The food was good, but they have yet to get a liquor license. Â The bartender was really friendly, and was explaining that some neighbor was protesting the liquor license, and that they had backed down, and the should have a full bar within a few weeks. Â
Service was good, food was pricey but delicious, and they were doing pretty well faking a couple cocktails with Soju!
I've eaten here a couple of times and rented a cabana by the pool area, which was a lot of fun. The food is hit or miss--some things are delicious, others are unimpressive. I think this place has a lot of potential but they need to work on the basics (they made a mistake on our reservation, forgot to bring napkins, didn't have clean towels at the pool area etc.). The staff is very nice and I like the contemporary decor, but greater attention to detail from management would greatly improve the overall experience.
Review Source:My boyfriend and I recently stayed at Hotel Paradox this past weekend and had an amazing experience mainly because of Solaire. Restaurant, food and pool were great. But it was the staff that really amazed us! I'm the person that never likes to complain which works out because my boyfriend is picky and vocal enough for us both. For the 1st time I heard not one complaint from him about customer service.
Our experience began at the pool (which we later learned is managed by Solaire) and were surprised by just how nice the pool area was, great atmosphere with a DJ and friendly waitresses, reminded us of a bit of Vegas brought to Santa Cruz. The lifeguard, Naomi, was beyond friendly and helpful. Later in the night we had dinner, our waitress Laura also amazed us with how friendly and helpful she was. I thought for sure we were just lucky but the next day we were greeted with another wave of amazing customer service from the bartender Dylan and waitress Ashley.
Food was good. Very modern and appealing hotel decor. Drinks were a bit over priced and they are currently still waiting to secure their liquor license. But the customer service was so great we're definently going back and recommend this hotel to everyone!
I really want to like this restaurant but so far I can only give it the benefit of the doubt. I've heard from some co-workers how much they do like Solaire so I will give it another chance. I didn't mention to the server that I work at a local corporation that was recently hosted by Solaire to introduce this new restaurant and hotel (I could not attend because I was out of town).
I went with some friends for lunch to celebrate my birthday but needed to get back to the office. We ordered 2 salads and one burger. It took at least 30 minutes to get the food and once we did one of the salads was missing some key ingredients. We were running too late to take time to track down our server who wasn't readily available at any time.
Anyway, I'll be back I'm sure.
We went to Solaire restaurant for dinner. It was delicious! I got the surf and turf, which is steak, shrimp, potatoes and greens. I'm currently on a special diet and they had no problem substituting more greens instead of the potatoes.
The clam chowder is to die for! It has fresh clams in it and an awesome kick of bacon.
The Niku maki appetizer is also really good. It's steak wrapped around scallions.... Delicious!!! The dessert was also great!
Our service was exceptional. Our waitress was upbeat and accommodating. The restaurant also looks beautiful. It is very modern and chic. It has a nature theme which is perfect for Santa Cruz.
Go to Solaire! It's delicious! You'll have a positive experience!
Our party of four had an overall great sampling of food (steak, pork, shell fish, fish) and everybody thoroughly enjoyed their food. The service was outstanding, the ambiance lovely. A combination of modern, sheik. The only thing that was missing was a full bar. But, according to the waiter, they should be getting their full liquor license in just a matter of weeks. I highly recommend Solaire & will definitely be coming back.
Review Source:I love this restaurant. Â I come here almost weekly for a work meeting and it's such a great restaurant. Â The staff is so helpful and friendly, especially the servers Serena & Kay. Â I always feel well taken care of here. Â :-) Â The decor is artistic and chic, and the food is always perfect.
Review Source:Just had a great breakfast here (French toast with bacon and eggs over easy with with sausage). The fried tomatoes complimented the potatoes and the presentation of the syrup, butter, catsum, and jam was nice. My wife liked that the french toast was cooked just right.
The food was swell and the service outstanding. We'll be back!
