Cuisine:

• Californian
• Others
• Bistro

Solbar Description:
Solbar, part of Solage Calistoga, feels like the community hub in an upscale Arizona development. It may be the drought-friendly landscaping: grasses, olive trees, palms, lavender, oleander. Or maybe it's the pool adjacent to the dining area, music wafting hypnotically over sun-tanners. Al fresco possibilities beckon, whether it's a strawberry ginger mojito from a faux wicker couch, or apps at a marble table by a fountain that catches fire after dark. In cold weather, there's a sophisticated dining room under solar panels. Of the menu's two long columns, the right is the more sinful side, while the left side offers spa choices. Both sides satisfy. Refreshing carrot soup benefits from coconut milk rather than cream and pairs well with pesto bread. A duo of English muffin look-alikes come plump with 48-hour, cold-smoked pulled pork, chef Brandon Sharp's North Carolina roots clearly showing. Spicy shrimp lettuce wraps make a worthy Asian-style starter. Mains might include yellowfin tasting of the wood grill with shelled English peas and house-cured bacon, or New York strip with a foam-encased beef short rib-morel lasagna that should be hoarded. Desserts are denial-proof, such as chocolate mousse with caramel corn and ice cream packed with halved amarena cherries, or sugared donut holes in a cardboard box with affogato for sipping and dipping. Service, particularly for drinks, may need prodding.


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