Another amazing meal. We have been coming to Olea since it's opening. It was and has remained our absolutely favorite restaurant in New Haven! We always celebrate our anniversary and birthdays here. We have always had amazing meals and wonderful service. We prefer the tasting menu which offers smaller portions of multiple dishes allowing us to enjoy the great variety of chef Manuel Romero's wonderful creations. Each time we come the experience is amazing. Over the years we have enjoyed each new dish as it is presented beautifully. Flavors meld creating real enjoyment. There is nowhere I would prefer to dine. Service is attentive without hovering. So glad we discovered this gem all those years ago and so happy to have been able to be there as the menu has continued to be varied and always delicious. Thanks to all of the staff for the wonderful experience over the years read more

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Came here for Valentine's Day and every dish was amazing! Absolutely loved the duck confit and the pasta in the lamb ragu was amazing! Our service was great and the restaurant is very chic. It's really a romantic vibe with a great bar. Loved the wine pairing read more

TLDR: attentive service, delicious food, and calm ambiance. It's priced accordingly with such excellence but the money is justifiable. Stopped by Olea for the first time during Yale's commencement weekend. We made a reservation ~two weeks in advance for a party of 7, and they only had times on the earlier or later ends of what can be considered dinner time. I'd definitely make a reservation in advance. They didn't have their typical menu, and they were only serving their commencement prix fixe menu. It was $95 for an appetizer, entree, and dessert. Among all parties, we ordered: - Yellowfin tuna tartare: flavored with tomato, ginger, soy sauce, sesame seeds and aioli. Served with crispy wontons. I thought this was a generous portion of tartare and the tuna was super fresh. - Shellfish chowder: good, very creamy and cozy. I liked that it included Maine lobster as well as lobster oil and some clams and shrimp. A good variety! - Mediterranean Sea bass: my favorite dish! This entree featured a skin on filet branzino with clams, shrimp, mussels, potato, along with green peas all in a Spanish salsa verde. So delicious. - Sea scallops: these were unbelievably tender and wild caught from Japan. They served this with this perfectly spiced aji Amarillo-potato purée and this bell pepper-mango vinaigrette. - Chocolate textures: one of the dessert options; this felt a bit more scattered and less cohesive than some of the other dessert options but that's not to say it wasn't delicious. I was a bit confused by the rosemary-mint infused white chocolate soup, but I enjoyed the chocolate mousse ice cream sandwich and chocolate hazelnut ice cream. - Honeycomb bonbon: perfectly crunchy and not too sweet! Dark chocolate was the right level to balance out the white chocolate honey mousse. I believe they used a passion fruit curd. Great artistry in this dessert! - Caramel custard flan: one of the silkiest flans I've had. The ice cream was lemon flavored and the sponge cake was reminiscent of dulce de lèche. I'd totally go back in non graduation times to try their normal menu but wanted to highlight how beautifully their prix fixe menu was made! read more

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I've been waiting to try this place for quite some time! Very happy I did! I came for restaurant week and asked what the bartender recommended. He advised I get the soup which I probably would not have gotten but I'm happy I did. It was light, yet creamy and full of flavor. The beef cheek was tender and paired well with the gravy. A delicious meal! read more

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The service and food is 2nd to none. If you are ever in New Haven I highly recommend. Amazing! read more

Overall was an okay experience. For the price I want to feel blown away. The plating was nice but the dishes lacked brightness and depth of flavor. Service was fine, although at times I felt they were annoyed by us. Ambiance wasn't my cup of tea but that is a personal preference. I prefer a more warm and cozy vibe that is not as stale. read more

Olea - Duck Duck Leg Confit, somewhat dry, lacked flavor - Spanish Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

