Solera

A very small Spanish place in the Northern Laine. I would recommend going there with friends. Papas bravas are amazing!

I am very very fond of this place and realised yesterday when I went for dinner quite how many times i’d been there before!
Whilst im very fond of it– i have to be honest and say its not because the food is incredible.
Its good– and tasty, and some dishes are better than others– but last night they got some of the basics quite wrong (tough calamari and over cooked grainiy chorizo al vino) and although I’m well aware some of the more specialist dishes were more fresh with more care– a place like this cant afford to muck up like the basics as most people order the basics.
The wine was delicious though and the lashings of garlic allioji went down a storm acompannied with the baked honey glazed goats cheese. So definately some high points.
But regardless of the slightly off beat food last night theres no question about going again — i certainly will. The staff are lovely, its cozy and i have somw fantastic memories there now that count for more than a bit of chewy squid.

What an absolutely wonderful venue.
Was taken here on business by a client, and was told to order whatever I wanted from the menu. There was too much choice! So we ordered snack after snack, maybe more than I could actually stomach normally, but I shovelled it down like it was going out of fashion.
I’d fully recommend the Gambas El Ajillio!

I like this one spanish restaurant. The people is very polite and friendly. I will come back here. :)

Superb tapas restaurant with knowledgeable and friendly staff.
Both the food and wine menu’s are long but the waitress was very helpful in suggesting options. Particularly recommend you do this for the wine as quite a few of the original options were not available, but we had a lovely red that wasn’t on the menu.
There is the usual tapas available. Particularly recommend the peppers — it’s a bit like Russian Roulette as some are super hot and some are not!

We stumbled upon this lovely little tapas restaurant when our wander round The Lanes last Sunday was cut short by a torrential downpour which drove us to seek shelter in the nearest place where we could grab a drink and a snack. Ah the gods were looking after us once again.
The Solera D Tapa, sometimes referred to as Cala and Arrobas, is a little gem; simply furnished with wooden tables and stools it looks and feels very authentic. The décor is pretty low key with a few pictures on the off white walls and a couple of blackboards with the daily specials chalked up nothing much to distract you from the food and the company you are keeping.
After receiving a warm welcome from our very charming and helpful waitress we were seated at a plain but cosy table and given a laminated menu which contained a good looking selection of classic tapas dishes. We ordered a couple of glasses of perfectly chilled oloroso and fino to lift our spirits, as we looked at the rain bouncing off the cobbled street outside, while we waited to start our lunchtime feast.
We started with a beautifully presented plate of pâté Iberico which was served on a little round of bread with a topping of caramelised onion and a PX reduction. Smooth, almost creamy, and packed full of flavour this dish was a real winner and one portion was plenty for two. We then moved onto a dish of chorizo al vino (a kind of stew with sherry) and a classic combination of baked aubergine and spicy tomato’s which was served in a traditional terracotta pot. We mopped up every last bit of sauce with a generous serving of bread which came with a very nice nutty olive oil and a garlicky mayo for dipping purposes. Again we only ordered one portion of each dish which would be fine for two unless you are feeling particularly ravenous.
I had spotted Tortas De Aceite, sweet wafer like biscuits, chalked up on the blackboard and as they are a particular favourite of mine I thought it would be rude not to finish the meal without trying a couple. They were just fantastic when teamed up with the wonderful Cabrales cheese which was on the menu and I ordered a couple more to take home and enjoy with a coffee (you can buy most of the very well sourced Spanish produce on offer in the restaurant to take home some great olive oils, sherries, etc)
You have some very good choices of wine with which to wash down your food at The Solera. After a bit of discussion with our waitress, who was getting even more charming by the minute, we decided to try the Farache Tinto Joven. This was a great bit of advice as it was drinking very well, fruity with a long finish for a young wine, and was as cheap as chips.
By now the rain was easing off and we were almost ready to recommence our wanderings. However, there was just time for a cheeky snifter of the most excellent Brandy Dios Baco Solera Gran Reserva which is happiness in a glass from Jerez and an absolute bargain at £4.25.
All in all this was a very fine, and wallet friendly, way to spend a couple of lunchtime hours and I am already looking forward to a return visit when we are next in Brighton.

I had a wonderfully boozy evening here with friends and thought the Tapas was delicious. Swayed by the Red Wine we ordered possibly a few too many tapas dishes and passed away a number of hours, but despite the small venue at no point did we feel we were being hurried along.
As the venue is a tad compact, and from my experience it’s not all about turnover, I would advise you book a table. Several parties had to be turned away whilst we were there, but I would definitely recommend.

Cala and Arrobas, the sister shop to Bodega D Tapas further down the North Laine, is a fantastic restaurant, a really excellent dining experience and a great place to get sloshed as well! Offering a tasty combination of authentic tapas, Spanish wines and spirits, this is an evening out you won’t forget any time soon. Go, go, go now!
One of my favourite Brighton restaurants, Cala and Arrobas has spawned many a pleasant evening. Tapas are the ideal meal with nice wine, and a meal can legitimately take 3 hours without it feeling awkward here, with many different fine drinks and foods to choose from. I particularly recommend the authentic Chorizo: sliced thinly, this is a great alternative to the stodgy stuff found in most shops in this country.
My main critique of Cala and Arrobas’ sister store, Bodegas D Tapas, was it’s small size. Cala and Arrobas completely circumvents this by having a nice, big open space to perch in, plus a quiet, well decorated garden, which is perfect for the wine-​cigarette combos you may want to indulge in towards the end of the night!
This is excellent dining, and combines into an even better night out if you stay for a while and the booze keeps flowing. Book a table, and have a great evening with friends: one of the best nights out in Brighton, if you like to think of yourself as cultured ;)

Carla & Arrobas is a great little place to grab yourself a drink of fine wine and some delicious Spanish food. Its not going to be to everyone’s taste, but there’s something about the place that lets it get away with being rather classy, but also accessible. I feel I could take a potential business partner here, or a date, or simply have a low key celebration for a friends birthday.
Cala & feels warm and inviting to sit in, and has a series of small benches and wooden chairs to sit and eat at. Tapas in particular are a key component to the menu, with a great lunchtime deal offering 3 and a glass of wine for £10. Your not going to find yourself coming here every week as your favourite place to eat out, but it certainly makes for an exotic and memorable change.