Ola’ Wallingford is Oh so O-la’la

Latin food is for lovers and Ola’ Wallingford is oh so “O-la la la.” When a restaurant describes itself with phrases such as New World Latin cuisine and shows images of its food pristinely and exquisitely plated, my palate curiosity is piqued. I need to know more. I need to dive into my computer screen and taste the perfection. So, when I arrived to experience Ola’, I was afraid I would be disappointed.

The décor immediately invited and enveloped me in a tropical latin experience complete with sunset palm tree murals, dim lighting, and dark woods, although the “find your beach” poster was a tasteless play on words that reduced the quality of the overall experience. The bar to the right was dark and did not lure me over, but I was there to eat and the dining room was enchanting, even if it felt slightly awkward in its use of space. I blame the building and not the restaurant itself for that flaw and moved on to embrace the forthcoming experience.

The drink list was entirely tropical including a wide array of mojitos, a few variations on the margarita, and even some unique coffee cocktails. I opted for a pineapple margarita for two, which was delicious with chunks of pineapple and a tartness that was fitting and not overly sweet, even if the rim was not salted. The massive martini glass in which it came was fun and flirty, but less than appealing when I touched it and felt it was plastic. Forgivable, but admittedly it affected my margarita experience.

I was so excited to get my hands on one of the beautifully plated entrees that I entirely forgot to order an appetizer and it was alright, because the entrees were large and filling, while also being as gorgeous as their website portrayed. Ola’ did not disappoint since I enjoy eating as much with my eyes as with my mouth.

The table nearby was ordering tapas and they looked delicious and I had begun to reconsider my own selection when our food arrived.

Cana was salmon perfection with its crunchy, sugar cane-dark rum caramelization that made my taste buds dance, on top of a bed of quinoa prepared with baby spinach, shitake mushrooms and sweet plantains and drizzled with a red pepper, ginger, lemongrass salsa. The entire experience of this dish was something I felt I could happily eat night after night.

Campo was a delicious, moist and decadent marinated and charbroiled free-range chicken with a carribean coconut rice and beans, plated with grilled scallions and a tomato salsa. While the chicken was absolutely marvelous, and the grilled scallions were sweetly caramelized, the rice and beans lacked coconut flavor and fell flat in comparison to the other elements on the plate.
Our waiter was perfect. He was there when we needed him, and appropriately absent when we did not. He paced the food and drinks appropriately and offered a second margarita for two, which we declined. The music was fun and thematically appropriate to the restaurant with a latin flair I felt as if I could get up and salsa to, but it was just a touch too loud at times and could possibly have been a distraction as well.

While the restaurant was filled with mostly women, appearing to be a great ladies night out destination, this would also make an exquisite date choice. In fact, I found it perfect for either a first date or even a special occasion.

I highly recommend Ola’ for some fun and sexy latin oh-la-la-la.

Ola’ is located at 728 North Colony Road in Wallingford. Additional information including their menu can be found on their website.