The Torta Cubano @ Solbar, Calistoga: Roasted pork loin, Black Forest ham, Swiss cheese, pickles. Salt and vinegar potato chips on the side.
The torta cubano at Solbar reminds me of two things: (1) the Monday-only banh mi at Auberge su Soleil, for being another Michelin-star take on an otherwise blue-collar sandwich, and (2) the infamous torta cubana at That’s It Market, which sets a certain everything-but-the-kitchen-sink gold standard for all other cubanas. Of course, Solage isn’t going to serve anything as wonderfully gauche as That’s It Market, but that’s not to say that the Solbar torta doesn’t have its own merits. The bread, for instance, is superior. It complements the sandwich perfectly. Beyond that, you have two kinds of pork, melted Swiss, and pickles. How could you go wrong?