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Truly a great dining experience and a great place for celebrations (such as a graduation from a nearby prestigious university). All of the food was refreshing and clearly high quality. All of the dishes had their own unique take on their traditional recipes/presentation, and were thoroughly enjoyed by all dinner participants. I was pleasantly surprised to get appetizers on top of the pre-determined three course meal. The bread was fine, but nothing stellar or to remember. The potato/chives bite was unique, but combined with the bread, these were just unnecessary carbs. The pear salad was fresh, and the lotus root chips were unique. The charcutería board was a good sample of items, but I personally think it's a lot for an appetizer. The sea bass as my main entree was great, and the browned top with crispy skin was delicious. I just wish I had saved room from earlier in the day to savor it more! Lastly, the pavlova was good, but too sweet for my personal tastes. I liked the additions of the strawberry and other garnishes to make the dish sweeter, but was ultimately its downfall for my palette. Great place with good service and a beautiful dining interior. Would love to come back if I'm ever in the area again. read more

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Excellent, verging on perfect!!! Look no further for your next special occasion in New Haven. I did the tasting menu with the wine pairing, and it was truly an incredible meal. The gnocchi with duck confit and the dessert (each with a mind-blowing wine pairing) were real standouts, but I enjoyed every course and every wine. Only two notes: the mushroom in the beef cheeks dish was rubbery and had an odd flavor to it, although the rest of the course was great. And I was asked if I wanted coffee or tea with dessert, I asked for tea, but it was never brought. I didn't make a fuss because I needed to head out, and it really wasn't a huge deal, but I mention it just as something to improve. Overall, everything was exceptional and I will definitely be back!!! read more

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We came here for New Haven's restaurant week. Food was credible! In addition to the restaurant week menu, we also ordered octopus which was so good. The restaurant is super nicely decorated but it got a bit loud. The only thing that I didn't like was the service. Everything was very slow. We asked to add another appetizer 2 minutes after we placed the order. The waiter was very unhappy about it initially but still managed to place the order. In the middle of our dinner, he came over to complain to us again that the chef didn't like that we added another thing after we placed the order. What was the big deal??? read more

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What an amazing place. The decor was classy with a black and white theme. The food was delicious and well balanced. read more

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Lovely experience here. Came here on a Saturday with my wife. Sophisticated interior, sleek styling. Started with the thin sliced jamon iberico and it was tender but not overpowering. We then shared the following appetizers which were all prepared exquisitely and delicious: pulpo, chiparones, croquetas de rabo and fois gras. Excellent desserts and coffee. Attentive but not over-bearing service. Will be back. read more

Amazing food and service tonight. The specials were out of this world, Pear salad and oysters. Wow!

Had a great dinner. I ordered the grilled beef tenderloin. Service was good and ambiance was also very good. read more

The quality here makes you rethink restaurant standards. I discovered this place thanks to yelp tips. Restaurant team members showed exceptional support and friendliness. The kitchen delivers dishes of remarkable refinement. The strong ratings reflect the experience. read more

What a gem of a place. This restaurant is a bit off the beaten path. We had reservations which I suggest you make before coming. The restaurant is a bit small but with plenty of tables. We started with the charcuterie board which was an excellent start. It came with cured meats, cheeses, nuts, pâté and bread. My girlfriend also had the croquettes of rabo which she loved. For my entree I had The solomillo (steak with veggies) cooked perfectly. For dessert we had the torrija which was so creamy and delicious. Definitely, a great meal which we will definitely visit again. read more

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Despite being a New Haven native, I've never been to Olea. I knew at some point I'd make my way here so when I gave my friend the option to pick where she wanted to go for her birthday dinner, she chose Olea. I called ahead to make a reservation and the host let me know it was a pre-fixe menu due to it being Yale's Parents Weekend. It was a 3 course with dessert for $65, which was very reasonable. We got there for our 8:30pm reservation and got seated by the window. The menu had many options to choose from despite it being pre-fixe. For my appetizer, I got the pulpo, the salmon for my entree and the tropical (gave it to my friend) for dessert. The food was really good, as was my drink (white sangria). The reason for the 4 stars, versus 5 is because our waiter was extremely miserable and barely even made eye contact with us. He was visibly irritated and perhaps tired, which I can understand, but that wasn't fair to us. I tried asking questions about the menu but he could have cared less. What made it worse was it was a birthday dinner so at the very least, he could have been a bit more pleasant. Overall, we had a good time and I'll definitely be coming back here again. read more

