Oleana Restaurant

I feel like a true local now that I've checked off Oleana. I tried Sarma a few weeks ago and had high expectations that its sister restaurant would deliver the same level of excellence. Oleana surely did.

The inside has a cozy, elegant vibe. There are many tables packed together, along with bar seating. You will need a reservation, so plan accordingly.

There were multiple servers who waited my table throughout the night. The Baked Alaska was the only predetermined menu item for me; the rest, I went by my server's recommendations.
- Spinach Falafel: This dish came with three falafels on sliced wrap runways and a salad and was the most filling of the plates that I ordered. The salad felt like an afterthought, but the falafels were crispy on the outside and thick, soft, and nutty on the inside. The pickles added a punch that really tied the dish together.
- Deviled Eggs: The tuna was fresh, plentiful, and a nice consistency. I liked this plate and tried it because it is supposedly a crowd favorite, but I feel like it is hard to get deviled eggs wrong, so I probably would not get this again because of the price point for what it is.
- Vermont Quail Kebab: This was my least favorite. The quail was seasoned well but a bit overcooked, so it was tough. The rice that it was served on was bland and a bit mushy, except for some parts that had a crispy texture like clay pot rice.
- Sultan's Delight: The tamarind beef was tender and flavorful. It would have been too salty if not for the eggplant purée, which balanced it. The basil was a nice touch too. This and the falafel were my favorites of the night.
- Baked Alaska: I did not enjoy this dessert as much as I wanted to, but there was no way I could go to Oleana without trying it. Granted, I braved this dessert alone, which would have been better shared, as it is quite heavy. This was my first time trying a baked Alaska, so I had no point of reference, but I liked the different textures/flavors: the tangy lightness of the meringue, the cold, creaminess of the coconut ice cream, and the thick, neutral cake.
- Turkish Coffee: This was also my first time trying a Turkish coffee, but I needed a pick-me-up. As someone who doesn't drink a lot of coffee, I don't feel qualified enough to rate this, but it tasted like a normal dark coffee to me. It also came with a Turkish delight.

Overall, I was happy with my experience and would come again to try more plates. There are many similarities between Oleana and Sarma, but each has its own respectable charm.

My favorite restaurant in Cambridge! We went here for a celebratory team dinner, and the ambiance was warm, casual, and intimate.

Stand-outs on the menu were the desserts! Definitely get the Baked Alaska. Excited to come back and try more of their mezze

With nearly 2k reviews, you know this is a restaurant worth trying. So I'm going to keep it short and sweet with what we ate and what I'd recommend.

Fantastic and would highly recommend:
- Fatteh
- Vermont Quail Kebab
- Spinach Falafel
- Baked Alaska

Good, but not great:
- Scallops & Spanish-Style Bean Stew
- Whipped Feta
- Almond Cremolata
- Seasonal Sharbat (cocktail)

Would not recommend
- Deviled Eggs
- Bamboo Improved (cocktail)

My sister recommended checking out this restaurant, but we weren't able to get a reservation even after trying 2.5 weeks in advance. We ended up walking in on a Saturday evening around 6 pm. It was a 90 minute wait, but we finally got bar seating. I was elated when I learned that they have a vegan menu which is basically all the vegan items from the main menu on one page. We got 5 items for 2 people plus dessert (about $45 per person not including drinks) and were very satisfied. The Za'atar bread and Topik were my favorites, but my sister enjoyed the Gigante beans which came with walnuts and pomegranate in a sour sauce that personally was too tart and sour for me. The flavors were all very unique, and the textures very balanced. The staff were all very professional and friendly. Overall it was an extraordinary meal--just wish we could have gotten a reservation to save time. We saw some people making their next reservation as they were leaving!

The ambiance was modern with a Turkish touch in the decor. I didn't have to wait as I got to the restaurant 5 minutes before the opening and there was no line. I sat in the bar area and was the first to enter. I ordered Fatteh, Spinach Falafel, Lamb & honeynut squash moussaka, and Baked Alaska.

Fatteh - wow! This is a must! All the veggies combined with the crispy outer shell and yogurt dressing were so delightful in my mouth! And the pine nuts added a nutty flavor and more crunch to every bite.

Spinach Falafel - yum! Each 3 pieces of falafel was sitting on top of beet tzatziki and had tahini as a hat. Each falafel had a pita(?) bread along with a pickle and a small salad. The falafel had a crunch outer layer and warm inside. I was told to wrap the falafel and eat it with my hands but I chose to use my forks and knives. It was a bit messy to eat but it was delicious.

