Best new restaurant
Ana Sortun has been a culinary star - in a quiet, non-flashy way - since she revived the cuisine of
Casablanca in Harvard Square a few years back, transforming a stalwart watering hole into a diner's
destination. Now, with Oleana, she has freedom to range across North Africa and the Mediterranean, peppering
dishes with Egyptian, Turkish, and Armenian spices. Bostonians have taken quickly to the Hampshire Street
spot, former home of Daddy-O's, where meat, seafood, and vegetable dishes reveal Sortun's deft way with
flavor and texture. According to the menu, even potatoes are "of importance" here.
Oleana shares honors with another Cambridge hot spot. Long before Centro opened, chef Rene Michelena's
profile was already pretty high - Esquire praised his past venture, La Bettola - and expectations for his
new venture rose to match. This Mediterranean cousin to a bistro doesn't disappoint, despite its odd
relationship with the Good Life (diners enter both restaurants through a single door). The ingredients
shine, with flavors drawn from within, instead of from heavy sauces. The atmosphere is warm and romantic,
with food to swoon over, proving that anticipation isn't always the best part.
Oleana, 134 Hampshire Street, Cambridge, (617) 661-0505; Centro, 720 Mass Ave, Cambridge, (617) 868-2405.
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