Solaire Restaurant + Bar

Absolutely love this place, food and ambiance is incredible ever since the renovation last summer!! The orange salmon and saffron pasta are my regular favorites, but whatever you get, don’t miss out on the pork belly bao buns or tuna wontons (order split in half to accommodate a gluten free guest)! The chef is very understanding and accommodates any dietary restrictions. Sit at the bar with the bartender Rainbow- he is the BEST! Special Valentine’s Day lobster and pomegranate risotto was to die for!

Okay, I've known of Solaire for a while now but not about them, boy was I missing out. Located in the Hotel Paradox a former Holiday Inn that did a stint as dorms for UC Santa Cruz when dorm building failed to keep up with student admissions before a take over and complete rehab/restoration turned it into a boutique hotel with sophisticated eco meets mid-century modern aesthetic—the hotels front desk is a 40' length of a fallen 4' diameter redwood salvaged from a nearby forest floor. So, what kept me from trying it sooner, after all, they opened over a year ago? I mentioned it was a former Holiday Inn right? Then there's the fact that I've generally found restaurants co-located in hotels to be on the pricy end of satisfactory. Finally, it's on Ocean Street, a stretch of pavement many here view as the entrance to the Beach Boardwalk or on ramp to Highway 17 depending which way we're driving. The menu a is small but inspired selection of American Comfort meets California Cuisine at the beach then re-imagined and manifested from fresh, locally sourced, largely organic ingredients... Divers scallops with chanterelle and celeriac puree, caramelized fennel & apple jus; Thick cut, medium cooked, pork chop with coriander glazed carrots and potato pancakes; Gnocchi, butternut squash, kale, brown butter, sage, & grana padano... Cooked to perfection with a presentation that complemented the decor, everything is wonderful! Throw in some flavor-forward original cocktails, attentively curated wine list and micro-brew assortment, all too tempting small plates and appetizers, and a health/diet-choice conscious menu that highlighs not only vegetarian dishes but also dairy and gluten free ones as well, and you've got nearly everything you need for a great dining experience save one, that bugaboo of Santa Cruz restaurants for as long as I've lived here and bane of both restaurant owners and diners alike... service. Well, I saved the best for last, this is possibly the only time in Santa Cruz I've had truly outstanding service. Living here for over 30 years I've grown accustomed to the fact that our service staff is often under-trained, over-qualified university students or graduates— I know of at least two long time servers with graduate degrees in literature—working multiple jobs to afford the ridiculous rents in the area. Here, each of the staff we came in contact hosts, wait, bus and kitchen staff were friendly, to both diners and each other, well trained, and present... I'd say "bright eyed and bushy tailed" but does anyone say that anymore? It was the sort of service you normally get only in a few big city restaurants or in Asia or Europe... The type where no one is hovering, or asking how things are just as you take a bite, but who magically appear just before you realized they were needed; The type where my plate is not whisked away before I've finished savoring the last bite and my companion isn't asked whether she's "done with that" with half a plate left as she's just moving a bite from plate to mouth; the type of service where many of the staff not only knew some regulars by name, but remembered their pet's name and asked about them out of sincere concern not obsequious gratuity insurance.