Ole Tapas Bar
(818) 986-3190
13251 Ventura Blvd
Studio City,
CA
91604
34.1465
-118.4214
What People Are Saying About Ole Tapas Bar
The Editor
Randi Schmelzer
Citysearch
In Short
Owner Patrice Lambert has swapped his eatery's sunny, French countryside decor for warm browns and burnt oranges, intimate booths, a long bar and three distinctively Spanish-muraled walls. The extensive tapas menu includes shareable cheese, olive and Serrano ham platters; chili-garlic fried calamari; and griled bruschetta with tomatoes, goat cheese and garbanzos. For more hearty appetites, entree specialties include salt-crusted beef tenderloin, garlic lamb chops, and paella de Ole, a steamy saffron rice mixed with chunky chorizo, chicken and seafood.
User Reviews
GlenbraeGuitaris
May 10, 2009
I love Spain, and have visited her a couple of times in the recent past. And I have enjoyed a variety of regional dishes, wines and mostly tapas that have sustained me throughout my travels. And it is my pleasure to report that Ole Tapas Bar is a breath of warm and dusky Iberian air right here in the San Fernando Valley. From the moment we were warmly invited into the darkly reddish, glowing interior, we knew that the mood and tastes of Spain awaited. We came specifically for Sangria and tapas. and we ordered accordingly. A pitcher of iced red sangria and the following: Pollo al Sabor de Granada--chicken breast strips with pomegranate sauce, and Pinchitos de Cordero--lamb brochettes in a sangria reduction sauce. We also enjoyed the Placa Caliente, which is an assortment of tapas featuring grilled shrimp, fried goat cheese in honey, patatas bravas, fried calamari, sauteed mushrooms and artichokes. We rounded out our meal ordering a fresh spinach salad with poached pear and goat cheese. Dessert was a lovely dish of sauteed banana carmelized in brandy, introduced into a puff pastry, baked and served with vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce and slivered almonds. Delicious and uncommon. The dishes were appetizingly presented and satisfying. We definitely intend to return and sample more of the eclectic Spain-inspired fare. We also wish to enjoy the live flamenco show hat is currently scheduled for Tuesday nights. The geography of southern California is very evocative of much of Spain. A meal and an evening at Ole Tapas Bar inspired memories and visions of our next journey to the ancient peninsula.
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Buke413
April 22, 2009
Spain is now arguably the top culinary destination in the Western world. Chefs across the Iberian peninsula are transforming simple ingredients into mouth-watering, original fare. Unfortunately, Ole Tapas Bar is anything but original or mouth-watering. My wife and I started our dinner with a couple glasses of wine. Mine was a Temperanillo that came from a bottle that was probably opened the previous week ... dry, chalky and flat. My wife ordered the sauteed mushrooms and artichokes which, after one bite, was ignored the rest of the evening. I ordered coconut shrimp with avocado sauce (avocado sauce? what is this ... mexico?) and they tasted like they came out of the frozen section of Trader Joe's ... and I love TJ's but I expected more. The final straw was when I bit into the lamb skewers and proceeded to chew for what seemed like days before washing it down with a whole glass of water. It tasted like rump roast ... and not in a good way. All in all, the only thing Spanish about this place were the busboys ... and they were probably Mexican ... so there you go. Que lastima!
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luv2paintthetown
February 23, 2009
I have been to this restaurant a hand full of times and I really like to food and the staff has always been super friendly. I just got engaged and wanted to have an engagement party somewhere near where I live, some place that was nice but also casual and somewhere that had good food. I thought of this place and boy, was I happy. We had around 50 people show up and we had the bar/ lounge area and a couple tables near the bar just for us. The food was terrific!! The staff, again, was so so nice!! And everybody really enjoyed themselves and just loved this place. Also, the sangria, white and red, is awesome. I seriously could not say anything bad about this place...and by the way, in an economy like this one, if you still are able to go out and eat, the prices here are super. I highly recommend Ole' :)
read full reviewThe Details on Ole Tapas Bar
What to Drink:
A wide-ranging wine list features mostly Spanish and California selections, as well as red and white sangria and inventive martinis.
Save Money:
Happy hour drink specials and dining deals are offered Monday to Friday 6pm-7pm
The Extras:
Although excessive alcohol consumption isn't encouraged, the restaurant will provide safe transportation home (within an eight-mile radius) for patrons who have had too much to drink.
Category:
Payment Methods:
American Express, Visa, MasterCard
Restaurant Special Features:
Late Night Dining, Romantic Dining, Outdoor Dining, Online Reservations, Group Dining, Dine At The Bar, Bar Scene, Notable Wine List
General Info:
Cuisine:
Smoking Permitted:
Yes