2nd trip to Solaire (happy hour) - 2 star rating:
After 1st trip to Solaire (dinner review below), was excited to tell my girlfriends and join them for happy hour there. Â Unfortunately, hh was disappointing! Â Only wine available for hh on Tuesday was Fetzer! Â They have such a great wine list - they couldn't provide another option? Â We ordered Panko-Parmesan Fried Artichokes (great) $5 hh menu, Wonton Prawns (good) $5 hh menu and Niku Maki (not good - very dry) reg menu $12. Â Service was great, it was nice to sit outside but unfortunately won't be back for hh until wine options change.
1st trip to Solaire (dinner) - 4 star rating:
My husband and a I had not heard of Solaire until I received a TravelZoo email with a great deal to Solaire. Â The deal price was $49 and included 2 glasses of wine (up to I believe $14 ea), 1 shared appetizer, 2 entrees and 1 shared dessert. Â Because restaurant ambiance is very important to me, I was kind of hesitant to purchase the voucher - only because I still had in my head the vision of the old UCSC Inn hotel that previously was at the location. Â But what a change - the interior of the renovated building (Hotel Paradox) is so beautiful and relaxing! Â Don't let the location (lower Ocean St) or exterior (still a bit bland) fool you!
Solaire does not yet have a full liquor license but they do provide beer, wine and "Soju" cocktails. Â My hubby started off with a Soju type of martini (don't know name) and believe it or i not, it was good. Â I had a Pomarita and it as was very tasty!
Following are dishes we ordered:
Appetizer - Crab Firecrackers (delicious - that sauce was amazing!!!) $14
Entrees - Pork Chop (cooked perfectly and very tasty) $25 and Scallops (another great choice!) $26
Dessert - Strawberry Shortcake (shortcake fell short as it was very dry) Don't remember $
Overall service was great! Â Everyone was extremely nice and welcoming. Â Our server was Alex and he was very knowledgeable about the beverages and dishes and helped us enjoy a very relaxing night out.
As you can see, our meal would of been ~ $100 + tax/tip without the TravelZoo voucher (and we ALWAYS tip on the original price NOT discounted price!). Â I think they could offer more mid-range glasses of wine - only 1-2 options under $10. Â But remember, they state their ingredients are organic and sustainable.
The restaurant & bar have a wall of windows that overlook the pool area. Â I'm looking forward to returning with my girlfriends for drinks and apps in the bar area!
Solaire I love you! Â My faith is restored. Â The staff hosted an amazing pool side "look see" for the corporate admin team from my company. Â The kitchen served up great farm to table appetizers, drinks, and petit treats for us to nosh on while touring their impeccable board rooms and conference spaces. Â The food was impressive at last! Â Tuna tartar, grilled shrimp steak and chicken skewers, fresh spring rolls, and some amazing sweet cheese bruschetta with fig were all delicious and presented nicely.
Relaxing pool side on a Thursday afternoon in a cabana is a mid week treat that I can get down with! Â I'm excited to make this my summertime hang spot.
Came here for dinner with my girlfriend using a coupon from Travelzoo, and we had a great experience. We will definitely be back.
Food: Fantastic. I ordered the steak (NY strip I think) rare; it was juicy and red inside but with a nice crust on the outside. Green beans and mushrooms were unreal (seriously). My girlfriend ordered the scallops and loved them. Our salad (arugula with Humboldt Fog) was solid. Tiramisu (from Hoffman's I think) was so-so; I prefer it a little more drenched. Wine list is very good, and the server did a great job helping pick our wines.
Service: The host, server, and manager were unbelievably friendly. If you're from the East Coast, this is the kind of service you might miss, and never see in Santa Cruz. We like the casual, easy-going atmosphere of Santa Cruz, but it is nice to switch it up every once in a while. Our server clearly knew his stuff when it comes to food, and after chatting about the mushrooms in my dish (which I had never seen before), he brought some out from the kitchen in a to-go cup for me to try cooking up at home. We chatted with the manager afterwards about their plans for the summer rush, getting a liquor license, and incorporating some sort of locals night. Would be great to see them succeed.
