Flavors for all the Ages
The menu at Solera embodies an amalgam of Executive Chef Mel Fogata’s past, from his Filipino roots and culinary pedigree to his global expeditions.
(Photos courtesy Solera.)
As the sun dissolves into the horizon, rays of light celebrate the tropical heavens with graduated hues of coral and orchid. Blushing clouds hold their breath, cherishing the suspended glow of the star’s parting kiss. This romantic assemblage of picturesque panoramas is magnificently framed by the opening of Solera, a dining experience that weaves into American classics the rich spectrum of Hawai‘i’s ethnic flavors, but envisioned with a fresh perspective.
Taking its name from the Spanish technique of fractionally blending batches of spirits of different ages, Solera transposes the concept from a barrel to the plate. The menu embodies an amalgam of Executive Chef Mel Fogata’s past, from his Filipino roots and culinary pedigree to his global expeditions.
Born in Hawai‘i, Fogata relocated to Pennsylvania at the age of 15, where he later worked under prominent Philadelphian chefs such as Jean-Marie Lacroix at The Four Seasons and La Croix at The Rittenhouse, and Kiong Banh at the erstwhile Twenty Manning. Peppering his kitchen career in Arizona, San Francisco and Brooklyn, his inspirations were fueled by trips to the South and Europe.
Beckoned to open G. Lion’s New American restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikīkī Beach, Fogata now seamlessly integrates Hawai‘i immigrant influences into American staples to forge inventive global plates.
“I put out food that I love to eat, or that I’ve experienced in my travels dining at people’s homes,” shares Fogata. “I love to play with different cuisines, while learning cultures. There’s a story behind each dish, a personal connection, that may be inspired by just looking at the ocean, looking at an ingredient list, or talking to an old friend.”
(Photos courtesy Solera.)
Solera’s menu spans seafood, desserts, and a tempting selection of steaks — an homage to its sister restaurant, Hy’s Steak House.
(Photos courtesy Solera.)
For fresh seafood starters, the oysters on the half shell are accompanied by a refreshingly bright Asian pear and kimchi mignonette, while the ahi kinilaw elevates the Filipino rendition of a ceviche to a poisson cru with aerated sweet coconut cream, spicy punches of Thai bird chiles, and a sprinkling of bubu arare (Japanese rice cracker beads).
Small appetizer-formatted plates adopt influences from his ethnic roots and travels to the South. The chicken fried frog legs have a syrupy hot honey glaze, and the cornbread Johnny cake varnished with honey brown butter is punctuated by pops of Tennessee paddlefish roe, marshmallow-textured whipped honey, and piped rounds of egg mousse. But the highlight is the savory Filipino-inspired crispy Mountain View Farms pork belly cradled in lettuce cups with basil leaves, atchara-pickled root vegetables, and a seductive soy- and vinegar-based Thai chili sawsawan for a detonation of flavors.
Salads help transition the palate with bold provincial ingredients that deliver surprisingly tame notes, such as the sweet local beets and spiced macadamia nuts over a tangy chèvre base, brightened by a delicate Banyuls vinaigrette. A twist on the Tijuana-born salad, the garlicky Solera Caesar with creamy turmeric dressing replaces parmesan with local tomme, imparting less salty but more rustic, nutty and mushroomy undertones.
Solera’s mains are underscored by a variety of steaks, demonstrating a connection to its sister restaurant, Hy’s Steak House. U.S. Prime flat iron and filet mignon are on a roster alongside washugyu striploin and Japanese A5 Miyazaki ribeye. Luxe options include 30-day dry-aged meats, designed for two, including a bone-in New York strip, porterhouse and tomahawk. All come with crushed parmesan potatoes and a sauce, as well as the optional embellishments of butter-poached shrimp or lobster.
Other entrées cater to a wider range of dining preferences, including a J. Ludovico chicken enriched by a jus lié, local catch with ‘ulu purée and sauce vierge, and vegan koji-marinated vegetables. The standout Kona kanpachi, cooked flawlessly to retain its natural oils, is scented with shaved baby fennel and moringa as it rests over white beans and a local cherry tomato ragout.
Complementing the courses is a curated wine selection, including a few exclusive labels. A Selbach Oster Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett 2022 awakens the senses with floral aromatics, crisp minerality and flavors of stone fruits cradled with citrus. And the Usagi 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot meritage by Neyers makes for a scintillating enhancement for the steaks, appeasing the palate with blueberries, olives and graphite neatly packaged in velvety textures.
Tableside service adds a hospitable denouement via a cart displaying complimentary gâteaux as well as a trolley transporting premium Macallan whiskies for purchase. Those retaining appetite should order the “hashi-gori,” a handcrafted shaved ice dessert created by Chef Yoichi Ishizaki of Ginza Ishizaki. Bridging Hawai‘i’s iconically icy treat introduced by the Japanese in the late 1800s with the modern artistry of a Michelin-starred chef, the gargantuan mound of ice is lacquered with luscious pistachio, chocolate, mango or strawberry sauces.
With the last golden flecks of light retreating from the Waikīkī skyline, a new palette of gradient colors arrives with the onset of night. Like the coming of twilight, Solera’s cuisine retains familiarity but delivers organic, moderate transformations. Guided by the firm grounding of his roots with an ambitiously outward gaze to the stars, Mel Fogata’s menu tells a retrospective narrative of America’s culinary continuum imbued with Hawai‘i’s rich cultural heritage.
Solera Waikīkī,
The Ritz-Carlton Residences
Waikīkī Beach
383 Kalaimoku Street
(808) 729-9729
solerawaikiki.com
(Photos courtesy Solera.)
As daylight fades over Waikīkī, Solera offers cocktails and cui- sine that feels familiar while introducing fresh, thoughtful twists.
(Photos courtesy Solera.)