Tucked away on Amen Corner, Solano’s is the latest member of the Newcastle foodie scene.
Bringing a little taste of South America to the North East, the venture is the first Peruvian restaurant outside of London and takes its name from the famous Peruvian NUFC footballer Nolberto Solano. Whilst good old Nobby is not actually involved, the 3 joint owners (Chris Levee, Alfonso Yanez and Linda Deacon) gave a nod to the footballer after investing £100,000 in to the restaurant prior to launch.
Opening its doors just in time for the Fathers Day rush, we were invited along to the launch evening to meet the team and enjoy a Pisco Sour cocktail while devouring traditional dishes.
At £7.25 the Pisco Sour is both a Peruvian classic and Solano’s signature cocktail. Mixing the Pisco spirit with Angostura Bitter, citrus juice, egg white, sugar and before topping with cinnamon, the cocktail makes you think you could be lying on a beach somewhere warm and tropical. A great drink to compliment all the extremely fresh and light flavours of the food.
Causa Limena de pollo Atun o vegetales (£5.75) is an unsual combination of mashed potato seasoned with lime juice and chilli before being topped with chicken and vegetables. Tasty and unexpectedly light, this is a great warm up for the other dishes.
Ceviche de Pescado (£9.95) was a light, summery bite of South America. The fish was beautifully fresh and only complimented by the citrus, onion and coriander dressing. With a hint of chilli to give it a little kick, this main dish is served with sweet potatoes and dried Peruvian corn.
Using fresh cooked mussels, Choritos a la Chalaca (£5.95) was another zingy and fresh dish. The mussels were cooked and served with diced red onions, fresh tomatoes, sweet corn, chilli, coriander and lime juice. The sampler just wasn’t enough – we can’t wait to try this again!
All the dishes on offer contain ingredients we know and are familiar with but combine them in a new and exciting way that most people wouldn’t think to try which highlights the uniqueness of the Peruvian cuisine. The use of the lemon and lime juice kept the dishes light and fresh, perfect for summer dining.
We are looking forward to going back to Solano’s and trying more of the menu as there is just too many tasty treats to try.