Bury New Road, Prestwich
Solita is one of the best
burger joints in the North. It first came to my attention when the Prestwich branch
opened a couple of years ago, but there’s actually four flagship restaurants
throughout Greater Manchester, the original being in the city centre’s Northern
Quarter. Primarily a burger shack, which is obvious given the logo, it’s good
quality American dining, with steaks and grilled seafood also on offer.
I first heard about Solita
because of one thing in particular, the mysterious yet delicious sounding
cheeseburger spring rolls. As soon as these words rang through my ears, I made
it my mission to visit Solita and try them out. Entirely for research purposes,
I’m sure you understand.
My conclusion? Solita have
struck gold with their hybrid creation. The cheeseburger spring rolls are a
sensation, almost bringing tears to the eyes as I took my first bite. Simply
looking at them lying on the plate in front of me, with pots of tomato ketchup
and mustard for dipping, was enough to make my mouth water. The consuming of
the said starter was a glorious ten minutes which I aim to replicate as frequently
as possible. The meat inside the spring rolls was nicer than any cheeseburger I
have ever eaten, so succulent and juicy, loaded with gooey American-style burger
cheese. All the flavours of the burger were recognisable, packed inside each
little spring roll, right down to the gherkin. From this moment, I was in love
with Solita and the cheeseburger spring rolls make each and every visit
worthwhile.
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| Cheeseburger Spring Rolls |
Putting my sensible head on
for a few seconds, I made the tough decision not to start with the cheeseburger
spring rolls, hoping and praying that my sacrifice would be worth it when it
came to dessert.
Jumping straight into the main
course, I had the Breaded Storm burger. I’ve tried most of the burgers on the
menu that take my fancy, so I wanted something a little different. The Breaded
Storm was built from two breaded cod fillets, with lettuce, tomato, American
burger cheese and homemade tartare sauce. It sounded like a giant fish finger sandwich,
and I was excited when it arrived and I discovered that’s exactly what it was.
The cod fillets were huge, so fresh they fell apart in the bun. I’d never have
thought cheese could work on fish, but it added that extra bit of texture and
flavour, also helping to hold the salad together. It was very messy to eat, as
the top and bottom buns were lathered in chunky tartare sauce. For some, it may
be overpowering, but when it comes to tartare sauce, for me, it’s a case of the
more, the merrier.
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| Breaded Storm |
It’s becoming increasingly
common for you to have to order fries separately in a restaurant. Whilst Solita
gives you the option of upgrading to sweet potato fries or several ‘loaded’
choices, standard skinny fries come with every burger, which is exactly how it
should be. I also appreciate that their burgers are served on traditional buns,
rather than brioche, as, although it’s tasty, it falls apart and makes a burger far too
messy to be enjoyed.
Being honest, on Easter
Monday, our main courses were more like a nice little warm up for the big
finish: bring on the cheesecake spring rolls. There was so much riding on them,
so a part of my overly excited brain told me that I should, perhaps, prepare to
be a little disappointed. Thankfully, this was a pep talk that wasn’t needed.
They were sensational.
Vanilla and chocolate swirled
cheesecake cooked in filo pastry and served with a chocolate sauce for dipping,
they looked so much better in real life than the photos advertised. Warm and
gooey, oozing with delicious filling, they were gloriously sickly and you could
almost feel them sticking to your throat as they slid down. Because a bit of
extra indulgence is exactly what you need at the end of the Easter weekend,
right? Exactly how spectacular they were is incomprehensible. They have to be
tasted to be believed.
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| Cheesecake Spring Rolls |
I took my time, savouring
every mouthful. My friend and I sat in silence, staring longingly at these
deep-fried bundles of joy we had in front of us. Conversation wasn’t necessary.
We knew what each other were thinking. One of the very best desserts I have
ever had, and I’ve certainly had a lot.
Genuinely emotional at the
prospect of these delightful creations never meeting our mouths again, we informed
the waiter that these need to become a permanent fixture. Cheesecake can come
in all sorts of flavours, imagine the variety? They could have a whole dessert
section on the menu devoted to different kinds of cheesecake spring rolls. The
possibilities are endless. With so many burger joints out there, if there’s
anything that could make Solita stand head and shoulders above the rest, it
would be that.
Website: http://www.solita.co.uk/
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