Came by for dinner the other night and it was a world class experience. Sola is a Michelin 1 star Japanese-French fusion restaurant. Dining is available indoors exclusively with either street level dining room, counter, or basement cave dining. The only menu offered for dinner was a 150 Euro 10 course tasting menu along with an optional 20 Euro foie gras supplement. The counter seating was a touch misleading as only the amuse bouche and desserts were prepared at the counter. The savory dishes were all prepared inside the kitchen. Similar to Pierre Sang, the courses were explained after they were eaten. The concept of the tasting menu was omakase, like in Japan, where one has to trust the chef. Re was also a big idea, to reuse as much of the ingredients as possible. The staff throughout the evening were cordial and very helpful. The flavors and presentation of each course were world class. From the savory courses, the lobster along with the lamb course was cooked to perfection balancing different flavors and textures. From the dessert courses, they were all world class with the contrast in temperatures in addition to textures. read more

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Sola was hands down one of the most enjoyable meals I've ever had. My wife and I tried a few different one-star Michelin restaurants while in Paris, and the Japanese chef tasting menus were by far our favorite. I initially chose Sola purely because of pictures I saw of the beautiful underground cave dining area, but we soon realized that the food and service also matched the outstanding ambiance. The surprising ease of getting a reservation here is not indicative that it's not as good as those other restaurants that need to booked weeks in advance. It's truly shocking that you can book a last-minute table at such a great restaurant. Ambiance: While making the reservation, you can either select a table in either the Salon Mineral or Salon Japonais. Salon Mineral is the main floor with regular tables and Salon Japonais is the traditional seating downstairs. To say that the seating downstairs was beautiful would be an understatement. The traditional seating, the perfect lighting, and the stone cavern like walls created such an amazing environment. It was romantic, modern, and unique...just an incredible dining room. When you go downstairs, you change out of your shoes and they give you soft slippers to wear at your table. Instead of purely traditional seating where you uncomfortably sit on the floor, they had cushioned seats without legs that you just pull up to the table and then underneath the table the floor sunk down a step for your legs to hang down. Service: All the servers here were incredibly sweet and friendly. Our interactions seemed more like a conversation with a friend rather than a server who memorized a script. One of the most fun and unique aspects of Sola is the interaction with your server. We've done a few tasting menus back home in Chicago, and we're used to the server describing the course by listing off a long list of ingredients and culinary techniques that we pretty much immediately forget. At Sola they give you the dish blind and let you try it yourself and figure out what's in it. Then they come back and you have a fun discussion about what you thought it was, and then they reveal the actual mystery ingredients. It was a lot of fun, and it served to both make us more aware of the flavors we were tasting as well as keeping us engaged throughout the entire meal. Food: Sola offers an "Omakase" tasting menu where they have fun fusing French ingredients with Japanese techniques. It consisted of a 7-course menu for 150eu per person, and dinner lasted almost 3 hours. Just like our experience at Restaurant Pages, each course was truly an adventure, as Chef was able to derive flavors from unexpected places and present it in a fun and visually pleasing form. Chef Nabeta's inspiration comes from the idea of no waste. Not only does he utilize the prime parts of an ingredient but also finds creative ways to utilize some of the more uncommon parts, cultivating strong flavors from unexpected ingredients. This idea even extended to the plating as well, where they commonly re-purposed broken plates and wine glasses for a unique plating presentation. The courses were creative, playful, and delicious. I genuinely loved each and every course, with my favorite being the signature dish where they uncover a cloud of smoke from sakura wood, which is infusing the meat enclosed within. The theatrical presentation, the multi-sensory experience, and the delicious flavors were just top notch. Opening Drink Hot Kuzu-Yu infused with honey, ginger, artichoke Amuse Bouche Leek jelly, tempura, bonito, oyster water Oyster with daikon radish, tosazu, leek cream Lobster shell senbei filled with lobster tartare, Japanese ume plum cream Black sesame sweetbread arancini, yukari, sansho Appetizer #1 Aburi Cuttlefish marinated in nut oil, sweet onion, lemon caviar Appetizer #2 Sliced scallop layered with boar fat, scallop coral dashi, scallop barb jelly, garlic confit, broccoli, lovage Signature Dish Aburi veal and miso sweetbread infused with Sakura wood smoke, glazed with sunchoke pepper sauce; Crispy Jasmine rice topped with black truffle sabayon Main Course #1 Steamed lobster with sliced boletus mushrooms, diced pear; lobster juice with coconut milk and sweet white wine Main Course #2 Wild Boar 2 ways: braised and charcoal grilled; beet root and boar sauce, soy garlic glaze, white carrots, eggplant, red cabbage, beets, African pili pili Pre-Dessert Soy yogurt ice cream, red shiso foam, Japanese pear, sliced grapes, grape gelatin Dessert Sweet potato puree, ginger ice cream, hazelnut, chestnut, Japanese chinsuko biscuit crumble mixed with pork fat Mini Pastries Dark chocolate and Black garlic macaron / Dried matcha leaf, white chocolate ball filled with coffee grinds Overall, dinner at Sola was fantastic. I usually judge a restaurant purely on the food, but the impeccable service and unique ambiance at Sola cannot go unnoticed. They all just culminated together to create such a memorable experience. read more