Lamb moussaka - this dish was heavy. I don't usually like lamb so this was my least favorite. The brussels sprouts were good additions to the dish.

Baked Alaska - great presentation! I've had my fair share of baked Alaska but this was my least favorite. The caramel was way too overwhelming.

I would definitely come back to try more fish and veggie dishes!!

I have been wanting to come here for so long and it did not disappoint! Definitely pricey but almost every dish was so good! I heard good reviews about the spinach falafel but that was my least favorite dish - the texture was too uniform and it didn't have anything to break up the flavor either. My favorites were the chopped salad, quail kebab, and sultan's delight (which our server told us has been on the menu for 25+ years). My date really liked the hummus dishes and said the mussels grew on him as he continued to eat it. The mussels themselves weren't fried as the name of the dish seemed to suggest, but rather the peppers were fried. The wine the server recommended was also so good - it was very light and crisp which I like. The food comes out as it is made though and our first 3-4 dishes came out so fast I felt like we couldn't keep up - I wish they were able to pace it better. Our server recommended 3-4 dishes per person so we ordered 7 dishes plus dessert but that was definitely more than enough for the two of us.
The ambience was super cozy and they had a little fireplace thing too. However, I wish we were sat on the side rather than in the middle of the walkway since my date kept saying he would accidentally elbow people as they walked by since it was so squished.

Great for Mediterranean inspired small dishes to share!

Some recommendations:

Small Plates:
warm buttered hummus: 5/5
lamb chop special: 5/5
eggplant moussaka: 4.5/5
deviled eggs: 4.5/5
vermont quail kebab: 4/5
whipped feta: 4/5

Desserts:
Kunefe: 5/5
baked alaska 5/5
macadamia baklava 4/5

Oleana doesn't disappoint. The small shareable plates are very good and I absolutely love their desserts. The Kunefe is very well done with it's crunch and ginger ice cream. It just can't be beat! Their Baked Alaska with passion fruit syrup is also fantastic.

In addition to having some unique and creative dishes, their service is also very good. Each time I've been there, our server has been attentive to any requests or questions we've had. They've made sure if the table was uneven to put table leg levelers and also clear the table and wipe it down between waves of plates being served.

The restaurant itself has a pleasant atmosphere that isn't too loud. There is patio seating as well for when the weather is nice. No parking lot so you may have to walk a little ways to the restaurant from street parking.

Our group of 6 booked our reservation a month in advance. Depending on group size it is hard to get a spot without a reservation.

Shared plates dining can be difficult because there is bound to be certain dishes that are better than others. I found out you really can't go wrong with this place - everything was delicious. Clearly the staff here also love the food - I could hear the excitement in their voice when talking about some of their favorites. The dishes were creatively presented and all of the flavors were spot-on, well-balanced, and texturally interesting.

We sat inside because of the weather that day and it was cozy, but the outside patio looked super cute (walk-in only though). I'll be back to try out some more of their menu and their patio too.

I highly recommend making reservations although it looks like you can walk-in if it's early in the night. A line of people are at the door as soon as they open doors for dinner. The service was great. Our server was very knowledgeable.

The rose lemonade and seasonal sharbat greatly complimented the food we had for dinner. The fatteh was a great way to start our dinner. The sultan's delight was very tender and the flavors were paired very well. Although I'm not typically a fan of eggplant, the eggplant puree was delicious. The special of the night was a lamb dish that was also very tender and very good. The gyros was a little messy to eat but the potatoes in it and the picked onions were delicious. For dessert, we had a macadamia nut baklava with some vanilla ice cream which was a first for me, but just as good as pistachio baklava.

We ordered the perfect amount for two people, I would definitely come back!

What an incredible experience. The food, the atmosphere, and the service were all amazing. All of the dishes were prepared well and tasted at the very least very good to amazing. Definitely get a reservation here (and come a little early to find street parking) because even on a Tuesday night it was packed to the brim.

My favorites were the Za'atar Bread & Cucumber Cacik, Spinach Falafel, Lamb & Eggplant Moussaka, and Sultan's Delight. The only thing that was maybe mildly disappointing was the fried mussels but only because I didn't feel like there was anything special about them - they were still cooked well and flavorful. Their mocktails are delicious as well - I got the seasonal spritz (strawberry black lime) which tasted like an elevated strawberry soda. The rose lemonade was also good, although it is on the lighter side rather than having a strong rose flavor. The baked alaska dessert is visually stunning and delicious, and the almond cremolata had a delicious and complex taste and texture profile that I suspect I could say about any dessert on that menu. Truly a delicious meal, would definitely come again.