Victor Garvey to launch Californian concept on former Rambla site
Sola – a portmanteau of Soho and Los Angeles – and will see the chef restaurateur move away from Spanish cuisine to focus on food from, and inspired by California.
“Half of my career to date has been spent cooking on the West Coast of the US,” says Garvey, discussing the reasons behind the change.
“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.”
The restaurant will feature an eight-seat chef’s counter serving two tasting menus of five and 10 courses respectively.
À la carte will also be available and featuring sharing dishes including lobster pot pie with cipollini onions, vadouvan, beurre noisette and Banyuls; and spit-roasted whole chicken with potato mousseline, dressed greens and rosemary and wholegrain mustard chicken jus.
Garvey made his name with Spanish restaurants Encant and Sibarita in Covent Garden, but both have closed in the past two years.
“I think it’s well-known that I’m always looking to innovate, and I always have one eye on the next project,” he says.
“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.”
In March this year Garvey launched another project, Barullo, which was his first solo venture in the City.
However, he subsequently stepped down from his role as chef patron at the end of April due to personal reasons, and the restaurant closed in May.
