Sol y Sombra Tapas Bar — Restaurant in Scotland

Stepping into the restaurant, I was immediately transported to the heart of Spain. The charming Spanish tiles adorning the staircase set the tone for an authentic experience. Comfortable seating and well-appointed tables greeted us, complemented by impeccably clean and rustic-themed restrooms. The ambiance was further elevated by soothing music, perfectly pitched to allow for easy conversation without the need to raise voices.

Despite arriving without a reservation in a fully booked establishment, the staff graciously accommodated us and efficiently explained the menu system. Taking into consideration our group's composition, with two children in tow, they suggested a thoughtful approach to ordering, which helped streamline our dining experience.

Pricing was reasonable, with a per-person cost of £27.50 due to the late afternoon timing. Following the staff's recommendation, we opted for three meals for our group of five, allowing for potential sharing, particularly with the kids.

Our meal commenced promptly, with the cold meze selection arriving swiftly. Each dish was meticulously evaluated:

Alioli: A perfect score of 5/5 for its delightful flavor with no room for improvement.

Chorizo Iberico de Ballota: While flavorful, the thick slices bordered on chewiness, detracting slightly from the overall enjoyment. 3/5

Ensalada de Pollo: A personal favorite, boasting refreshing flavors that begged to be savored with each bite. 5/5

Queso Manchego: While tasty, the portion size left something to be desired, with only three small triangles of cheese accompanied by olive oil. 3/5

Crab on Cracker: Despite my apprehension toward seafood, this dish pleasantly surprised with its palatable flavors, though lacking a distinctive "seafood" essence. 4/5

Chickpea Something: Initially uncertain, I found myself thoroughly enjoying this dish, with no qualms to report.5/5

Moving on to the hot meze selection:

Chicken thighs: A straightforward yet satisfying dish, earning a solid 5/5.

Potatoes in sauce: A standout favorite, blending soft potatoes with a tantalizing mix of alioli and spicy sauce. 5/5

Green Stuff with brown stuff: Though initially ambiguous in composition, this dish turned out to be a delightful combination of sprouting broccoli with ham or possibly asparagus, thoroughly enjoyed despite initial reservations. 5/5

Beef Stew: Rich in flavor, with the taste of tomatoes shining through, adding depth to the dish. 5/5

Prawns: Unfortunately, this dish fell short, with rubbery texture detracting from its overall appeal, earning a disappointing 2/5.

Fried Hake: While acceptable, it lacked the bold flavors found in other dishes, receiving a modest rating of 3/5.

Kebab: Though not pictured, this dish was a standout, with tender chicken, chorizo, and black pudding skewers accompanied by a delectable sauce, earning a perfect score.

The bill, totaling £108 inclusive of drinks, felt reasonable given the quality of the meal. However, the set menu format left me somewhat divided, as I couldn't help but compare it to past experiences, such as Cafe Andaluz in Aberdeen, where a more à la carte approach allowed for greater variety and spontaneity in ordering.

Ultimately, while the food was enjoyable, the warm hospitality of the staff and inviting atmosphere, my personal preference leans towards establishments with a more extensive menu selection. Nonetheless, for those seeking a taste of Spain in a cozy setting, this restaurant undoubtedly delivers.

Apologies on the only Image I took, I had already eating the cold meze before I realised :D

One thing I would say to finish this off is, this isn't really child friendly with the food. If your child is a fussy eater, or hasn't eating Spanish food, etc, this is not the...

What an amazing experience! I've been meaning to go here for a while and finally I did yesterday and I was not disappointed at all. Both the food and service was excellent and the ambience was cute showing some pictures of Spanish culture (I was sat downstairs, not sure about upstairs). Since it was our first time, our server (an absolute star) explained the practice of tapas in the restaurant. We were completely open-minded and requested to surprise us. The starters (some roasted nuts and smashing olives) and the sangria we ordered kicked up our appetite. Both the cold and hot tapas were unmistakably delicious and the quantity, to my surprise (I am a foodie), was very much ample. My favourite in the cold tapas was the premium chorizo and coleslaw they served, and of course I can't praise the garlic bread enough coz it was just perfect (note: the basket they serve is meant to be for both hot and cold tapas, but we got excited and finished the bread in the first course itself. Unfortunately, they didn't have enough bread to serve us for the second time, so be mindful of this if you're a bread lover). The hot tapas when they served, my eyes were stuck on the sizzling prawns which was served in a claypot and it tasted out of the world. The only small thing I found quite faulty was the chicken in the skewer, they were dry and overcooked, so it was hard to eat. But the stew helped me to gobble them up. They had different desserts, but we were so stuffed, so didn't get the chance to taste them. But I will have this as an excuse to visit again. Overall, highly recommended in dundee and its not...

ALLERGEN WARNING To preface, I have been here a few times before, and have previously recommended it to all my friends, and would have given it 5 stars then. My recent experience at Sol y Sombra left a lot to be desired. Both on my reservation, and when ordering I told them about my allergies, however they still brought me dishes with those allergens visibly present. When I pointed this out, I was questioned if I have even told the wait staff about this allergy. My bill and the reservation show I did. The dish was then taken away, and when I asked if the other dishes were safe since they were served, and potentially cooked, right next to the allergen containing dish, I was told they 'should be fine'.

Other issues: I ordered the same wine twice, and the second time I ordered it the white wine came out red. After the second course, all of our plates were taken and put table was cleared, which we thought meant our service was over, at which point we asked for the bill, got asked to leave a tip, and got ready to leave. Then more food was brought out to us? With no plates or cutlery to eat it with. Later, we then asked for a box to take the food away with, and had all our cutlery taken and plates taken again, so we just had to slide our food off the serving plates into the box. Also, the men's bathroom has no toilet roll holder and instead the toilet paper is kept of a shelf that is sloped, about to fall off the wall, straight towards the toilet. Food has reduced in quality since I first went, really disappointing meal and service with a previous...