Oleana Restaurant

Oleana opened in 2001 to rave reviews from the press and diners alike. It’s not surprising once you’ve tasted Ana Sortun’s outrageously inventive food, including chickpea crêpe with smoked cinnamon aioli, or lamb steak with Turkish spices & fava bean moussaka. Small producers comprise the wine list at Oleana and are carefully chosen to complement the style of spice. But a meal at Oleana isn’t complete until you’ve tried one of pastry chef Maura Kilpatrick’s desserts. She is especially known for her homemade ice creams infused with an Eastern Mediterranean sensibility, such as cocoa-rose ice cream with a date-rose truffle, or salted butter ice cream with a pumpkin-brown butter crêpe. Oleana’s award-winning patio with a fountain, herb garden and fig tree is the perfect place to spend a sultry summer evening. But winter nights in the dining room are pretty warm and welcoming too, with Turkish carpets on the wall, a homey fireplace and banquette seating. There’s an open kitchen at Oleana, and it is tiny. But the flavors and creativity that emerge from it are as big as they come.