Atmosphere is different than most places in Santa Cruz; very modern and upscale. Nothing crazy, and again, a welcome way to change things up.
In case the staff is reading this- half glasses of wine would be awesome!
Like Chris C, I'm not sure why some gave such bad reviews for Solaire.
My wife and I had dinner at Solaire last night and used the TravelZoo deal. Â When we mentioned the coupon, the staff was very helpful, explaining that we could use its value and order whatever we wanted. Â That was great and nothing like the negative comments some have made. Â Perhaps their policy changed because of the negativity? Â If so, that's certainly is one of the by-products of reviews!
Anyway, our food was very good. Â We had an appetizer, a salad, and the Seafood Pasta (very good) and a Skirt Steak w/broccolini, which was great! Â Add some fresh, french fries and a glass of excellent Fogerty Pinot Noir and it all added up to an excellent experience at Solaire.
The staff was very attentive and although spartan, the decor in the hotel and restaurant was tasteful.
Even though we live over the hill in the valley, we will return again to Solaire.
My, how things have changed. At 65, I have been coming to Santa Cruz my whole life, it seems. Always the motels, the diners,.etc. Who knew that 60 seconds after hitting town there would be an oasis of pleasure waiting. First, there is the Hotel Paradox, within which Solaire is situated. Oh my.....wonderful decor, extremely friendly and welcoming staff ( and I mean ALL the staff, not just the front desk), and great rooms. But Solaire was a real find. Food cooked and presented perfectly, the server and busers outstandingly attentive. Made sure that the meal was exactly right. Even the sous-chef came out to talk about his wonderful desserts. This is fantastic! Oh, the tackiness of the Boardwalk is close by, and Bookstore Santa Cruz beckons, but the Paradox, and Solaire, have made a devoted new friend. Get there as soon as you can. And tell your friends.
Review Source:Terrible wait staff. Incredibly rude from the moment we walked in. As someone in the online daily deal business and using a gift certificate from a family friend was so underwhelmed. Was treated like under class citizen who couldn't pay the full price for their menu. And on top of it had no bar to cut the pain from the terrible treatment. This place should be shut down tomorrow.
Review Source:We used a Travelzoo daily deal coupon here and the hostess and hostess friends laughed at us when we walked in. Â
The online menu, did not match their menu.
The food we received did not match their menu!
The bar only had beer and wine because they have not been able to get there liquor license yet. Â
The steak was good, nothing special. Â The scallops were terrible and undercooked.
The manager was nice and offered to comp us another night but we have no interest in ever going there again and I would recommend you don't ever go there either!
My husband and I decided to check it out for our anniversary outing on a Friday night. It is located within the Paradox hotel and we had heard a lot of promising things about this restaurant. The hotel is tastefully decorated with allusions of the forest (the front desk at the hotel is carved out in a giant log), Â though simple it offers a pleasant atmosphere. I began to think this edgy place could quickly become a hangout for us. We were seated promptly, although we did have reservations, so not sure what the wait would be if you didn't. The place seemed to be full of patrons at that time (7pm). We asked about GF and the server told us we could be accommodated for that when we ordered our food.
Our nice, but fleeting server gave us the menus for food and drink, and my hopes for the place suddenly sank into oblivion...
Wines:
They tried to have local wines and kudos for that, but the selection was terrible. Unless you want to drop a cool 100 for a bottle of champagne. And when you're paying $14 per glass or $40+ per bottle maybe something nice to drink is demanded. Also, we had to ask for our wine several times to the many servers that raced by... We joked that they probably were running to Shopper's to buy the bottles and serve us overpriced crap...
Appetizers:
1. Mediterranean olives- Uh ok. Its really hard to screw up olives. I thought they were overly herbed but that is a matter of preference. The black ones were disgustingly mushy, but the green ones were good.
