Playa Vista has come to life this past year. With a new Whole Foods, IMAX, and numerous restaurants, SOL Cocina Playa Vista (12775 W Millennium Dr, Suite #160, Playa Vista, CA 90094; 424.289.0066), has now added its authentic and sophisticated Mexican cuisine. With locations in Newport Beach and Scottsdale, this third SOL Cocina and fifth restaurant venture between Partners Rich Howland, Matt Baumayr and Executive Chef Deborah Schneider, bring together their shared love for the Baja peninsula. Designer Janet Henrich Glaser of Henrich Designs created a warm interior with rich wood finishes, ceramic tiles, roped lighting sconces, and an open dining room floor plan, where you have a view of the state-of-the-art kitchen. There’s a large patio with a fire-pit and a large bar all under dim lights.
I love the quiet area in which SOL Cocina lives in Playa Vista. Its away from the craziness of Los Angeles and truly feels like a lil getaway (especially if you go after a long week). Start off with Beverage Director Colin Pflugradt’s refreshing libations and infused martinis. There are 18 SOL Signature Drinks, all including fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs. Sip on the Blackberry Ginger Margarita with fresh blackberries, muddled ginger, Partida blanco tequila, fresh lime juice and agave nectar; the Mango Con Chile Frozen Margarita with dried mango and a chile salt rim; the Watermelon Margarita; the Horchata Martini with black tea-infused Don Julio Reposada; the Strawberry Basil Martini with Dead Head aged Mexican rum, fresh lime juice, muddled strawberries and basil; or keep it slim like me and order up the Organic Slim Margarita made with Casa Noble certified organic blanco tequila, fresh lime juice, agave nectar & a splash of soda.
When it comes to the menu, expect a selection of authentic Mexican plates with an emphasis on seafood (my fave). As soon as you sit down, they serve up a basket tortillas with black bean dip topped with pumpkin seeds and a delicious salsa. It was out of this world to tell you the truth. That and a slim margarita and this girl is in heaven!
The menu begins with Antojitos or “traditional Mexican snack foods,” with two variations of guacamole, including Naked Guacamole with cilantro, lime, onion, Serrano chiles and tomato and Guacamole SOL with mango, tequila, onions, goat cheese, pepitas and cilantro. There’s also street-style Grilled Sweet Corn, which is wood-grilled, cut tableside; Coconut Calamari with sesame, dried orange peel and spicy sauce; Peel & Eat Shrimp ‘Cucarachas;’ and my favorite, the Hot & Raw Ceviche, which has it’s spice level prepared table side and has a different featured fish each week. SOL has a way of taking authentic Mexican food and elevating it with their ingredients and presentation, which you can see in the Hot & Raw Ceviche. Instead of serving it with traditional tortilla chips, they serve it with house made fried sweet potato chips (the melt in your mouth).
From there, you will find the Sopas y Ensaladas section with traditional soups like Albondigas stewed with handmade beef and bacon Albondigas; Beet & Watermelon Salad With Salted Pepita Brittle tossed with roast beets, watermelon cubes, Queso Fresco, red onion, arugula, lemon-basil vinaigrette and salted Pepita brittle; and what I ordered, the Shrimp Salad Esquites that had chipotle shrimp & grilled corn on arugula with lemon & cotixa cheese. Let’s just say, they did not skimp on the shrimp! It was a filling, hearty salad.
Tyler ordered up some of their specialty tacos (which I had a few bites of). He ordered the Short Rib Taco topped with red chile salsa; ‘El Jefe’ which includes grilled Angus filet, two agave-chile shrimp, melted cheese and sliced avocado; the Garlic Ribeye Steak Taco (which was a lil oily, but so good) with cheese, rajas, red onions, chimichurri, cotixa & steak butter; and the Taco Vampiro which is a double tortilla stued with melted cheese, serrano chile & scallions, with carne asada, guacamole, pico, chipotle sauce & cotixa cheese. What I loved is that you could easily taste the difference in each taco even though they were all red meat tacos. A lot of places in LA make tacos, but they end up tasting the same after awhile. At SOL, you will not be disappointed. These are large, filling, sophisticated tacos that bring tacos to the next level.
There are also ‘Canarditas’ Duck tacos with a deep-fried duck leg confit served with corn tortillas and tequila-laced blackberry Serrano salsa Envinada, avocado, cilantro and onion; the Shrimp Taco Dorado with chipotle-garlic shrimp, Jack cheese, mango salsa, guacamole and cilantro; the Fish Taco Gobernador with garlic sautéed wild-caught fish is topped with cheese, salsa Gobernador, avocado and onion; and there are also three (yes, three!) vegetarian options, including a Spice-Roasted Butternut Squash with crispy onions, roasted green chile salsa and red pepper salsa; Poblano, Mushroom & Corn taco with epazote & garlic, queso fresco, cotixa & salsa quemada; and Sweet Potato & Black Bean Taco with roasted poblanos and caramelized onion.
We were pretty stuffed, but next time around we need to try their tortas. They have Grilled Agave-Chile Shrimp served open-faced atop a garlic-toasted bread roll with creamy green salsa, guacamole, lettuce and Pico de Gallo and the Sloppy Jose is topped with juicy pork Carnitas, sliced avocado, onion, cilantro and Chicharrons. The Torta Bufalada combines grilled chicken, Carnitas and Carne Asada with guacamole, cheese, pickled jalapeños, lettuce and Pico de Gallo and vegetarians can bite into the Torta El Veg topped with mashed borracho black beans, grilled Poblano chiles, cheese, Pico de Gallo and avocado.
As for main course Platillos, you will find dishes like the Grilled Kobe Skirt Steak, a Wagyu-style skirt steak with cilantro sauce, tomatillo salsa, grilled Cebollitas and avocado; Short Ribs ‘Barbacoa’ that are slow-cooked and served in a cazuela with a side of deep-fried sweet potato; Wild Fish on Esquites, a local, wild fish with an almond-lemon crust and served over grilled sweet corn Esquites; and a trio of Goat Cheese Enchiladas are stuffed with goat, Menonito and Jack cheeses.
Taco Plates & Burritos, including Quesadillas and Grilled Burritos, are available as “build-your-own” choices, featuring SOL Cocina signature sides like Borracho Black Beans and Spicy Slaw, along with grilled meats and vegetables. SOL Cocina even offers a vegan menu and gluten free menu (we are in LA after all).
Next time, I am doing dessert first because when I saw the Banana-Dark Chocolate Bread Pudding with cinnamon crema, chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream, I knew I was going to have to come back. They also have Pink Guava Crème Brûlée with a sugar crust, powdered sugar and fresh raspberries served with homemade golden coconut cookies.
Think you have been there, done that with Mexican food in Los Angeles?! Think again, SOL Cocina Play Vista takes it up a notch with delicious seafood, tacos, cocktails, and dessert. Plan your next getaway soon!
