The bucolic Bryn Mawr is the perfect place for Sola, a cozy BYOB New American restaurant with a laidback, yet candle-lit and classy feel and a solid French- and Mediterranean-influenced menu thanks to its new executive chef, Scott Morozin.
Monday through Thursday, diners can indulge in a special four-course prix-fixe menu ($39) that varies week to week, depending on what locally sourced items tickle Sola’s imagination. As tempted as we were to try it, we opted to go with dishes on their regular menu.
The scallop crudo ($15) was so light, delicate and refreshing that it almost melts when it hits your tongue. The candied grapefruit and slivers of jalapeño and radish gave the dish a pleasantly flavorful depth. By contrast, the tenderloin tar tar ($14) was decadent, with a quail egg amping up the richness and silky texture, and capers and shallots giving the dish nice briny notes.
As for entrées, we were heartbroken to find out Sola was out of vegetable ravioli ($26) the night we visited but the Alina duck breast ($34) more than made up for it. The duck was perfectly prepared, juicy and tender on the inside with a nice, crispy sear on the outside. The glazed carrots were a nice touch and a potato and leek cake that accompanied the dish was herbaceous and tasty.
Dessert was surprisingly good in the form of a deep-fried apple pie ($8), with house-made salted-caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream. It could have easily gone off the rails into overly sweet carnival-treat territory, but the crust was light and flaky and the piping-hot filling had the right amount of sweetness to blend well with the ice cream and the caramel. On its own it would be well worth the trek out to Bryn Mawr.
Sola isn’t going to try and dazzle you with hip, ultra-modern décor and the most cutting-edge of menus — because it doesn’t have to. Its friendly and attentive staff and well-thought-out menu does all the convincing you’ll need to make you want to keep returning.