sola

Chef Carol Wallack’s new venture is meant to conjure up all things summer, like the sun, the beach and hot surfers. That’s a tall order to fill in the middle of a Chicago winter, but her ginger-touched brandade is a good example of how she gets the job done, primarily by lightening her dishes with bright Asian ingredients. Even when the food’s not sunny, it still works: Her caramelized onion tart is a rich beginning no matter what season it is, and her Dijon-crusted lamb chops are a divine way to get through a snowy day. Still, the open, airy room seems made for warmer weather, which is when we expect things to really take off.