THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Olana

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Olana Restaurant Review:

It’s easy to find Olana, the only bright spot on a lonely stretch of Madison Avenue, with its tall red armchairs and candle lights spilling out onto the street. The happy buzz surrounds you upon entering the lounge, crowned by a circular bar and mirrors galore. Named for the Hudson River home of artist Frederick Church, the eatery trumpets its theme on each nook and cranny of the sky-high-ceilinged dining room. Fortunately, chef Al di Meglio (late of Le Cirque and Osteria del Circo) paints a prettier palette on the plates than the loud Hudson River scenes on the walls. A young-pea soup laps at an original bacon panna cotta and crispy octopus frolics with a chickpeas, radish and celery medley. A duck egg, nicely poached, sits atop a nest of braised leeks and wild mushrooms sprinkled with Bleu d’Auvergne. Slow-roasted halibut floats alongside a delicate bean ragoût, and a loin of rabbit stuffed with apricot, almond and foie gras makes for subtle flavor. The pasta selections and addictive sambuca chocolate crêpes may owe more to the chef’s Italian background than to countryside inspiration, but it’s all Americana from there. Old- and new-worlds are well represented on the extensive wine list.