Solstice is expanding to a second location, this time at The Boardwalk in Irvine, located at 18555 Jamboree Rd.
The original restaurant is located in Newtown, PA, and opened last year under husband and wife Terry and Anna Darby, along with their son, Rick. The family is now franchising from Captivate Hospitality Group for the new location. CMO Shardul Kiri tells What Now Los Angeles this new 5,030 square-foot location will feature elements of Southern California throughout its menu to celebrate the area it’s in. Kiri says the new Irvine location will open in November 2021.
The new restaurant will feature a trellised patio, a bar complete with an outdoor lounge on its breezeway, and a dining area with floor-to-ceiling glass panels that peer into the open kitchen. Solstice will also offer private dining options with a 24-seat private dining room. The restaurant will be available for lunch Monday through Friday from 11 am to 3 pm, while dinner will be offered from 4 pm to 9 pm, except for on Fridays and Saturdays, which will stay open another hour.
The new restaurant will have a star-studded cast to make sure everything runs smoothly. First, the Darby family brings in Culinary Director Chef Demetrio Zavala, who oversees the restaurant’s second location in Newtown, PA. Zavala has competed in and won several Food Network TV competitions, including “Chopped: Grudge Match” and “Chopped: Beat Bobby Flay.” He joins Executive Chef Brittany Valles as the two will work together to create a menu rooted in the ancient Ayurvedic philosophy of ritucharya – the discipline of eating with the seasons.
Valles will also work with General Manager Katie Pavkov to manage the day-to-day operations. Pavkov is an Orange County native who has worked with growing concepts such as P.F. Changs and Del Frisco’s. To top off the well-respected roster, Solstice will also have Dylan Dinsmore as the bar manager. He plans on creating a seasonal, handcrafted cocktail wist along with a curated wine list with some of the best bottles and by-the-glass selections in the United States and Europe. The restaurant will also offer Zero-Proof Un-Cocktails with aloe juice serving as a liquor substitute.
As for the menu, Solstice will offer a fall menu featuring some of the finest produce picked at the peak of their season. Some highlights include freshly baked parker house rolls with plum glaze and cultured ginger butter, mason jar deviled eggs served alongside house-made toasted focaccia, and relish. Starters include branzino ceviche with shiitake mignonette, radish, cranberry gelée, dash broth, celery root tartare with chermoula, red wine vinaigrette, and celery root chips. Flavor-forward salads like red-wine poached pear caprese and solstice salad. Finally, entrees will include poached lobster gnocchi and braised wagyu pappardelle, pan-roasted salmon, malbec-braised wagyu short rib, and a steak of celery root mignon.
Update: The previous article had mentioned the owners of the original location in Newtown to be the owners of the Irvine location. The Irvine location will be owned by the Captivate Hospitality Group. The opening date has also been updated.
