Newport Beach’s SOL Cocina offers one of the tastiest versions of an increasingly popular variant, the cucumber jalapeno margarita. I love the balance of coolness and heat. It’s the perfect beverage to sip while watching the yachts drift by the window.

TEXT BY PAUL HODGINS, PHOTO BY CINDY YAMANAKA
From The Orange County Register: 10 best O.C. margaritas

Frozen Margarita Made for 2 with Premium Clase Azul La Pinta Pomegranate-Infused Tequila

Made with love, in honor of St. Valentine
Available Friday, February 10 – Friday, February 17

www.SOLCocina.com

Taco Fiesta: The Easiest Dinner Party You’ll Ever Throw
Serve a buffet of tortillas with fillings and toppings that please every palate.
Text: Julie Powell, Recipes by Deborah Schneider
O, The Oprah Magazine

…These days I still serve tacos when I’ve got a big group to feed, but I’ve had to develop a more adaptable menu—what with vegetarians, vegans, and so on, I never know what people will eat. Instead of the Tex-Mex version from my childhood, I start with soft corn tortillas and offer a range of fillings and toppings, like the ones chef Deborah Schneider of SOL Cocina in Newport Beach, California, shares on these pages—roasted sweet potatoes and black beans with spicy chipotle sauce, tomato-braised chicken and avocado salsa, or grilled skirt steak and pico de gallo.

I recently hosted a party smack in the middle of one of those months that had become unexpectedly hectic. (We’ve all been there.) I had planned on making Schneider’s chili-rubbed pork tenderloin with pineapple and Baja-style fried-fish tacos, along with homemade corn tortillas, which require just masa harina (limed cornmeal, available in many grocery stores), water, and salt and are well worth the extra effort. A few hours before everyone was scheduled to arrive, however, I learned that one of my guests abhorred fish, another had recently gone vegetarian, and a third was “allergic” to spicy foods. Had I planned another crowd-friendly dish—lasagna, say, or gumbo—I’d have been up a creek. But tacos allow for improvisation. After a quick dash to the store, I added the roasted sweet potatoes and black beans to the menu….

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/food/How-to-Make-Tacos-Taco-Dinner-Easy-Party-Planning

Participating in The Positive Plate helps us do just that.

The Positive Plate Dining Club is an important part of this program, enabling members to save $245 at eight of OC’s most dynamic restaurants, all while supporting great local non-profit organizations.  There are only 200 memberships available, and many have already sold.

The way our dining club works is very simple:
·  Your membership is a tax-deductible $99 donation to Ecofficiency.Org
·  Receive a one-time 50% discount at eight OC restaurants that have committed to sustainability through The Positive Plate (total savings equals $245; see dining club page online for full details)
·  Dine well, knowing that you are also doing good for your community

Participating restaurants include:
Avanti Café • Duke’s • Haute Cakes • Haven Gastropub • Sage • SOL Cocina • Taco Asylum • Xanh Bistro

For full details, please visit: http://www.thepositiveplate.org/dining-club/

All discounts are valid through Oct 31, 2012, and are good for one visit to each restaurant.

If you have any questions, please call Jesse Baker at (714) 280-2045.

With so many dietary restrictions, it would be understandable for servers and kitchen staff to be in a tailspin. But I’ve seen some very creative solutions both in the front of the house and at the stoves.

Rethinking menus

Deb Schneider, executive chef-partner of Sol Cocina Restaurant in Newport Beach (shown above), has simplified special order requests by offering snazzy laminated menus that spell out the dishes that are vegan, vegetarian and wheat-free. The list is lengthy and diverse, with dishes ranging from Strawberry Serrano Guacamole to Corn Poblano Soup to Rajas Tacos.

“Real Mexican food is heavily vegetable-based – vegetables, corn, and beans are at the heart of what real Mexican food truly is,” Schneider said, referring to her menu’s vegetarian and vegan dishes. “And as for gluten-free, only one dessert and one entree uses flour tortillas.