2. Fried calamari- I didn't try this dish because it was not GF so I'm quoting my husband here. The dish is very generous and he said the calamari were good, but that it was really lacking on some sauce to wash it down. I guess eating a lot of  fried salty batter can give you pasty mouth. He did eat most of the plate and thought he was full after.
3. Arugula, cheese and beet salad- Has walnuts. This dish was a bunch of baby arugula piled up with a few baby beets and walnuts, didn't have enough of a dressing to keep all that greenery moist. You get a chunk of creamy blue? cheese on the side. Not a total failure, just ok.
Dinner:
Overall the entrees were so boring and uninspired, that we couldn't figure out whether to walk out at that point and go to a taqueria... For one, the dishes were very expensive, this for items that were not particularly avant garde or appealing in the sense of culinary savvy, or effort that a place commanding these prices should at least have. (Just as we thought we could make a run to Avanti, we nixed the idea because we had planned to watch a movie and it would ruin our plans). Maybe it was our own fault to have different expectations  for this place, but we happen to live in SC were there is plenty of local culinary savvy when it comes to fresh products and gourmet food, mostly available year round. We have great meats too. If a restaurant sells itself as an edgy, pricey and stylish place it should be able to back that up...
Entrees:
1. Char, puree something- My husband wanted to have a seafood night and wasn't impressed with anything else so went for this. The plate arrived and we both let out a laugh... The fish was so tiny that it was a good thing he had gorged on the fried calamari. The rest of the food was so unappetizing that he ate quietly and offered me a bite to try, but I refused. Not interested.
2. Sirloin, thrice fried fries and brocoli- I ordered this dish because everything else was unappealing to me. I asked for my steak "At discretion". I got luckier than my husband since my dish had more food in it than his, but this doesn't really matter if its just ok food. The steak was good, tender and not overly cooked, it came with a disgusting Béarnaise sauce that was left to its own demise on the side of my dish. The brocoli was ok, for one moment I thought the menu had said brocolini, but since they always take the menu away the minute you order I couldn't check. Brocolini would have been better, it is more elegant and when braised it's heavenly. (Yes, I was dreaming about different food while eating here). The fries were a joke, they came with the dish so I ate some but... They were so peppery that my nose started running! Salty too. The worst was knowing that they tried to fancy them up by frying them 3 times. Really, if one or two fryings can't give you good fries, then god help you nothing can! Read up Thomas Keller for crying out loud...
So... a $109 later we walked out laughing at the misfortune we had shared. Deciding that its not worth throwing money away in bad food just to try things out, our experiments should be more modest. Not going back there, that's for sure.
Not when there is Avanti, Le Bistrot, Soif, and 515 amongst others... If you are not ready to be the restaurant you aim to be, perhaps it is best to wait until that point before offering food.
Went here on a very slow Monday night. Loved the atmosphere. The service was great. I had the shrimp and grits and, as a southern girl, was not disappointed. My companion enjoyed his meal. I wish this place well - they should be more active in the chamber and network more in the community to get their name out there. They are worth checking out.
Review Source:Not sure what all the negativity is about but I give props to Solaire. Â They definitely add extra value to the hotel. Â
I had two breakfasts and a dinner at Solaire and it was pretty fantastic (Firecracker Crab Egg Rolls!). Â I especially loved their eggs and crab cake benedicts. Â Eggs were well-poached, the Hollandaise was very good, and the whole dish was very well-seasoned. Â Being able to get everything poolside is also a plus.
The restaurant staff, like the Paradox staff, was also very accommodating. Â The first morning I was running short on time so they switched my order to-go and rushed it out so I could get back on-schedule. Â They also resolved a double-billing issue I had upon checkout very quick with the restaurant staff immediately recognizing what I did and did not order.
I hope they continue to be awesome and improve beyond the grand opening period.
