Is Broughty Ferry tapas bar Sol y Sombra still worth a visit under new ownership?

It’s all in the details.

That’s the impression one gets upon a visit to Sol y Sombra in Broughty Ferry.

From the perfectly grilled Padron peppers to the hand-painted Spanish tiles which decorate the staircase.

Even the cute toilet signs which read ‘Senor’ and ‘Senorita’ (who wants to visit the ‘ladies room’ anyway?) are a nice touch.

The popular tapas bar, known for its authentic and high-quality dishes, has been a Broughty Ferry favourite since it opened on Gray Street in 2011.

Sol y Sombra customers leave mixed reviews after new owner takeover

So when it went up for sale last year, regulars were concerned that this could mark the beginning of the end for Sol y Sombra.

Thankfully, in June, it was taken over by the Dundee restaurateur Kelly-Anne Fairweather, who owns The Selkie tapas restaurants on Exchange Street and Brook Street.

It has since been well-received by customers.

However, some mixed reviews sparked a response from Kelly, who took to social media to clarify that the kitchen team has remained unchanged since she took over, while the food suppliers and menus have also stayed the same.

She added she was enjoying learning from staff, most of whom have been in place for more than 10 years.

Having visited several times under the previous owner – and loving it – I decided to book a table and see if it was as good as I remember.

And who better to join me than The Courier’s former food and drink journalist, Joanna Bremner?

Having recently taken up a role at our sister publication, the Press & Journal in Aberdeen, I met her off the train in Broughty Ferry before walking along to Sol y Sombra.

The Venue

The 1832 stone building, which sits prettily on the corner of the street, was lit up by the setting sun when we arrived.

With acoustic music playing, glamourous diners (it is a Saturday night after all) and cheerful staff buzzing about – the Mediterranean vibes were strong as we were shown to our upstairs table.

When it comes to food, they do things a little differently at Sol y Sombra.

The restaurant serves only set menus, with meat, pescatarian, vegetarian and vegan options.

The lunch set menu costs £19.50 per person while the dinner set menu costs £27.50.

The two-course offering changes every day but always consists of cold tapas (think tomato and onion salad and Moroccan-style fruit couscous) followed by hot tapas (the likes of pan-fried fish and chicken paella).

After telling the waiter our dietary requirements – pescatarian for me, meat for Joanna – we happily tucked into a bowl of juicy olives with garlic and spring onion.

This was followed by a basket of crusty bread, which we dipped into a bowl of aioli, made fresh onsite every day, which was perfectly garlicky and creamy.

Then the first course appeared, which had a nice mix of cold tapas to share, as well as a meat dish for Joanna and a fish one for me.

I was relieved to see many of the usual suspects, including the mixed bean salad, creamy potato salad, and, my personal favourite, manchego cheese drizzled with honey.

The pescatarian dish consisted of a sardine with horseradish sauce, a boiled egg and salad. This was my first taste of the salty little fish – and it was very nice indeed.

Joanna was head over heels with the chorizo, which she called “salty, smoky perfection”.

Sol y Sombra is the only tapas bar in Scotland to serve the Ibérico de Bellota meat – the highest grade of Spanish chorizo available.

Our second course once again included many dishes that regular customers will be familiar with, including fresh Padron peppers, patatas bravas and kebabs, with plenty of vegetarian, pescatarian and meat options.

Everything was beautifully presented in cast iron dishes and wooden platters.

Eating a roasted chicken drumstick, Joanna claimed it was the best she had ever had, with the tender meat falling straight off the bone.

For me, the Gambas al pil pil – juicy, sizzling tiger prawns cooked in garlic, parsley, white wine, pimientón and a little chilli – was the clear winner.

Only a couple of dishes disappointed.

The pan-fried cod was more dry and chewy than flaky. Still, the crispy fillet, which came with a wedge of lemon and a handful of rocket, was full of flavour.

Meanwhile, the vegetable paella was slightly undercooked, with an unexpectedly grainy texture.

We were also underwhelmed by our cocktails.

My non-alcoholic mojito just tasted like lemonade with mint, while Joanna’s Cosmopolitan was watery.

It is worth pointing out that, at least on first impressions, some of the dishes do not seem to require a great deal of technical skill (feta and watermelon cocktail sticks, I am looking at you).

However, that doesn’t take away from the fact they tasted great.

Plus, the simplicity of such dishes allowed the high quality of the ingredients to shine through.

Indeed, many of the items – including the Padron peppers, Morcilla (a kind of Spanish black pudding) paella rice and paprika, are imported from Spain.

Meanwhile, the fish is locally sourced from Perth-based Campbell’s and the chicken from Yorkes of Dundee.

The verdict

So does Sol y Sombra still deserve its glowing reputation? Yes, at least in my books.

The venue maintains its charm and high-quality tapas, with a continued focus on authenticity and detail under its new ownership.

As the adage goes – and it appears to have been employed here – “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.

Information

Address: 27 Gray St, Broughty Ferry, Dundee DD5 2BH

Tel: 01382 776941

W: www.solysombratapasbar.co.uk

Dog-friendly: No.

Price: £68.20 for two dinner set menus and two cocktails.

Scores:

Food: 4.5/5
Service: 5/5
Surroundings: 5/5

Read our latest restaurant reviews online here, or every Saturday in the food and drink magazine, The Menu.