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I had a nice dinner at Olea right before the Thanksgiving holiday. I was able to snag a day-of reservation, where I had a quick but enjoyable meal. The decor is modern yet inviting. I had the salmon (super flavorful and cooked just right) along with the chocolate textures. I loved the chocolate textures! They were small desserts with different chocolate variations (ice cream sandwich, mousse, nougat, and a milky drink). The chef also gave me a complimentary cookie. The service was so good! They were kind, welcoming, and gave great recommendations. This is a great little spot in downtown New Haven! read more

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From the quality of the entres to the deserts, Olea is a fantastic experience 5+ stars...

This is one of if not the best restaurant in New Haven! The food is incredible, surprisingly large portions. Highlights have been the Bacalao, Duck Confit, and the Pulpo appetizer. Perfect for a special occasion or date night, though it is loud (even on a Tuesday at 8, when we visited). They take reservations on OpenTable though we walked in and got one of the last tables. Service is very attentive, it's a bustling environment, much less stuffy and a bit younger than Union League, though definitely dominated by Yale people. read more

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This is the place to go if you want to be a little luxurious. The menu is actually very reasonably priced for how high quality it is. I've been a few times and the food is consistent. read more

It was my first time dining at olea and I was throughly impressed by the food and the ambiance. Our server was friendly - very knowledgeable about the menu and the space (the restaurant used to be an old garage!). As a party of six, we ordered several appetizers to share. Unfortunately, one of the appetizers we ordered was never brought out. Otherwise service was smooth. The food was fantastic - from the aperitif to the dessert. All the appetizers we tried were delicious but my favorites were the chipirones (silky squid ink sauce that was perfect on rice) and the ceviche (so flavorful and refreshing!). I ordered the scallops as my main course. The dish was beautifully plated and tasted even better! Others in our party ordered the chefs daily fish, duck leg confit, and cochinillo - every dish was stunning. I was impressed by the attention to detail paid to every single plate. You really can't go wrong ordering anything! It's definitely on the pricey side, but so worth it for a special occasion/celebration (or if you want to impress a date!). read more

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Wow this place is good. It's tucked away a little bit but still pretty easy to find right downtown. They validate at two local garages which is good because parking can be tricky. The place isn't huge and overall has a modern feel. It's a little noisy when it's crowded but not terrible. Lots of good wine choices though some can get pricey. The menu is fairly limited and very Spanish. One person in our group of 6 is not really an adventurous eater and struggled a little bit with the menu. I can personally say that the tuna tartar and octopus were both excellent and definitely recommend them. A couple of us had the cod special with olives and sundried tomatoes over polenta. It was also excellent. Others had the scallops and they were also reportedly very good. The only downsides to this place are the portions are rather small so you'll definitely want to get apps and dessert. And the prices are on the expensive side, especially when you add drinks, apps and desserts. But it's definitely worth it. Definitely one of the better restaurants in the area. Go there and enjoy! read more

Olea - Delicious cod - Spanish Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

Olea is a reliably impressive Spanish restaurant in New Haven, that has been providing delicious food, cocktails, and wine/sangria, with impeccable service, for years. My sister and brother-in-law had their wedding dinner here, and we've been going back nearly every time I come to visit. Tonight we had oysters, gazpacho, and their seasonal salad to start. Their cod special was perfectly cooked and seasoned, and my sister loved their short ribs. We were too full for dessert, which was a shame-- we will have to come back! read more

We went to Olea during Yale's graduation weekend, so they only had the preset menu. That said, the food was absolutely delicious and the service was truly outstanding. We were promptly seated after arriving for our reservation and received all of our courses quickly once we had ordered. The ambience was upscale without being too stuffy, pretty unbeatable for a New Haven restaurant. The food was innovative and delicious. If you get the chance, you should absolutely try the chocolate dessert with four different ways to prepare chocolate--it was one of the most unique desserts I have had in recent memory! Definitely on the pricier side, but would absolutely recommend for special occasions! read more

