Immediately upon arrival, we were enthusiastically greeted and offered our choice of a table. There were several tables available inside and, as it was a particularly sticky evening, we inquired about the possibility of air conditioning. Alas, there is no A.C. to be had, and we situated ourselves at a roomy table out front. Suddenly, out of nowhere, the maitre d appeared with one of those lovely, oscillating tower fans attached to a long lead of extension cord. Much to our surprise, he set it up right next to our table and without missing a beat presented us with menus, took our drink order and left us with a basket of warm whole-grain bread and herbed butter. Lovely.

The dinner menu is small, but varied, and nearly every selection caught my eye for one reason or another. Not much to offer the meat and potatoes crowd, but rather a nice variety of fresh seafood, poultry and pasta dishes. Finally, and with some difficulty, we made our selections, relayed them to our server, Allen, and settled in to enjoy our cocktails and the mariachis playing at the neighboring restaurant, Don Diego.

It is at this point that I will say, without hesitation, that every restaurant owner, manager and server in Playa del Carmen should come to Sol Food, at least once, and have Allen serve them. Attentive, friendly, well groomed and efficient, Allen presents himself with the air of someone who loves what he does and proudly does it well. Just watching him work is a pleasure. He knows his menu inside and out and easily gives recommendations when solicited. He understands the importance of properly timed service. He knows how to “read” a table. The level of professionalism that he displays is, unfortunately, missing in a vast majority of the restaurants here in Playa del Carmen. This town needs more servers like Allen.

Just as we had finished off our first cocktails our appetizers arrived. I opted for the sashimi, ($78) a plate of beautifully layered, translucent slices of Mahi Mahi served with shaved carrot and cucumber in a sesame-soy, chili sauce, infused with fresh ginger. The sashimi was fresh and sweet without even a hint of fishiness. Long Suffering’s Duck Spring Rolls ($58) were another success, crisp and golden and packed with moist pulled duck served on a bed of fresh salad greens with a splash of sweet chili sauce. LSS would have liked to see a bit more julienned vegetables in the rolls, for some variation in texture, but we both agreed that they were delicious.

After a well timed pause, enough to finish off our beverages, Allen arrived with our entrees. LSS chose the “Jambaplaya”, ($120) Sol Food’s take on the classic Cajun creation. While the five small shrimp swimming with a handful of sliced hot dogs in a seasoned broth was a bit disappointing, the sauce itself was delicious, abundant with thyme and oregano and laced with crisp green peppers. I would have preferred a thicker, heartier stew and, in keeping with tradition, the rice served on the side rather than mixed into the broth. LSS generally likes his jambalaya a bit spicier and the addition of a few splashes of Tabasco sauce certainly did the trick.

My dinner selection was the Thai Calamari, ($145) a generous pile of enormous, lightly grilled rings, lightly splashed with a delicate soy based sauce and served with crisp, grilled vegetables and a large mound of fluffy, long grain white rice. Nothing, save perhaps the inclusion of the tentacles, could have made this meal more enjoyable. The calamari was cooked just to tender without being a bit chewy or tough. The simple soy sauce was just enough condiment to flavor the fish and vegetables alike bringing the whole dish together perfectly. I finished feeling satisfied but not stuffed, and looking forward to our next visit.

Our meals, several cocktails, ($651) and gratuity, ($120) which is included on your bill, came to $771 total which I find completely reasonable for the quality of food and level of service we enjoyed throughout our evening. Do I recommend Sol Food for your next evening out? Absolutely. 

Pros

• Busy 5^th Avenue location, good people watching
• Truly Excellent service
• Well thought out menu
• Well executed, fresh, healthful food
• Attractive restaurant interior
• Clean, well stocked facilities

Cons

• Can be a bit loud outside
• Some seats outside have a view of the glaring coffee kiosk
• In general, the outside dining area lacks panache
• No AC for inside dining
  
  Sol Food is located on 5th Avenue between 20th and 22nd Streets. Open 7 days a week from 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

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