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| - Sol y Sombra was really far to drive from South Phoenix, but was totally worth it - the tapas were really high-quality and flavorful for the price. We had reserved a table on OpenTable.com but were about 20 minutes late (we took the first Pima Road exit on 101 instead of the second - anyone know what I'm talking about?!), so we got seated at a table in the bar area. It was definitely a good spot for people-watching but not as romantic (or quiet) as some of the tables in the main area seemed. Oh well! At least we got to see some of Scottsdale's best (and worst) dressed. I went to a really elite prep school in Los Angeles, but I was on financial aid and never really part of the in crowd. When I would sit around imagining what my cool peers did together in their spare time, I imagined something like the bar scene at Sol Y Sombra - girls in flowered dresses and heels flitting around guys in European wear with expensive watches.
Ah, well, I digress. The tapas were simply delicious. We had the tortilla espanola, stuffed piquillo pepper, sauteed clams (or were they mussels?) with chorizo, baby back ribs, calamari, manchego cheese/serrano ham/fig. The calamari was a real standout - as my husband commented, this calamari's crust was what restaurants are trying to achieve when they say that their calamari is "lightly fried." To finish the meal, we had the vanilla scented grilled pear with goat cheese and almonds. It might be one of the best things I've ever tried and it was the perfect end to the meal. All told, the food we had (7 dishes) was about $80. My Matador cocktail (tasted like tequila with orange juice) was $8. Not too bad for really light, fresh, flavorful tapas! And if you felt marginalized in highschool, you might feel empowered showing up and being one of (or near) the in crowd at Sol y Sombra. Just don't forget to dress your best!
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