In an average student’s life, their schedule consists of running from class to work with little time in between. Because of this, fast food is often one of the few options for meals. If you want to eat healthy, that option obviously won’t work. Luckily, Soluna gives a healthier alternative to your standard fast-food fare.
Catering manager Annette Lockett said Soluna stands for "sun and moon" in Spanish. Lockett also said everything the restaurant sells is prepared "fresh every morning. We bake the bread at 5 a.m., for example."
What’s intriguing is the variety of options. The menu features several different kinds of pizza and a bevy of sandwiches. The panini, an Italian-influenced sandwich made with signature grilled bread, automatically stood out to me because of fond memories of eating those in France.
I chose the southwest chicken panini, made with Monterey Jack cheese and chipotle mayonnaise, among other ingredients. It’s safe to say I wasn’t disappointed.
Soluna also recently unveiled a variation of its panini. The mini-nini combo features two smaller paninis along with a drink. The options are honey-roasted chicken, turkey and veggie. In addition, there is a card that you can have stamped: five stamps will get you a free mini-nini combo. This combo is essential for those who are in a hurry but also want to be health-conscious: the mini-ninis have less than 10 grams of fat combined. Another plus is that Soluna offers the option for you to call in your order and pick it up quickly.
Lockett also recommended the California turkey sandwich, which features avocado, lettuce, tomato and cucumbers on wheat-berry bread.
For those who operate on a less hectic schedule, there are items on the menu that you can sit down and enjoy. For example, there are salads such as the grilled chicken Caesar salad and the cranberry and Mandarin orange salad.
And for those who start their days early, Soluna accommodates with a 6:30 a.m. opening time. The breakfast menu includes items, such as croissants, scones, bagels, parfaits and even oatmeal.
Soluna closes its doors at 4 p.m. and is located in the Texas Medical Center, at 1020 Holcombe Blvd.