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The highlight of our trip to Paris! It was such a fantastic and thoughtful experience from how we were given slippers to sit to how they tell you what the dish was after you've tried it. We were definitely surprised by some of the dishes and in particular the black sesame dessert was a standout. Service was excellent. read more

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Paris boasts a multitude of extraordinary restaurants to choose from, but I was happy with my choice to enjoy my birthday dinner at Sola - our unique dining experience here was a fantastic way to celebrate! Sola is located in the Latin Quarter of Paris, just south of the Notre Dame Cathedral. The entrance is tucked away down a quieter street; unsuspecting from the outside, you first see the classy French-style restaurant on the ground floor, but the real treat is when you are taken down to the basement where they have a Japanese-style room essentially in an underground cave! You exchange your shoes for slippers and then shuffle your way over to a table that is inlaid into the floor, making it reminiscent of sitting on a tatami mat. The lighting is dim and romantic and the atmosphere still feels very upscale. The menu was given to us in a personalized envelope at the beginning of the meal, which was a nice touch and souvenir! Our meal had 9 courses total - they offer a prix fixe degustation menu that is always changing so I won't go into extensive detail, but each course was artfully presented and plated beautifully. One of the desserts even came in a glass (but wasn't for drinking)! The French and Japanese flavor combinations were creative and delicious. My absolute favorite dish was a the foie gras with black truffle over poached egg - the taste and texture were perfect, and each bite felt like it was literally melting in my mouth. Some close seconds were the amuse bouches of fig and foie gras (perfect mix of sweet and savory) and tempura corn (simple yet tasty), as well as the main dessert, which had meringue chips and an earl grey foam. Even the more basic seeming dishes - salmon, beef, langoustine - were enhanced by the accompanying sauces. Service was on point throughout the entire meal, with our glasses refilled, utensils replaced, dishes cleared, and each course described in English by one of the servers. As an added plus, they provided a complimentary birthday dessert! One of the few mishaps happened towards the end when we were trying to get our check and flagged down two different people, then after paying with one of them, the other person asked us if we had paid before leaving...fortunately, another employee stepped in and apologized profusely afterwards. Overall, besides the blip at the end, dining here was one of the highlights of our trip to Paris! Would definitely recommend for celebrating a special occasion or if you're looking for something intimate and a little different for a nice night out. read more

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The review is for my visit back in 2020 Jan. (the chef was 鍋多光介) I spent 14 days in Paris for the experiences of different restaurants and food. Sola is my favorite and the most memorable. Also one of the restaurants that I feel confidence to recommend to any foodie friends (the list is surprisingly short). The harmony between Japanese cuisine and modern French is effortless balanced. Creative and delicious. Their Sommelier is very good at pairing and guess your preference. The atmosphere and friendly staffs made the experience really relaxing and wonderful. read more

This review is for my visit on November 2018. I saw this restaurant at instagram and I want try out since I never tried French/Japanese cuisine. Prior to my visit, I made online reservation for cave seating. However, when I visit the restaurant, its pretty empty and I don't think reservation is strongly recommended. I would say most dish was pretty decent but I would not say it was spectacular since this is 1 star Michelin restaurant. Pro: #1 I can choose my own sake glass (interesting) #2 Location- its nearby Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris, before our reservation we walk through cathedrals and it was perfect route for tourist like me. Con: I could not finish duck at all. It was main and last dish for the night, its really rare and hard to chew. read more

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An amazing dining experience of traditional french foods and flavours infused with traditional Japanese flavours and cooking technics. Truly the best dining experience we had in Paris. I had the 7 course for 70E and which actually was about 10 courses with the extras and I was very very full. The basement has a cozy cave setting.. But you need to make reservations here. read more

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Highly recommend Sola. Chef really captured the lightness of Japanese and richness of Parisian that compliments one another in each dish. read more