Fabulous! I love this place. Second time here. Started with firecracker crab " egg rolls" with crushed ginger dip. Terrific. Crisp and tasty. Artichoke grilled with aioli and a sweet sauce. Also great. We shared
an excellent Caesar. Then one of the best scallops I ever had. I asked them to crisp one side but leave the centers medium rare. They nailed it. Accompanied by small. Greens, nuts and other treats than were fantastic. Way to go!
My friend and I (not tourists) went here for a special before Christmas meal a little over a week ago. Â We heard it had a nice mellow atmosphere and the food was cooked using ingredients from LOCAL growers and famers, Â it was sustainable as well as fresh-caught seafood and local vintners / brewers, this was the main attraction for us! Â We both enjoyed our meals and left feeling happy and full! Â The gnocchi had a great flavor and mushroom sauce, the salad ingredients all fresh, Â the lentil soup was great, fresh warm bread on table and oil and vinegar upon request. Â All in all a great meal! Â I would go again for sure!
Review Source:First, I REALLY want this restaurant to succeed. Â We need some finer dining choices in town. Â (And pa-leeez, not 1 more Mexican restaurant! Â But I digress.) Â The problem with Solaire for me so far is threefold: 1) very uneven quality, 2) it is seriously overpriced, due to the lack of quality, and 3) the bar serves only wine and bartender we talked to knew nothing about wine aperitifs. WTF?
What's good? Â The service, which has consistently been worthy of 5 stars.
We've tried the restaurant 3 times.  Our best dinner all around was during Restaurant week.  Everything we ate was extremely well done: especially the perfectly cooked pasta with a light, delicate sauce that my Italian grandmother would have been proud to serve; and the delectable pot de creme.  The other 2 nights since that week were HUGE disappointments: mediocre creations, at best.  And the pretentious, 3-bite  Strawberry Shortcake was not only ludicrous but dreadful.  But the bill, it was quite high.  Shockingly high to both of us dining.
We are not snobs and we have no problems with paying higher prices for quality. Â But when the quality is not there a high bill can hit you like a slap in the face. Â It sure has for us, twice at Solaire.
I wish them well and remain hopeful they will soon turn out consistently quality dishes. Â Until then, perhaps they should lower their prices?
Did a Travelzoo Coupon tonight at this restaurant - service was outstanding. Ambiance was perfect, tasteful, clean and cozy, a wonderful spot to surprise someone with. Appetizer was excellent and different, a crispy fried crab roll. Their presentation was very unpretentious yet delivered a nice sense of occasion. Â A very knowledgeable gentleman explained their wine list, which was a tad over priced but which suited all of their cuisine. I had a crispy skinned char with Beurre Blanc and pureed potatoes and I believe a helping of kale - delicious and satisfying. A serving of chocolate mousse completed the evening. Pretty nice place for Santa Cruz, but you will lay out a few dollars for what you get - I think it's worth it.
Review Source:I loved this place! Not only the ambiance, but the food as well. The service is right on and I am so happy we finally have a nice fine dining establishment in Santa cruz that trys hard to please it's customers. The place is new so it's also very clean and up to date. I also have to say that my little brother was visitng and staying in one of the rooms and we saw it after dinner and it was super nice. They have it all fanced in as well to keep out the riff raff and a security guard to make you feel safe. The pool area is beautiful and in the summer would be fun to enjoy a drink at and an appetizer as well. I am so happy that there is another hotel besides the Dream Inn that I can actually send people to without being scared for them. Thank you
Review Source:To top off my hotel stay...i had probably the best eggs Benedict poolside EVER (except of course at my house, we make the BEST Hollandaise) I know you don't know me......... but trust me when i say that is saying alot!
Loved Hotel Paradox. Recently opened, gorgeous rooms and amenities, pool, large jacuzzi, gas fire pit, cabanas by the pool. Â Service, property, amenities, food quality, cocktails.....I will definitely come back.