“We make everything from scratch so if you don’t want onions in your salsa, for example, we make it the way you want it.”

And it somehow seems counter-intuitive, but meat-free diners can end up costing the restaurant more money. They aren’t necessarily cutting costs by subbing vegetables for meat.

“You know from shopping that you can buy chicken on sale for around one dollar per pound, but you pay way more than that for avocados and tomatoes. Asparagus and mushrooms can be five or six dollars per pound …”

Read the entire piece by Cathy Thomas and get recipes for SOL’s Strawberry Serrano Guacamole and Rajas, Mushroom and Grilled Corn Taco with Epazote on here: CATHY THOMAS COOKS.

Scottsdale is the second location for SOL, which made its debut in Newport Beach California in 2009 to rave reviews and was chosen one of Orange County’s Top 10 restaurants in 2010 and 2011.

Designed to echo the expansive sea, sky, and desert of the Baja peninsula, SOL Mexican Cocina features old world charm juxtaposed with urban comfort. The sophisticated 260-seat restaurant will feature an indoor/outdoor patio and bar with fire pit. A bustling open kitchen allows patrons to feel the ‘vibe’ of a trip to Baja.

“The SOL experience is not just about the food – we have a very unique personality. We’re sophisticated but casual. We reflect what’s happening on the Mexican food scene, but with our own twist, while respecting authenticity,” says Operating Partner Rich Howland. “SOL Cocina plays up the best of coastal Mexico. It’s about creating an experience that makes you feel like you’re on vacation, with no worries.”

SOL Cocina’s unique menu offers simple, flavorful items inspired by the Baja peninsula and built around impeccably fresh seafood, premium meats and over 17 fresh salsas made daily. SOL Cocina’s menu features Baja classics and innovative twists on Mexican favorites, such as the Taco Vampiro; Hot & Raw Ceviche; Shortribs Barbacoa; grilled Fish Taco Zarandeado and Kobe Skirt Steak, as well as innovative guacamoles and many other unique items. With their partners Dennis, Mike and Jeffrey Mastro and Scott Troilo, the founders of Dominick’s Steakhouse, the SOL concept is a recipe for success.

Much of the menu can be made vegetarian and vegan-friendly and most items are 100% gluten-free. The ‘stealth health’ approach is geared towards fresh, delicious food that happens to be low-fat and healthful – though there are plenty of indulgences  to be had as well, such as the ‘Tres Pecados’ (Three Sins) – a rich dulce de leche flan with caramel, dark chocolate-almond bark and whipped cream.

SOL’s creative bar menu features signature margaritas and cocktails that are true originals, each one made by hand to order. We make our margaritas with fresh-squeezed lime and citrus juices with a touch of sweetness, and hand-muddle fresh fruit and herbs for a perfect balance of flavor and character. Mexican beers, micheladas, bulldogs or a glass of wine from SOL’s coastal wine list pair beautifully with the food menu.

Deborah Schneider, executive chef and partner, brings over 25 years of professional cooking experience and a wealth of knowledge to the menu. She is the author of five books on Mexican cooking and has travelled extensively in Baja and mainland Mexico. Dubbed “The reigning queen of San Diego chefs” by Bon Appetit Magazine, Deborah was nominated for a 2009 James Beard Foundation Award for her second cookbook, Cooking with the Seasons at Rancho La Puerta. Her recipes and writing have appeared in Food & Wine Magazine, O Magazine and many California publications.

Follow SOL on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SolCocina and on Twitter at @SOL_COCINA. For more information, visit their website at www.SOLCocina.com.

Aged in fine oak barrels, Clase Azul possesses distinct, smooth flavors and aromas, as well as an excellent balance over the palate. Produced and bottled in Jalisco, from 100% agave and twice distilled, Clase Azul tequila and SOL Cocina join in harmonious union. Chef Deb’s bold, flavorful award-winning Mexican cuisine is enhanced by this tequila to create an unparalleled experience.

