American celebrity chef Todd English is known for his modern take on Italian food, but Olives has a broader Mediterranean menu. The venue is classy, with green and gold décor that is mildly reminiscent of a gentleman’s club, but lunch is a little hit and miss.
Hit: the red oak salad with poached apple, Belgian endive and red onion was fresh and different. Miss: the sweet potato bravas offers an interesting twist on a tapas classic with a honey-jalapeño sauce instead of spicy tomato. However, it is much too sweet. It also lacked enough salty feta to balance it out. Hit: the pepperonata flatbread with stewed peppers is very moreish and the portion is massive. Miss: the vegetable tortellini, billed as summer squash, baby carrots, peas and a sage butter sauce. The veg turns out to be a topping with an almost tasteless cheese inside the pasta, and the combination of three vegetables from a similar flavour group (sweet) seems unnecessary.
The service is very friendly and attentive, however, and the mood is chilled. With a lack of natural light and more moody interiors, though, we think this is better as a dinner spot.
The Bottom Line
Interesting food combinations, but they don’t always work.
