About me:
**March 13, 2007
**Punk rock and fine dining partner at Queen Anne’s Solo
**By Cody Ellerd - - - - - - - -
As ridiculous as "punk rock fine dining" sounds, it somehow fits perfectly at Solo, lower Queen Anne's haven for anyone hoping to avoid the neighborhood's typical meat market crowd.
The pristine bar and tapas lounge just off the beaten path of Queen Anne Avenue gets initial cache from the fact that one of its owners is former Faith No More bassist Billy Gould. On most nights, however, you're more likely to be greeted by his partner, Val Kiossovski, a Bulgarian rocker who defected to the United States from his native country in the late 1980s.
Kiossovski, guitarist for the Balkan gypsy punk band Kultur Shock and former bar manager of the Crocodile Café, brings plenty of rock club sensibility to Solo, which opened in October, 2006. But after serving 10 years at the hallowed indy rock venue, he wanted his new lounge to be a place you can hold a conversation. At Solo, he has brought with him a team of Crocodile staffers who have helped him to create a nighttime vibe that can be described all at once as sophisticated, edgy, laid back and comfortable.
**The creative cocktail menu ranges from rather posh to pretty punk rock. The La Flaminga, Burnett's gin with a drop of grenadine and heavy cream, could definitely raise a few pinky fingers. The Kalimotxo, however, a mixture of cheap red wine and Coke, may conjure memories for some of a curb, no ID and a lot of bored nights. The popular Swearengen, named after the entrepreneurial pimp of TV's "Deadwood" fame, falls somewhere in between in a perfect mixture of sweet and sour: Old Crow bourbon muddled with cherry, orange, bitters and soda.
The bartender will gladly pop in an episode of the HBO series for you to watch as you sip; the large-screen display on the bar's eastern wall is usually playing one selection or another of cult cinematic eye candy.
The real focus of Solo, however, is still the music. Michael Lee, one of Kiossovski's Crocodile scores, is booking bands you'd be proud to say you saw in a tiny Seattle bar for free: Slender Means, Ghost Stories and The Divorce have all performed sets on Solo's modest stage. As the management team continues to hone its program, it plans to devote Saturday nights to live bands, Friday nights to DJ sets, while Thursdays will be turned over to Matt Vaughn, owner of nearby Easy Street Records, who will spin his favorite new album releases each week.
Solo does a good job of luring locals in as well on lazy Sundays and Mondays with an all-day happy hour. That's when rockers and scenesters can be found nestled up happily next to theatergoers and Sonics fans, enjoying a tapas menu that doesn't disappoint. The Spanish theme offers a range of refined selections, such as cured meats, olives, pan-seared risotto cakes or the delectable Masa Fritos, corn and cilantro fritters with creamy chipotle dipping sauce.
Venturing into the more filling regions of the menu, hot bocadillo sandwiches, empanadas and a seared Ahi tuna entree confirm that the dining at Solo is fine indeed – but with items topping out at just $10, the prices are totally punk rock.
Who I'd like to meet: Artists, musicians, barflys, refugees, hobos, the affluent, cool losers, alcohol and food abusers, stylists, fashionistas, perhaps a few baristas; mo's and breeders, the occasional bottomfeeder, trashy or chic, freak or unique, if yo biz be bangin'...bring it!
What are you guys doing on Thursday? Can I have friend over at Solo for my birthday party... this time this is Jen Seaman Miller not some Jen Miller impersonator!