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The service was perfect, the presentation of each dish was beautiful, the food was delicious, and the wine pairings were on point. All in all the BEST tasting menu experience that I have had anywhere. Just WOW! Appetizer 1 : boqueron fish was a great marinade. Gazpacho was good, but flat. Cod fish ; the cod fish mousse stick was fantastic! The pairing with the White 2019 Rioja was spectacular. The cod would have been a highlight dish because it was amazing, but was overshadowed by the amazing mousse stick Lamb pockets were good, the celery purée had the Lemon come through very well, and the overall grouping of the radish, tomato, and olives was superb. Wine pairing from North of Madrid was less than ideal The duck confit alone was standard fare for a high end restaurant, but the overall dish with all elements combined was just perfect. Kudos to chef Romero! Once the desert came out which was heavily coconut oriented, the waiter came and suggested a change of wine to a Hungarian wine that was very similar to an Italian dessert wine... just perfect. I have never before had a wine pairing where the original wine was substituted because another choice was better for the dish. I was blown away! read more

Olea - Fantastic wine - Spanish Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

Fantastic dining experience! We were in town for my daughter's college graduation and ate here the night before. The restaurant offered a great dining atmosphere and the service and food matched the same level. Highly recommend if you're celebrating a special event or just looking to have a nice evening out. Enjoy! read more

Olea - Outside - Spanish Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

Food was exceptional. Staff was attentive and were very polite. Definitely an excellent date experience if you're looking for an intimate setting. read more

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Excellent menu selection. My gazpacho was very delicate in appearance and taste. Also my main dinner selection. Top choices. Service was extremely attentive too. Ambiance was also top notch. They deserve a 5 star plus. read more

Possibly the best meal start to finish that I have had. The tuna tartar was a fantastic start to the meal, follow by an incredibly tender and flavorful short rib. The mix of the rioja and cream sauces was fantastic and the accompanying vegetables added great flavor and texture as well. My wife got the cod and it too was extremely flavorful and perfectly cooked. We ended with one of the best deserts I've had - the vegan chocolate mousse. The mousse was rich and went very well with the lemon cake and the tanginess of the fresh fruit. To top it off, the sesame caramel crisps were a great touch. The music is not too loud and the ambiance is very nice for a fancy dinner. Highly recommend. read more

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My friends and I took advantage of their spectacular New Haven Restaurant Week deal and had a exquisite evening. From the moment you walk in you can tell this is a classy establishment. The waiter was extremely knowledgeable and kind throughout the meal, constantly tending to our needs as well answering any questions we had throughout the meal. Additionally, the sommelier was able to perfectly recommend to bottles of wine based on our requests. I want to point out that they were very accommodating for our vegan guest who was able to enjoy a fully vegan meal and even specially made a vegan chocolate mousse because there were no other vegan options on the menu. We decided to branch out from the pre-set restaurant week menu and share a few appetizers. First we had the oysters served with a spicy frozen garnish and a garlic infused vinaigrette. These were light fresh and delicious! The ceviche was topped with a wonderful foam and the acidity and sweetness were perfectly balanced! Not to mention the colorful display made it even more appetizing. Finally the star of the appetizers, the fois gras served over a delicious sauce exploded with savory flavor! The fois gras was spectacular and I highly recommend it! For the prefix menu I chose to start with Duroc Pork Belly. This colorful dish filled with sweet potato puree, pickle vegetables, red cabbage, and apple gastrique combined with the pork for a harmony of vibrant flavors! I was also able to taste my friend's clam-shrimp soup which I thought was light and refreshing and perfectly seasoned. For the entrée I was treated with the short rib risotto. This was delicious but not the highlight of the meal for me. It was very filling however, and the quail eggs were a nice touch! The berry-natilla tartlet's sparse plating provided a sort of path of wonder as each section of the plate provided a new tasty surprise! It was sweet yet light, and the textures between the custard, the meringues ,and the crumble added sensation to the flavor. Of course we had to finish the meal with a dessert martini! Yum! Overall this evening was filled with exquisite flavors, textures, and presentation. I can't wait to go again! Please see pictured as well some of my guests' choices! The 7-textured chocolate, the sucking pig, and the vegan chocolate mousse. read more