I am impressed! I came into the restaurant thinking this was going to be in a simple burger and fries joint, but I was blown away! I felt like I just stepped into a restaurant in Napa...especially when my dinner arrived! My sirloin was exquisite, tender and tasty! My friend's beef ribs were the absolute best ever! So so buttery! My other friend ordered the roasted chicken! And OMG- it was fabulous!! So tender!! The service was exceptional as well. The ambient- excellent! Overall, I had a grand experience! This is a pretty fancy place for Santa Cruz. Ohhh and the grand finale...dessert! The Chocolate Ganache...oh so delicious!
I would definitely come here again on my next visit!
I'm afraid Meredith P's 1st paragraph is wide of the mark. As a Santa Cruz local, I am not judging these folks  just to be a dick, but  because this is still very much a "pretend restaurant"  by any objective standard and it has not found it's groove yet -- though they are trying. So yes, while I don't accuse it of 'being a "wanna be" attempt at mimicking Bay sophistication' I have to say, at this time, the place is,  In fact, not even meeting minimum standards for an establishment with this  atmosphere charging these kinds of prices. (But I'm glad folks from the County Government Center have a place to go for a glass of wine on a Friday night.)
Let's talk about the good: a beautiful remodel of the old Holiday Inn/UCSC space, (although it hard not to think of <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Ffuckyournoguchicoffeetable.tumblr.com%2F&s=9f0eaab04bf8f830fd06188248b6c7ea283360bba768a20b57f90a8a06b3d97d" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://fuckyournoguchico…</a>) and a focused menu with food that is fresh but VERY uneven. The staff is really friendly and earnest and are trying hard to have each other's back, but still haven't jelled into the repertory company they need to be. I had a beautiful piece of arctic Char (which is becoming my new favorite fish) and the accompanying mash potatoes were excellent. My baby gems salad with sardines was also fresh and nice (but curiously unremarkable).
So the bad: Â
- So much grit in my chard greens that they were inedible
- Soggy, under-seasoned sand dabs for the wife
- Ridiculous delays getting wine to the table, in fact, one glass, ordered with the entree, arrived 5 minutes before the end of the meal. (No spirits available here yet, but I assume that will change. The wine list is heavy on local stuff -- so if you have an "old world" palette your are kind of SOL.)
- The backs of the stylish banquettes are so far away from the table that they really should provide pillows for short people to make the dining experience comfortable.
- No bread plates and knives on our setup; had to steal plates and knives from the table next door.
- Loud loud crowd in the bar watching some sports. Quite a jaring counterpoint to a "fine dining" experience.
- Multiple servers sweetly said they were going to do something, but then took forever to do it.
In summary, they have a great space, eager staff, and great ingredients, Â but the execution is way off. They are still rehearsing. To their credit, they comp'd one of our glasses of wine because they knew they fucked up, and I thank them for that. But really, they are making far too many rookie mistakes to give them a full-throated recommendation at this time (and I'm not sure you can have parties in the bar and an intimate experience in the dining room..).
Still, there is potential here, Â they obviously care, and it is a beautiful (maybe form over function) space. I hope they figure out how to make it work. Â But there were just WAY too many dumb-dumb errors. (Tip: No Michelin stars if your menus won't lie flat in their carriers...) We won't be back for a good long time until we see some real improvement via word-of-mouth or here on Yelp.
Came here for SCRW as we wanted to try a new restaurant, so why not try the newest place in town?
Some of the reviewers mentioned the entrance... I immediately saw the sign that pointed left, while my BF wanted to go right. We went left and noticed down the way the entrance? I wasn't exactly sure. We tried it and yes it was, although a bit strange. Then we stood at the hostess station for a little bit while they seated another couple. I had made reservations so I didn't think there would be a problem. There wasn't really; but there was some confusion that was totally unnecessary.