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Being seated at the bar on the ground floor dining room I thought I would have the pleasure of watching some of the dishes be prepared. This is what I saw instead. The chef behind the counter consistently wiping off the mousse piping bag with her finger and licking the contents off, going on right after to use her hands to push caviar off a spoon and onto the plate, licking the spoon which is used to scoop caviar and sorbet between scoops, this same spoon being dunked into a glass of liquid and never changed or washed between uses throughout the duration of my 2.5 hour meal, and licking the tweezers used to clip flowers for presentation and then sticking the tweezers into her apron pocket for reuse when the next dish required. At on point of the meal as she was preparing a dish a colleague asked her something and she stuck the spoon in her mouth before answering making me thing this is a normal occurrence. Luckily this chef was only preparing the amuse bouche and desserts for the meal however who is to say what is happening in the kitchen. I will say the food is beautifully presented and many of the dishes combined Japanese and French styles and ingredients wonderfully. The wait staff was extremely attentive and the saving grace for this restaurant. read more

My favorite Japanese tasting menu in Paris. I like the inventive Japanese-French fusion that the chef does here by mixing clean flavors of Japanese with inventive sauces of French. You will need a reservation. read more

Yes and No. The food and atmosphere are modern and follow up to the michelin guide. However the waiters are fairly new and need some work. I've been here on several occasions and every time, without fail, my order or requests of meat are somehow always mistaken. They are spoken, repeated, repeated back and then incorrect at the end. I will say that even though there seems to be a hearing problem, the food is quite fine. This restaurant is a good restaurant "gastronomique" where you taste small plates and get creative samplings of new ideas. What is great is you will never eat the same thing even if you come in the next week. However, this restaurant seems to cater moreso to younger people and doesn't seem to quite hit it on the service side. Ordering food is not a thing at this restaurant. Usually you make a reservation and the chef will cook what he wants for you (unless you make a special request). In all, a good experience to try but not as refined as other 1-stars. read more

The starred restaurant usually offers an Omakase menu which in Japanese means: "I leave it to the chef". It's usually a multi-course menu that is delicately designed by the prestigious chef Mr. Hisroshi Yoshitake, whom I had the pleasure to meet. He is a very warm and humble person. As a matter of fact, on my way to the bathroom, I discreetly spied on the kitchen. But I was surprised to witness a lack of insulting and bashing, which is so common in such places. The two sommeliers & sake experts were very qualified and helpful to find the perfect match for each plate. Indeed, if you're an amateur of wine and sake, I definitely recommend the "accords vins et mets". It's worth the price! The interior design is also carefully designed to the last detail. If you go on a date, I would suggest the basement floor which offers a more quiet and intimate ambiance. Sola means "sky" in Japanese and is aptly named. Because it truly felt like the delight brought me up there. read more

Dining at Sola was one of those unique, unexpected make-you-happy experiences. Sultry, posh -yet not arrogant, well served, excellent attention to detail and to the clientele. Chef Hiroki not only fusions French and Japanese with mastery, but he develops and ongoing flow of pleasure and delight. I felt the aromas and was seduced by both the flavors and the combination of food textures. Our main host was absolutely amicable and respectful, and so the rest of crew. Dessert was not the strongest, although beautifully decorated and still delicious. I would say some of the 7+ courses at the beginning set the high tone. ;-) A must to visit! I give it 5 stars! read more

There was a MAGGOT in one of our dishes. This is a MUST read for anyone considering Sola. We walked in to the restaurant at 12:01pm (restaurant opens at 12) and it was empty. We asked if they accepted walk-ins, to which we were answered of course they do but the upstairs was fully-booked. Being my birthday, we asked for them to see if they could somehow place us upstairs, where we were standing. After a minute or two, they gave us a table where we originally requested. All good and fine, whatever. The waiter and Maitre'd were quite cold and rude. We weren't told how many courses we would have, we were just asked if we had any food allergies. Ok, we went along with it... Our main objective was to have an amazing meal and enjoy the sparkling sake we were having. The food started arriving and we noticed that everything was well-prepared in terms of the point to which the food was cooked. Presentation was beautiful. However, each dish lacked serious flavor. They were very underwhelming, especially as we ate with our eyes first! And then, about on course 3, IT HAPPENED. Our courses were set down in front of us, and my boyfriend froze. The dish was a foie gras, with asparagus (which was included in 2 other dishes we had, how exciting--NOT!!!) and lardo. The waiter presented the dish and walked away. My boyfriend picks up his knife to get something off the plate, and says "there is a maggot on my plate." Wondering if I heard him correctly, I responded "what hunny?" "There is a maggot on my plate, struggling for its life," as it wriggles around a bit. My entire appetite was erased. We called over the waiter who said nothing and whisked away his plate, only to come back in 2 minutes with the plate and some soil-like looking mixture to explain that it might have been what we saw. It was VERY CLEAR what we saw likely coming from spoiling lardo, we told him that (as he still has the maggot on the plate in his hand, now dead). He takes the plate away again and I ask him to take away mine since 1) there was no way I could eat it 2) it would be cold anyway by this point, so was I expected to eat it!?? In absolute shock, we sit back and discuss our options--should we get up and leave? We have eaten at fine dining establishments as well as hole-in-the-wall places all over the world, and NEVER come across this major faux-pas. We decided that we would allow the restaurant to make it up to us... After all, what restaurant would not!? Surely, maggots were not on the menu that day! Courses came and went, not the manager nor the waitstaff addressed the issue. Not an additional complimentary course, not a glass of anything, not an apology. Finally, we said something to our waiter. "We expect a manager to at least come over to apologize. There is nothing that was done" etc etc. His response "we are sorry." I will be posting this review on every site I can find. I will be contacting the Michelin guide and I will do everything in my power to make sure that this never happens again to ANYONE! Especially to someone on their birthday! We paid for the entire meal--€126 and did not leave a single euro as tip. Looking back, we regret not leaving right away. Do yourself a favor and choose another place. read more

