Anticipation rose whenever I stood at the façade of Solari’s on the corner of Royal and Iberville streets in New Orleans’ French Quarter.
The heavy wooden double doors had glass inserts etched with the name Solari’s, and through them, you could see the bustling interior. Once you pushed the door open, the happy sound of clattering dishes, clerks talking and people enjoying themselves could be heard. Suddenly, you were aware of the delightful scents in the air, hot loaves of bread coming from the oven, coffee being brewed and spices from around the world.
Solari’s was known for imported exotic foods, spices and wines as well as local produce, meat and seafood. There were chocolates and cheeses from Holland, Switzerland and Belgium; pastas from Italy; ales from England; and barrels of olives from Spain. It was a “foodie” paradise then and would also be popular in today’s world. Solari’s was like our specialty food stores magnified — it provided for every culinary desire. All the items were displayed in an attractive manner, including fresh floral arrangements placed throughout the store…