Solo, New York

Nation's Restaurant News, August 9, 2004 by Bret Thorn

More people who keep kosher reside in New York than in any other American city. But even here diners who adhere strictly to Jewish dietary laws have difficulty eating out at all, let alone at trendy, high-end restaurants.

With his latest venture, Solo, Joey Allaham is addressing that issue.

"We're trying to do something new for Jews," says Allaham, who also owns Prime Grill, a kosher steakhouse with one location in New York and another in Miami. He says his goal is "to get rid of the impression that kosher food is yucky."

Located in the Sony building in midtown Manhattan, the space that now is Solo most recently was occupied by Shallots, a more staid, kosher fine-dining restaurant. Allaham brought in designer Edward Jacobs to lighten up the previously wood-paneled decor with a "wall of light" that changes colors throughout the evening. He also added cork floors, Italian stucco walls and sand-carved glass partitions.

The result is a design that's hip enough to attract attention on the society pages, as it did recently when pop star Madonna was spotted eating there. For food Allaham broke with tradition, too, and brought in a non-Jew to put together a Mediterranean menu.

Hong Kong native Hok Chin worked his way up the ranks in a variety of New York's top kitchens and has had two executive chef stints before this one, at Della Femina and then at Bobby Van's Steak House, both in New York.

At Solo, Chin's repertoire is limited by the fact that he can't use shellfish, pork or any dairy products. Jewish law forbids consumption of shellfish and pork and the mingling of dairy products with meat or poultry. There is not a drop of milk or a pat of butter in Solo's kitchen.

"I couldn't make beurre blanc, so now I use margarine and soy milk," he notes.

He also has added some East Asian touches to the menu. For instance, he uses lemon grass to flavor the vanilla emulsion that accompanies salmon, adds lychee to Dover Sole a la Boulangere and enhances cod with red curry sauce.

The ban of dairy products and the fact that Solo is a Mediterranean restaurant result in another menu feature, an $8 tasting of different olive oils--the main fat in most Mediterranean cooking--that Allaham says most tables buy during dinner.

Since any packaged kosher product must be certified as such, Chin had trouble finding such ingredients as foie gras or lemon oil.

The problem extended to the wine list, since every wine must be kosher, and to cocktails, since all of the fruit purees and other garnishes must be prepared in house.

Chin spent a year developing the menu, Allaham says.

"I've been working on this for a year and a half," he says. "I hired the chef a year ago." Solo is just one of several kosher restaurants Allaham plans to open. He also is dreaming up ideas for kosher restaurants serving Greek and Japanese food.

Salad

Heirloom Tomato & Watermelon Salad Baby Watercress, Frisee, Nicoise Olive Crouton, Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette 14

Fried Mache with Duck Prosciutto Golden Bosc Pear, Candied Walnuts, Hazelnut Oil Vinaigrette 18

Simply Raw

Yellowfin Tuna Tartare Wasabi Hass Avocado, Kimchi and Mango Salsa, Shiso-Yuzu Dressing 16

Bluefin Tuna Carpaccio Royale Tobiko, Radish & Pickled Ginger 16

Appetizer

Panache of Sweetbread Crispy Lemon Zest Polenta, Pickled Ramps, Baby Vegetable, Gastrique Au Sauternes 22

From the Ocean

Day Boat Icelandic Cod Braised Bok Choy, Baby Corn with Coconut-Thai Red Curry Sauce 28

Tamari-Miso-Glazed Chilean Sea Bass Melted Savoy Cabbage, Asparagus and Salsify, Truffle Essence 35

Meat Entrees

Golden Organic Chicken with Merguez Sausage Sunchokes, Chanterelles, Watercress, Natural Jus 27

Moroccan Olive-Crusted Baby Lamb Chop Navy Bean Ragout, Roasted Bell Peppers & Fennel 42