Soluna, San Francisco

Soluna, a cute restaurant in the Civic Center neighborhood of San Francisco, has been on my to-try list for a while.

I heard about it years ago when it used to be a night-club and flamenco dancing spot in the Financial District. Also, my husband, Prof. T, met Stevie there for drinks at the end of their almost three months trial in the California Superior Court. They both served on the same jury, silly! You thought that something naughty had happened, right? The case was some complicated legal malpractice thingie that brought these two great friends together. (Sounds dull, no?) That was almost seven years ago. Thanks to the legal system, now I’m a part-time blogger!

Well, Hubbie and I finally went to this “iconic” restaurant.

It was not very crowded for a Saturday, but that was okay with me. You always get more attention from the staff that way. The place has an enjoyable atmosphere: quite open with high ceilings and big comfy booths toward the back.

Our server, Suzie, greeted us promptly and cheerily, with info about the specials, etc. We ordered a beer to share ‘cause we had had a drink before we left the house. That’s more glamorous and a cost-saving measure on the drinks portion of the bill. I only recommend it if you’re walking (which we did) or going by taxi (more elegant). Otherwise, you know the mantra: “don’t drink and drive.”

We ordered a basket of their amazing fries, which came in a big tin paint can. They had Parmesan and paprika which gave them a zesty flavor. They were served with a garlic aioli and a minty ketchup dip. We ravished them like wild animals!

We got the zucchini soup with olive oil and feta, but didn’t say we were going to share, because on the menu it says there is a four-dollar sharing fee. That’s outrageous! I hate having to lie. If I must fib, then I want it to be really good. Not some pathetic, “But, uh, no Suzie, the luscious green zucchini soup is all for me. Hubbie is just going to sit there twiddling his thumbs.” I can do so much better than that!

The bread was really tasty too, as it had rosemary and they served it with unsalted butter and sea salt on the side. We ate so much bread and fries and felt so stuffed.

I would definitely return to Soluna. I also hear they have really good deals on happy hour food and drinks from 3-7PM Monday through Friday. Ask for Suzie, she will take good care of you!