Where to eat well
in Kaliningrad: gastrobar “Sol” (Salt)

I first visited “Sol” right after its opening, back in 2018. The new popular place in the city drew the public’s attention. Small and very cosy, with an open kitchen and an original format.
Let us figure out what a gastrobar is and what is eaten there.

A gastrobar is a place where refined cuisine is interwoven with a great choice of drinks and a unique atmosphere. It is this combination that distinguishes it from restaurants, where the setting and the presentation of dishes are often rather formal. The history of the format began in London in 1991, when the owners of one of the pubs decided to radically change the menu. Traditionally, English pubs and bars were drinking establishments. The solution was simple — “bread”: guests were offered dishes from the kitchen in addition to a pint of strong ale.

I recently had the chance to return to “Sol”, and the place has taken on an updated format — 2.0 (judging by the information on the website). The whole emphasis of the place is on author’s cuisine: a combination of a small menu with restaurant-level dishes and an extensive bar list, with spirits and a variety of cocktails.

The interior turned out to be freshly baked too. Still laconic and practical — wooden tables that have kept the natural texture of the wood, and furniture of soft shapes in natural colours. The eco theme is supported by decor elements made of linen textile. A monochrome palette: grey, graphite and natural wood. The gastrobar’s space has expanded, which made it possible to distribute zones, and banquet tables and seats for a dinner for two have appeared. And the decoration — an open kitchen and a bar with compositions of fresh flowers.

What did the menu please us with? Ceviche of fish and tartare of beef or venison, vegetable starters and salads, and for the second course — pan-Asian dishes. Dishes of fish and poultry and a dessert menu. Drinks — besides classic tea and coffee, the menu has lemonades and chef’s cocktails, and the spirits range includes several kinds of sake.

A table, of course, is better booked in advance. The staff warned that the booking is reserved for two hours. Despite it being a Sunday evening, the place was almost full. The service and presentation here have always been top-notch. No wonder the place has earned a good reputation.

My order — beef tataki, shiitake ponzu and muer mushrooms (we will decipher everything with a dictionary). Japanese wood mushrooms with ponzu sauce — a sweet-and-sour sauce based on citrus and soy sauce — and again mushrooms, crisp wood-ear muer, and all this dish is seasoned with grated Parmesan. The delicate taste of the beef cannot be felt at all under the cheese cushion, generously seasoned with bright ponzu sauce.

Green salad with roasted sesame sauce. Everything is perfect — as declared, visually absolutely green. A palette of natural greens, broccoli florets, avocado and edamame beans. To top it off — a soft, nut-toned sauce. One thing — the mint leaves. In my opinion they are only good in the bed of an apothecary garden, not on a plate with a salad.

The dessert smoothed over my whole impression of the dinner — Nekamambert. The presentation is the most original: the treat is made in the form of a wheel of the cheese of the same name. Delicate cream cheese with a slightly mushroomy bitterness. The piquant taste was complemented by a layer of berry confiture.

Among drinks I tried an Asian non-alcoholic cocktail with pineapple foam and green tea. All beyond praise. The Bergamot and Pineapple cocktail is aromatic and rich — a tropical mousse with a characteristic bitterness and the fresh taste of bergamot.

The tea range pleasantly surprised me. I did not dare to try the shu puer tea, famous for its tonic properties, but I noted that the tea list is pleasantly varied: the serving and the tea were top marks.
Dinner at the gastrobar “Sol” cost me almost 3,000 ₽ (without alcohol). My palate was enriched, but I did not remain satisfied.