THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Oliva

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Oliva Restaurant Review:

Denizens of the East Village and Lower East Side had no idea what they really craved was Basque cuisine until this appealingly rustic restaurant opened on Houston Street, complete with arched ceiling and colorful tile floor, which, as one might imagine, creates a cacophony when the room is full. Oliva's menu has enough safety zones to please the nonadventurous but strives to be authentic. A Downtown crowd orders pintxos, an appetizer assortment great for sharing; tender merluza (hake) in a fragrant salsa verde; and good scallops in a squid ink sauce. A Spanish wine from the list makes a good accompaniment, as does the ever-present pitcher of sangría.