The first thing anyone will notice when walking into Solea Restaurant and Tapas Bar in Waltham is how many people there are. That's not to say the restaurant is uncomfortably crowded or loud; the restaurant is huge with numerous rooms and, while there is Spanish-sounding music, it is very easy to have a conversation with your dining partners. Despite the number of diners, it is quiet.

But atmosphere does not make a restaurant. Food does. And at Solea, the offerings do not disappoint. Although there are paellas, a Spanish rice dish with either seafood or meats, I suggest sticking to the tapas. My waiter suggested getting three per person, which we did. While Solea is pricier than some other restaurants in Waltham, according to Tyler Friedman '16 who dined there in January 2013, "portions are reasonably priced," given the amount and quality of food. This is the sort of place that is perfect for a birthday dinner, a night out with parents, or a date.

A nice starter is the tostadas de alcachofas, or crostini with artichoke, mushroom and goat cheese. The combination of artichoke and mushroom, with a layer of goat cheese, is flavorful and rich. Unlike some places, Solea manages to get the proportions of bread to topping just right so there is never too much or too little per bite. The crab, mango and avocado timbale works well with the crostini. The sweetness of the mango contrasts with the saltiness of the crab and the avocado adds some nice texture and creaminess.

The seafood tapas were, for the most part, very tasty. The camarones a la plancha, or grilled shrimp with a spicy dipping sauce, were perfectly cooked. I learned the hard way that while the sauce was tangy and flavorful, the spice is a little overwhelming if eaten too quickly. The mussels, in a steamed wine and tomato sauce, were equally flavorful and had a delicious warm broth. However, the fried calamari did fall short. While quite tasty, there was nothing about the dish that stood out compared to calamari at cheaper places.

My favorite tapas were some of the vegetarian dishes. Solea's poblano relleno, a poblano pepper stuffed with corn, zucchini, mushroom and other vegetables and breaded with almonds, was a mix of textures from the fried exterior to the warm and gooey interior. I was pleasantly surprised to discover a sweetness underneath the pepper and vegetables. Patatas bravas, spicy potatoes, were one of my favorites. They are very flavorful and have just the right amount of spice that makes you want to keep eating, even if your mouth starts to burn.

Of the meat, the beer-braised short rib was my favorite. With a sweet, almost barbeque flavor, the beef was amazingly tender; no knife was required to cut it. The pork sausage with figs, while quite good, was the weakest point of the meal. The overly sweet fig flavor dominated what was otherwise a rather bland, although juicy, sausage.

No dinner is complete without dessert, and even though I was stuffed, I ordered both the chocolate churros and plantains in butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream. The plantains were rich and sweet, and the ice cream provided a nice counterpoint to the warm sauce. Any chocolate fan is sure to love the churros, a traditional cinnamon dessert that, at Solea, are served with a dipping sauce of dark chocolate. The two deserts complemented each other nicely, as the bitterness of the chocolate offset the sweetness of the churro.

For the most part, the service was pretty good. Our waiter was more than willing to answer our questions and bring us drink refills, but when asked for specific recommendations, he balked. At times, he also would only take one person's order and then leave before the rest of the party could place their orders. Other than that, the service was polite, attentive and made our dining experience pleasant.

If you are looking for a nice Spanish restaurant that serves delicious, flavorful food in an enjoyable environment, I could not recommend Solea more.
*