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My partner and I came here for dinner during New Haven restaurant week and we enjoyed the dining experience! This was the best restaurant in New Haven we've been to so far! We had the short rib ravioli and shrimp for appetizers and the monkfish and lamb shank for entrees. The food was flavorful, light, and cooked to perfection. The service was incredible and we enjoyed the ambience of the restaurant tremendously! We would return! read more

Parking: Street with a few public lots nearby. Decor: posh and stylish...after the reviews and pictures I had to see for myself. Love the up class feeling! Staff: very friendly and going the extra mile to make sure you are happy. Food: for having an executive chef on staff I expected a meal to remember...not the best memory. Had the steak, I took 3 bites after cutting through it with a chainsaw and sent it back. Wherever they buy the meats from needs to be put on notice. I can only describe it as eating a box of rubber bands. The waiter watched me try to cut through the medium rare steak and knew right away something was wrong. Wine selection: very nice options and will got back for drinks...and drinks only. Price: priced appropriately for the type of restaurant. Covid: nicely separated tables for safety with staff also wearing gear. Overall: it is a place to go for drinks but probably would look at trying other places for food. read more

Olea - Bar area - Spanish Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

Easily the best restaurant New Haven. This place could hold its own in larger cities. Wish they were in DC. Menu is a mix of Spanish and Mediterranean cuisine. We started out with the charcutería that comes with lomo ibérico, chorizo ibérico, manchego cheese, house-made pickled vegetables, marcona almonds, toasted bread, chicken liver pâté. Everything was perfect and a great starter to pair with wine. The true stand out for mains is the cochinillo, roasted boneless suckling pig, lemon, thyme, honey port wine, parmesan cheese dauphinois potato, petit mesclun salad. Not it takes extra time for them to make this dish (30+ mins) but its worth it. This is one of the best pork dishes I've had in years! Juicy flavorful meat with crispy skin. The desserts are exceptional not only on taste, but also as artistic creations. Check out the pic of the sweet forest for example. Wine list was strong. Service was great. Atmosphere was energetic without being overpowering. In other words, you can carry on a conversation at your table and actually hear everyone. We will be back for sure when we visit Yale again. read more

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This is hands down the highest quality restaurant in New Haven. Very sophisticated yet relaxed ambience , with exquisite and innovative food presentation. The service is impeccable. Really enjoyed their desserts and small nibbles they brought out throughout the meal read more

When researching best restaurants in New Haven (that weren't pizza places), Olea consistently showed up, so we had to check it out. We were very enticed by their tasting menu (nothing makes me happier than the restaurant making my selections for me), but we were disappointed to learn they only offer this menu on Tuesdays and Thursdays and we would be in town over the weekend. Oh well, no big - we made reservations for Saturday night very easily. They have a large enclosed seating area that sits in what looks like their parking lot. This was a great spot - the waiters had most things they needed in the area, and we felt safe in the space while still having a good experience. They did not rush us at all, but the food did come relatively quickly, so that helped expedite the meal itself. In terms of food, Olea has a lot of Spanish influences on their menu, featuring a good number of tapas but also larger dishes. We wanted to focus on the tapas, so we wound up getting 3 tapas to split between the 2 of us, as well as an entree to also split between the 2 of us. This was definitely plenty of food! For starters, our server brought us complimentary taster - I can't remember the name, but it tasted like a combination of egg, cheese, and potato encased in what seemed like a mini muffin tin. It was pretty basic, but still nice and light. For our selected tapas, we opted for the gazpacho, ceviche, and croquetas. The gazpacho was unique in that we were presented with a mixture of veggies in a dish, and then our server poured the "soup" overtop, followed by the bread crisp and almond foam. A unique take, but very nicely done! The ceviche was very fresh and authentic, and the cheesy "air" on top was a great finishing touch. However, the croquetas were the standouts - featuring oxtail beef, mushrooms, carmelized onions, and brussel sprouts, they were excellent. The flavors were so complex yet the dish was so welcoming. We were big fans! For our main dish, we split the suckling pig, which we would highly recommend. The meat was tender and perfectly crispy, and it sat atop a cheesy potato plank that was quite nice. I would never think to order pig at a restaurant, but we were both incredibly happy we did and would certainly get again. For drinks, we both got glasses of tempraniillo wine, which was nicely spicy and hearty to compliment our meal. Lastly, because we were celebrating our anniversary, we got complimentary small pastries to finish our meal - a nice gesture! Overall, we agree that Olea is a great finer dining spot in New Haven. I would definitely recommend getting a number of tapas to share, certainly getting the croquetas. If you want an entree as well, highly recommend the pig for a unique dish. We really enjoyed our meal at Olea to celebrate our anniversary, and we would love to make it back on future visits! read more