We had an amazing lunch experience here. After a week in Paris, this is the meal we are going to remember. We were the first people to arrive when they opened for lunch. We were greeted by serious and attentive waiters, looking sort of Matrix-like. They took our coats, brought us something to put our bags in, made sure there was a heater by our feet. We had water in short order, and a great bottle of wine in no time. The chef chooses the meal; we were just asked if there was anything we couldn't eat, and after that, it was out of our hands. And in someone else's amazing hands, I must say. I can't possibly do justice to the food we ate, as I should have taken notes but that didn't really seem appropriate. Every plate was a work of art, carefully arranged with color and texture, on gorgeous plates handmade by the chef's wife. The amuse bouche included foi gras, the there were courses of scallops, chicken raviolo, fish, pigeon, and a dreamy dessert that included marscapone and frozen meringue. This is a seriously sad attempt to explain the meal, so just look at my photos. In sum, the food was stupendous, the service was perfect, the building was gorgeous and sleek, and the location (in a narrow cobblestone street right across the river from Notre Dame) couldn't be better. For Paris, the price was reasonable, too, a set 45 Euros/person. We paid more than that for some not so great Paris bistros. I recommend this for anyone who loves food, service, and presentation. Just one piece of advice: you must have a reservation, and you must answer the phone the day of when they call to confirm the reservation. read more

We just spent 10 days in Paris, and our dinner at Sola was our best all-around experience. Each of the many courses on the tasting menu was excellent. Even though one of us doesn't like foie gras, even the foie gras dish was great. The service, with five or six different servers, but one principal waiter, was equally good. One of us doesn't eat red meat, and this was not a problem. The food is more French than Japanese, but the experience was more like being at a fine Japanese restaurant that serves kaiseki-style, that is, whatever the chef chooses. And about half the diners in the rez-de-chaussee room were Japanese. Although the price is high, the experience is more than worth it. read more

A simply perfect dining experience! The restaurant is a beautiful Japanese inspired setting (downstairs) with a certain earnestness. Each course was delicate with a complex flavor profile. The meal was complemented by the best wine pairing I have ever had! If I could give more than 5 stars, I would. read more

I would give 0 if I could. Terrible reservation experience!!!! Reserved 1 month ahead with a note that one of the diners is vegetarian. They called one day ahead to confirm the fact that one of us is vegetarian. Then they called SIX hours ahead of the dinner saying they CANNOT serve vegetarian only dishes. Sola, how is this one star Michelin service? I have been to Sola before and the food is awesome if you are not vegetarian. But this time you completely missed the mark. read more

Presentation and service were excellent. Some of the courses were fantastic, others were ok but all were imaginative. Food is art at Sola and the chef experiments with some interesting ingredients and combinations. There are 7+ courses and all are presented on different types of plates, bowls, a leaf, a branch, etc... If you are a food is an art fan, then this is the place for you. read more

A really special place with beautiful dishes full of surprises, the menu keeps changing on monthly so every time was a great different experience. read more

One of the best Michelin starred restaurants I've ever been to. This place is better than many French 3 stars Michelin restaurants. All the plates are super delicate and creative. Best scallops I've ever ate in my life. Great service. The only thing to keep in mind is that this is not a date place. It's a little more serious than most French restaurants but it's a must do if you're in Paris. read more

Probably my favorite fine dining if not favorite meal in Paris! Perfect blending of modern Japanese with French influences. Literally everything from the tasting menu was delicious. Really good light flavors, really hits all the flavors. Loved the desserts and yuzu. So creative and so delicious. If you are looking for something a little different than French food for a special occasion and a fine dining experience, then this is it. read more

Very attentive staff and that's a big deal for Paris. For a Michelin star place, I felt it didn't live up to the expectations. We had the full 9 course tasting menu and nothing stuck in memory as amazing. read more

Cool dining space, great service, interesting dishes, on the return to list if/when we make it back to Paris.