Victor Garvey relaunching Rambla as Sola
Chef-restaurateur Victor Garvey is relaunching his Catalan restaurant Rambla in London's Soho as a new California-inspired concept called Sola.
The restaurant is currently undergoing a complete refurbishment and will reopen with a new look, menu and name – a portmanteau of Soho and Los Angeles – on 1 November. The change marks a move away from the Spanish food Garvey is known for towards the cuisine of his father's native California.
Garvey previously operated Covent Garden restaurant Encant and wine bar Sibarita, which closed last year, and Barullo, which he he has no longer been involved with since May this year.
He said: "I think it's well-known that I'm always looking to innovate, and I always have one eye on the next project. It's why I closed Encant and Sibarita when I felt I'd taken them as far as I could creatively. Rambla has been phenomenally successful in the two years it's been open, but now I'm ready to do something new.
"Half of my career to date has been spent cooking on the West Coast of the US; Californian cuisine draws from so many cultures, countries and traditions that I know I will feel freer and more able to express myself this way than continuing to focus on just one country."
Three menus will be available: à la carte, and two tasting menus of five and 10 courses, which guests will be able to choose to enjoy at an eight-seat chef's counter. Typical dishes will include: glazed sweetbreads, Yamada Nishiki sushi rice, cavolo nero, baby chanterelles, marsala dashi; and mussels and clams, pistachio, lime and chilli butter and dipping soldiers.
Dishes to share will include lobster pot pie with cipollini onions, vadouvan, beurre noisette and Banyuls; and spit-roast whole chicken, served with potato mousseline, dressed greens and rosemary and wholegrain mustard chicken jus.
A California-focused wine list will be selected by Zeren Wilson. The interior, designed by Lerose Studio, will feature pale wood panelling, poured concrete floors and stonewashed linen tablecloths.