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Olea is my favorite fancy dine in restaurant in New Haven. Excellent service, well crafted food, and a lovely ambiance. Some of my favorite dishes here are the tapas. I love the oxtail croquetas, which are creamy and flavorful. They are well balanced with a meaty umami. Not too overpowering. The octopus dish was also quite good. The octopus was well cooked. Squid ink dish was fun - literally pieces of squid cooked in its own ink for a delectable and visually appealing sauce. Scallops here are pretty standard, perhaps slightly over cooked but decent. Sangria here is excellent and olea has a large wine selection. I never made it to dessert here, although the complimentary madeleines are always nice. My friends have said good things about the chocolate surprise. This restaurant is perfect for a date night or just a place to get good food and service. read more

Olea - Pulpo Y Socarrat - Spanish Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

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Super impressed with Olea. Probably the best gazpacho and one of the best short ribs I have ever had. The wine list, ambience and everything was awesome. read more

Olea - Pulpo Y Socarrat - Spanish Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

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Wow! I will start there. I have been so disappointed with dining out through covid. We were blown away with our dining experience last night. The restaurant was very modern with high ceilings and a classy upscale airy vibe. The tables were spaced a lovely distance apart where we were actually able to have a conversation with the other couple we were dining with without having to hear what our neighbors were talking about too. It was so delightful! They brought out a small amusè bouche of Spanish tortilla which was so divine. I love those sweet little touches. We shared the croquetas and pulpo to start. The croquetas contained a delicious oxtail/mushroom purée and were fried to crunchy perfection. The pulpo was beautifully served and so visually appealing - I couldn't wait to dive in. Aside from needing a sprinkle of salt and fresh ground pepper - it was the perfect mix of creamy and crunchy. The octopus was grilled perfectly and wasn't tough at all. For dinner - one person had the duck. She said it was delicious. The plating was exquisite and added to our dining experience. Who doesn't love beautiful food that tastes great?!? Two people got the braised short rib special that was cooked perfectly and was fall apart tender. I had the porchetta and OH MY!! Super crunchy on the outside with all that succulent juicy tender pork on the inside. It was served over these decadent 'Dauphinais' potatoes over the most delicious au jus that rounded out the dish perfectly. It was served with a small plate of lightly dressed greens which was the perfect addition to the rich pork and potatoes. We shared 2 desserts - torrija and chocolate textures. I didn't taste the torrija. The chocolate textures was actually 4 mini desserts - a tiny scoop of homemade chocolate hazelnut ice cream with a nougatine dust, a mint rosemary white chocolate 'soup', a tiny vanilla mousse and chocolate ice cream sandwich and this little chocolate cup of chocolate covered rice crispies with orange zest. Dessert was good but nothing really knocked our socks off. I would try the almond coconut cake next time. I honestly can't wait to return! It was exactly what I wanted/needed! read more

Squid ink pasta is so great! It is my husband's favorite. Every time we go back to new haven we would come. read more

Great restaurant, have been a few times and it's always a treat. Food is always top notch, drinks too, and staff are lovely. My only complaint: we sat at the bar last time and the stools are very uncomfortable. That's ok if you're just having a beer, but less so for a nice dinner that you're trying to savor. read more