We looked at the regular menu to check it out as we were specifically there for restaurant week. It looked pretty good. Might want to come back for happy hour, or a drink and apps. The prices seemed a little high. **I didn't know until reading the reviews just now that they only served beer and wine** The wine I thought was pricey for a glass, so we had beer.
The decor was nice, different, acoustics are horrible and the BF said this place kinda looks like it would be in SF or NY. I liked the murals and white squirrels on the wall.
Now for the food.
We both ordered the salad. Tasty, good dressing.
I had the pasta dish, which I saw the menu online say it was made with squid ink; but in fact it wasn't and was very al dente. It was good; but the pasta itself could have been cooked another 30 seconds or so.
BF had the pork belly. IMHO, gross - WAY too much fat. If you like that sort of thing, I'm sure it was good. The veggies looked great and the sage-like pesto was interestingly amazing.
Desserts, we ordered both so we could share. At least try, they were tiny. The server raved about the chocolate; but it was only okay to me. Â The strawberry shortcake was cute; but could've had a little more something to it.
I thought the service was okay. I think it was the manager who came by towards the end to ask us how everything was. He seemed to be doing the rounds.
Overall, would we come back? I'm not too sure. As mentioned above, maybe for happy hour; but after they start serving alcohol.
I'm truly disappointed to see less than stellar reviews on here. Â Long before they opened, I was excited for the potential this place had to bring something new and exciting to Santa Cruz. Â It seems like in this town, you're judged no matter what you do. Folks from the Bay Area find Santa Cruz to be a very simple, very casual, very small town. Â Fun but unsophisticated. Â As soon as a place like this opens, it's accused of being a "wanna be" attempt at mimicking Bay sophistication. Â The reaction from locals isn't much more supportive. Â People want something new and exciting and want to feel catered to, but they also resent big city influence and the threat of a yuppie renovation. Â Figuring out how to contribute to a neighborhood's improvement without contributing to its gentrification is a difficult balance for businesses and organizations in Santa Cruz.
In terms of the atmosphere, I cannot say enough about the remodel. Â Having lived and dined at this place back when it was the UCSC Inn, I am shocked at how much they were able to change without completely demolishing the buildings. Â The transition from a dining hall with conference rooms to a sophisticated fine dining room with patio/pool seating is phenomenal. Â I guess this would be my review for the architect/design team who worked on this. Â The only suggestion I would make is that I would like to see a few more art pieces like the ones that are in the hall from the hotel lobby down to the restaurant up near the walls by the front desk of the hotel.
I came with a party of 6 for Restaurant Week. Â I ordered the mustard greens, porchetta, and strawberry shortcake. Â A girlfriend of mine ordered the panzanella, the spaghettini, and the chocolate pot de crem. Â Our table also ordered crab and beef appetizers. Â We shared a bit of everything, and I have to say that I like the items that I ordered the best. Â The mustard greens and porchetta were out of this world amazing. Â I would love to see them on the regular menu. Â I could eat those mustard greens every day for a month and not grow bored with this dish, it was that good. The spaghettini was good but nowhere near the culinary experience of the porchetta. Â It wasn't just the amazingly tender and perfectly prepared pork that was enjoyable. Â The vegetables tasted like they were from my garden and they were prepared perfectly. Â I have a beautiful community produce/herb/honey/flower garden on my property, so when I say this, it is the highest compliment I can give. Â Both desserts were very good, but as a fruit person, I thought this strawberry shortcake was very well done. Â It's easy to supply fresh, juicy, local strawberries. Making awesome shortcake and creme takes skill. Â Well done. The drink I wanted to try was unavailable (but sounded delicious, so good job on the menu description) so I ordered the Cucumber press and it was very good.
