olea — Restaurant in New Haven

Date night at its best. We bumped into this gem while travelling to NYC. The ambiance is subtle. No backround music muffeling actual conversations. I think it helped open our senses to the food. We ordered the octopus and pork belly(specials) as apps. The octopus was perfectly cooked. It had hints of smoke to it, as it was perfectly charred. The pork belly was crispy and sweet and paired elegantly well with the delicious light sauce. Our entres comprised of the scallops and steak. I orderrd the steak medium and it was done as ordered and paired well with the crunchy root veggies. Delightful. My wife ordered the scallops. The chef caramalized the top perfectly and added a nice punch with the pickled micro veggies on top. It was paired with a sauce that had a warmth that comprised of a hint of corn. I wish I could decontruct the ingredients to describe it better. They amalgamated well. Dessert was mindblowing. It transported us to a tropical island. Tropical- named so appropriately had a coconut cake in a mild chocolate dome with mango gelatin and the most deliciously decadant coconut icecream. It was topped with a crunchy coconut meringue crisp. It had a lovely texture which elevated the whole experience. Perfect ending to our much awaited date night. Thank you chef. We shall...

Olea was excellent.

The decor and ambiance was a nice balance between the historic feel of the building and the modern touches. It felt like a special place without being snooty.

The service was A+. Our waiter was cordial, knowledgeable and warm while maintaining a casual ease. A particular highlight was when my wife asked for a suggestion on a red wine and instead of giving her his choice between her two candidates, he asked what type of wine do you like? and upon her answer, he replied I'll get something from the back just for you and completely nailed what she was asking for. Pretty cool.

Most importantly, the food was excellent. My appetizer was their special, butternut soup w/ a hunk of brie while she ordered their octopus on a bed of an al dente potato type of salad. Both were excellent.

My entree was bay scallops on polenta w/ potato mist, finely diced chili peppers, potato foam and lemon. On the other side of the table was eggplant wrapped in a very thin pasta which resembled enchiladas.

The dessert was a honeycomb white chocolate bonbon [it was gold and shiny!] w/ lavender ice cream and little honey crumbles with edible flowers. Not the style of dessert I'd typically go for, but it was...

Celebrating my friend's first wedding anniversary, we chose Olea for its promise of a delightful dining experience. Our visit on a Thursday evening at 7 PM was off to a fortuitous start with a parking spot directly in front of the establishment. Olea welcomed us with an ambiance that was both elegant and comfortable.

Our party of four embarked on a culinary adventure, sharing an array of dishes including ceviche mixto, tartar de atun, the chef's daily fish selection, and cochinillo. The ceviche mixto was particularly to my liking, while my wife and her friend were impressed with both the fish selection and the cochinillo. Each dish affirmed Olea's commitment to excellent cuisine, with no single choice falling short of our expectations.

The service paralleled the quality of our meal, characterized by attentive and insightful recommendations from our waiter, enhancing our experience. For those new to Olea, soliciting the staff's favorites is a practice I'd endorse.

My rating for Olea stands at a well-deserved 5 out of 5. The restaurant has earned a return visit from me whenever I'm seeking a welcoming atmosphere and a meal that...