

Open for Brunch

sola is open for Brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Some of the highlights on the Brunch menu include, Pineapple Upside Down French Toast, Matzo Brei and House Smoked Salmon Scramble in addition to an assortment of mouth-watering brunch cocktails.

Try our Koji Tini.

Made with Shochu, ginger syrup, and white grape juice.

Shochu is Japan's other indigenous alcoholic beverage, but unlike sake, shochu is distilled. It is also made from one of several raw materials. The alcoholic content is usually 25%, although sometimes it can be as high as 42% or more.

Winter 2008 Wine Dinner

Tuesday, February 26
6:30 p.m.
$85.00 per person

2006 Basa, Blanco, Rueda
yukon gold potato chips, edamame puree, caviar

2005 Caroa, Godella, Valdeorras, Orense, Spain
tempura oyster, petite asian greens, yuzu vinaigrette

2005 Joan d'Anguera, La Planella, Estate, Montsant
soba-sweet potato gnocchi, duck confit, leeks, 5 spice jus

2003 Ostatu, Reserva, Rioja
carol's signature rack of lamb, long beans, thai eggplant, rioja jus

Pedro Jimenez, El Maestro Sierra
caramel bread pudding, gingered figs, honey tuille

sola is proud to Introduce our exclusive $30 Prix Fixe Menu

EACH MONTH WE WILL DESIGN A NEW THREE COURSE PRIX FIXE MENU HIGHLIGHTING A FEATURED INGREDIENT.

This February we feature one of our personal favorite ingredients:

SOLA'S
HOUSE-MADE BACON

1ST COURSE
Bacon & Grilled Pineapple Salad
pineapple, rosemary, black vinegar
pineapple coulis

2ND COURSE
Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
hawaiian sweet potato puree, chinese brocolli
sczechwan peppercorn jus

3RD COURSE
Taffy Apple Pie with Bacon Brittle Ice Cream
apple cider five spice syrup
Please join us as we unveil our exciting prix fixe menu designed uniquely for you.

Each month we will feature a new ingredient to tempt your taste buds.

We'd love to highlight YOUR favorite ingredient in an upcoming menu.

Please feel free to send us a message with your favorite ingredient.

February 2008

"All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt!"
-Lucy Van Pelt, Peanuts

Chocolate at sola:

Fall in love with chocolate by indulging in sola's decadent desserts. Order one for yourself or split one with your Valentine!

* Soft Center Chocolate Cake-sesame brittle ice cream, wasabi vanilla bean syrup

Pair this soft, luscious cake with a dark, creamy, chocolatey Guinness stout.

* Mai'a Hot Fudge Sundae-banana ice cream, hot fudge, macadamia nuts

Pair this twist on the classic sundae with a nutty, lusty, caramel-y smooth Churchill's Tawny Port.

* S'mores-vanilla marshmallow, graham cracker, maple ice cream, rogue chocolate stout syrup

Pair this gooey yet grown-up campfire treat with sola's wine of the month: M. Chapoutier Banyuls, a sophisticated dessert wine full of rich cocoa and fruity aromas and a long, velvety finish.


February at sola is all about chocolate, the most romantic food in the world!

Facts about Chocolate:

* The Aztecs and Mayas held chocolate in such high regard that they used it as currency.
* Chocolate contains phenylethylamine (PEA), which creates a chemical reaction in the brain similar to that of falling in love.
* During WWII, the U.S. government commissioned Milton Hershey to create a candy bar for soldiers' rations. The Hershey Bar was so successful that Hershey Chocolate Co. was called upon during the Persian War to create a chocolate that could withstand high temperatures, later called "Desert Bars."
* In 1960, chocolate syrup was used to simulate blood in the famous shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho.

What's Going On

Sunday, Feburary 3 at 5:30 p.m.

Girls!Girls!Girls!

Chef Carol Wallack will be offering special wine flights for those women (or men) who don't care about football, beer, or wings!

Thursday, February 14:

Happy Valentine's Day!

Celebrate with your sweetheart; sola is offering menu specials and love-themed fortune cookies written by Chef Wallack!

Sunday, Feburary 24 at 5:30 p.m.

Red Carpet Escape!

Get away from Joan Rivers and long-winded Oscar acceptance speeches by enjoying beer and burgers at sola.

Tuesday, February 26 at 6:30 p.m.

Winter Wine Dinner

Enjoy good friends, good times, and great food at sola's special 5-course wine dinner. The price of this luxurious feast is $85, excluding tax and gratuity.

HAU'OLI LA HANAU A LA SOLA (HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SOLA)

ALOHA !
We will be celebrating our second anniversary this January. In honor of this special time, sola will wine and dine guests with a host of special events, special gifts and an opportunity to 'give back', as well.

Anniversary Events

Monday, January 21 through Sunday, January 27

Monday, January 21, 2008
Mahalo Monday
1/2 Price Wine Bottles
sola appreciates their guests and as a way of giving back, every Monday at sola is Mahalo Mondays!
With its entire wine menu available, all bottles are half the price (bottles range from $27 to $99.)

Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Beer Dinner
sola is teaming up with Two Brothers Brewery and Left Hand Brewing Co. for a mouth-watering six-course dinner paired with beers to complement each course. The dinner will begin at 7 p.m. Cost is $65 per person plus tax and gratuity.
Reservations can be made by calling 773.327.3868.

Thursday, January 24, 2008
Prix-Fixe Menu
In honor of sola turning two, Chef Wallack will be offering a special prix-fixe menu. Details to come

Friday, January 25, 2008
After Work Soiree
sola agrees that Friday after work is the time to let loose and relax. That's why any guest to stop in sola after work between 5:30 and 7:00 p.m. will be treated to complimentary hors d'oeuvres at the bar.
call 773.327.3868 for reservations

Saturday, January 26, 2008
Tiny Bubbles
sola winds down anniversary week with tiny bubbles - a free glass of bubbly for all!
Each guest will receive sparkling wine to complement their meal.
What a way to celebrate!

Sunday, January 27, 2008
Get Leid
Who said brunch was too early to get "leid"? All guests who stop in for Chef Carol Wallack's mouth-watering brunch will receive a lei inspired by the Aloha state!

February 2nd, 2008
Snowball
In honor of Snowball, Chicago's signature black tie fundraiser for young professionals which benefits Pediatric, Adolescent, and Maternal HIV and AIDS programs at Children's Memorial Hospital, happening on February 2nd, 2008, Chef Wallack will donate a percentage of this nights proceeds to Children's Memorial.
In addition, Chef Wallack has also donated Dinner for 10 as part of Snowballs Silent auction.
+ Click Here for More Information

Thank you for all of the support for the past two years and we look forward to serving you for years to come!