The service was very very friendly even if a bit slow for how busy it was and overall I have no complaints, but it's definitely just getting of the ground. Â One of our party members happened to just get hired here. Â Being brand new, he was not sure if the company had a policy against workers coming in off shift and so he just stopped by to give us a gracious hello since we were hoping he'd join us and guide us through the experience. Â We are a group of foodies and we grilled him for the short time he was with us. Â We learned from him this place shops at our local farmers markets, farms, and ranches and works with local producers. Â No wonder everything tastes so fresh. Â I discussed with him how I enjoyed some of the flavor combinations, like my poached egg on my mustard green salad, Â the seasoning on the vegetables and the glaze on the porchetta. Â Like I said to him at the time, I really really wish these were things that the front of house staff could discuss with us. Â I wish they were as excited about the food and the flavor combinations as we were. Â It would also be nice to get drink and wine recommendations paired with the specials that evening. Â
I think once this place gets past the first round of hiring and that time period where they are ironing out the wrinkles, this will be a lovely place. Â The atmosphere is right, the food is right, and if you throw in some food and drink loving top notch service, and you'll get a 5 star place with a regular crowd.
Been here 25 minutes so far. It is not busy. I have yet to be asked if i would like a drink, or an appetizer. Nor has a server introduced themselves.... Nice ambiance though.
10 minutes later now. Drinks orders taken after imposing on a passing server. Everything seems terribly SLOW. Â I have always believed that any restaurant can cope with being overwhelmingly busy so long as they make sure every customer has a steady flow of drinks.
I was disappointed to discover this is a wine and beer place. They were out of most beers on menu are out, but they did have alternate beers on tap. Â Soju wine cocktails are presented as real cocktails - it felt very misleading.
Appetizers just came. Been here 40 minutes still no drinks...
I have been here for an hour now and just had our order taken. Was perplexed to find out that the best menu items were only available if you eat at the bar - including the most expensive menu items. Â
When the bar, lounge and restaurant share a large open space, it would seem sensible to have all menu items available at the bar be available at the restaurant. Â I could see the bar have a limited menu, but not the other way around. Â We were later informed that Driscoll's had held a conference there this week and cleaned them out of most of the best menu items. Â I was disappointed because it would seem that a conference center should be able to properly anticipate things like this.
I am upping my review from a one to a three after having enjoyed a delicious steak. I also suspect the manager read my review above, as shortly after i posted it, our table of 10 was treated to a couple appetizers by the manager. Also the attention from he and our server made me feel like I was their no. 1 customer. Better late than never. I will be back for a second try. I should also say that once we were introduced to our server, Laura, she was great, just seemingly not well supported initially.
In summary. Â Good food, nice staff, poor organization, desperate need for a proper bar.
Went there for our anniversary during Restaurant Week. I thought the food was quite good, though I am not a gourmet to tell you all the details. I really do deeply appreciate that they focus on sustainable, organic, and local! That is why I picked it of all the choices for that night.
Our servers were all earnest and kind, but definitely lacking quite a bit in the skills that would justify these types of prices. Not attentive to detail...not really attentive to more obvious things like silverware and bread and water, either.
Hope they will fix this as it's an endeavor worth supporting. Nice atmosphere. Remarkably quiet for a fairly busy night--I love a place where you can actually hear your companion from across the table!
The outdoor seating by the pool looked inviting...maybe on a warmer daytime or summer night.
Went here for apps on a Friday night and returned the next evening for Restaurant Week. It was excellent food and good service. The ambiance is fresh and feels like something out of Portland or San Francisco. Love the outside area by the pool. We will definitely be back here soon...probably for wine and apps this weekend.
The $8, 4-oz soju cocktail was a joke, but when they have a liquor license set up that should be fixed.
Unique décor, Exquisite Flavors!
Restaurant Solaire is like no other! It just opened inside of the newest hotel in Santa Cruz CA, The Hotel Paradox. The food is exquisite! Very nice ambiance. Chef Ross knows his gusto! My sirloin steak was cooked to perfection. The vegetables had amazing summer flavors; the dessert was to die for. Will definitely be back to eat to try other things on the menu.
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