Space is limited for this tequila dinner, offered for $75 per guest (excluding tax and gratuity). Seats must be reserved in advance by 949.675.9800 or emailing Nicole at Events@SolCocina.com.

SOL CLASE AZUL TEQUILA TASTING MENU
Sunday, February 26, 2012
$75 per guest, plus tax & gratuity

6:30 – 7:30 PM   Chef’s Choice Antojito + Clase Azul Plata Margarita
Pork Pibil with Habanero-Red Onion-Sour Orange Salsa on a Small Flour Tortilla

1st – Clase Azul Plata
Nopales & Arugula Salad, Smoke-Roasted Tomato Dressing, Queso Azul

2nd – Clase Azul Plata
Lobster & Laughing Bird Shrimp Ragout, Tarragon Creamy Butter Sauce, Fresh Corn Cake

3rd – Clase Azul Reposado
Seared Sterling Beef Filet, 5-Chile Mole Sauce, Roasted Sweet Potato

4th – Clase Azul La Pinta (Pomegranate-Infused)
Pan-Roasted Duck Breast with Spice & Fruit

5th  – Clase Azul Reposado
Spice-Infused Flan with Brown Sugar Crema & Praline Crumble
Dark Chocolate & Dried Cherries Bark
For more information, menus, hours of operations, online reservations and directions, visit http://www.solcocina.com/.

See CBS LA coverage HERE.

View our NBRW Menus HERE!

“There is this misconception that flavorful Mexican food can be unhealthy and limited to those who do not have dietary restrictions, and this could not be further from the truth,” commented Chef Deb, who revealed that her menu items at SOL focus on the season’s freshest offerings. “Great flavor comes from great ingredients, and many are just as bold and satisfying without dairy or meat. The separate menu highlighting options stems from a sense of responsibility and commitment we feel to our guests – and the response has been phenomenal thus far.”

Among the highlighted vegan, vegetarian and wheat-free items featured on SOL’s menu:

VEGAN

All salsa except Chipotle Mayo

Gobernador & Spicy Lime

All salad dressings except Avocado Caesar (wheat-free*)

Black Bean Dip (wheat-free*)

Chipotle-Tomatillo Salsa (wheat-free*)

White Corn Tostadas with Chiles & Pepitas (wheat-free*)

Corn Tortillas (wheat-free*)

Flour Tortillas (unbuttered)

Naked Guacamole (wheat-free*)

Guacamole SOL (no cheese; wheat-free*)

Borracho Black Beans (no cheese; wheat-free*)

Spinach-Garlic Rice (wheat-free*)

Quinoa Cranberry Salad (wheat-free*)

Spicy Coleslaw (wheat-free*)

Grilled Corn Side (no cheese or Chipotle Salsa; wheat-free*)

Rajas Taco (no cheese; wheat-free*)

Corn-Poblano Soup (no crema; wheat-free*)

Ensalada SOL (wheat-free*)

Arugula Spinach Salad (no cheese; wheat-free*)

El Veg Torta (no butter on bun, no cheese)

Mex Chop Salad (no chicken or cheese, with tequila dressing; wheat-free*)

Vegetarian Burrito (no cheese or butter)

Spinach Salad Picadillo (no chicken or cheese; wheat-free*)

Chilaquiles (no cheese or eggs; wheat-free*)

Papas Papi (no cheese or meat)

VEGETARIAN OPTIONS (may contain egg and dairy)

All of the VEGAN items listed above

Panuchos (wheat-free*)

Vegetarian Burritos

Vegetarian Quesadilla

Warmed Goat Cheese (wheat-free*)

Chorizo & Mushrooms Con Queso (no chorizo; wheat-free*)

Huevos Mexicanos (no meat; wheat-free*)

Papas Papi (no meats; wheat-free*)

Quesadilla con Huevos

* Guests should note that items listed as wheat-free are made in a facility which uses wheat flour.

Full menus can be found online at http://www.solcocina.com/menu.html