Four stars because it's just so beautiful. The wallpaper(s), the art, the plants, the bar...it's a…read morereally beautiful space. The service was excellent, and the food was a-okay (but not the highlight). My mom and I wanted to get dinner before services at the synagogue and a show at Memorial Auditorium, and we wanted to try some place new! My mom is vegan, but Solarium's menu looked modern and like a few things could be changed to be vegan if not vegan already. I sent them a Facebook message, and they confirmed - easy peasy to make some items vegan. We parked on the street outside the Dwell Hotel (where Solarium is located), and there was free parking for one hour - all we needed. When we walked inside, I was immediately struck by the decor. Both the bar to the left (Matilda Midnight) and Solarium to the right of the lobby are beautiful.
We were eating really early and were told we could pick any table. One waiter arrived. We immediately told him that my mom was vegan and asked which dishes could be veganized. He said the salads. That didn't sound right to me given what I had been told on Facebook Messenger, and our waiter disappeared. A waitress showed up (she had taken over our table, I guess), and I asked again what could be made vegan. She gave us a list of dishes - not just salads - that could be made vegan.
I ordered a glass of Malbec and then we ordered four dishes (all veganized) to try. We ordered the Veggie Primavera (zucchini ribbons, tomato, capers, oregano, and pinenuts - they took out the dairy that is usually in the dish); crusted cauliflower (shiitake dust, orzotto, sundried tomatoes, and peas - they took out the dairy that is usually in the dish); Mediterranean flatbread (hummus, olives, diced tomatoes, and feta on the side); and the cashew kale dip (crudites, root veggie chips, and lavash). They were all pretty good without being anything to write home about, but nothing was bad. I hesitate to complain about food that we requested modifications on, as it's hard to say whether a dish is well conceived or well cooked if you have them modify from how they typically serve it. But I will say that there wasn't anything I didn't like, and it was better than a lot of vegan options I've had.
I would definitely go back to Solarium for appetizers and drinks before a show. It's a beautiful place to hang out and enjoy a nice glass of wine or one of their beautiful, interesting-sounding cocktails. I'd like to go again - and I want to try out the bar (Matilda Midnight) as well. Very enjoyable time here!
