Olive Tree Restaurant
Bristol
In één oogopslag
Beoordelingen
3/5 stars Dinner at Olive Tree was a mixed experience for me. There were some genuinely excellent dishes throughout the tasting menu, but the overall atmosphere and service style left me uncertain whether I’d return. Highlights included the Sladesdown Farm Duck first course, which was incredibly light despite looking rich and substantial. The Black Treacle and Rye Bread with clotted cream butter and lamb fat was outstanding, and the Cornish monkfish with caviar and mussels was delicious, though I felt the fish itself leaned slightly overcooked. The lobster course was enjoyable as well, especially the claw meat, though again the tail was just past perfect for me. Some dishes didn’t quite land. The Islands Chocolate dessert was very good, but the balsamic and olive oil additions felt unnecessary, and the Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb simply wasn’t to my taste. What ultimately affected the evening most, however, was the service dynamic. Early in the meal, another guest asked whether a jacket was expected, and while reassuring them that it wasn’t required, the host went on at length about how formal dining standards were outdated. Since I was wearing a jacket, the exchange felt oddly pointed and uncomfortable. Throughout the evening the host maintained a level of overfamiliarity and casual joking that, to me, crossed into unprofessional territory. Interestingly, another diner I spoke with the following morning independently described the same host as “odd” and “too comfortable,” so it clearly wasn’t just my perception. This wasn’t a terrible experience by any means. There is obvious talent in the kitchen, and several dishes were memorable. But when dining at this level, hospitality and atmosphere matter just as much as execution on the plate, and the overall tone of the evening left an unfortunate aftertaste.
We went for the lunch option which was cracking value. If you’re based around the south west this should absolutely be on your list. You get the Michelin tasting experience for great value. The highlight for us was the langoustine. We loved the touch of the chef talking you through the dish. Service was exemplary.
Disappointing- I can only speak for the vegetarian menu but it was poor. The dishes (generally) were oversweet and the wines paired with them did nothing to cut through this but just added to the sweetness. As an overall meal the dishes and wine continued to build in sweetness, with the only salvation being the bread (also containing treacle) which offered a distraction to the palette. There were two courses ( the cauliflower and the ravioli ) which were not good though and left the majority of the course on the plate. As I say I can only speak for the vegetarian menu and I suspect that the standard menu is more balanced , complex and with better flavour combinations but I cannot attest to this. As a “sort of vegetarian “ ( I do on occasion eat meat) I feel the Land restaurant in Birmingham knocks the olive tree into a cocked hat , I would recommend the kitchen staff to visit and experience what an accomplished vegetarian meal taste like . Disappointing given the price but it was clear that Valentine’s Day had taken its toll on the kitchen, that said the staff were all very friendly and pleasant. For a vegetarian I would not recommend .
Food was nothing to shout about. The service was fine on the whole but the insistence on making the chefs present each dish made for an extremely awkward meal! As in every walk of life, some chefs were suited to this task and some most certainly weren’t. Why put them through it? Work to your strengths. I felt really bad for a couple of them, it was excruciating. Food wise, the dishes were nicely presented. But, for a restaurant to actually have a specific vegan menu, you’d expect them to have a clue about protein sources. People often ask “where do you get your protein from” when asking about a plant based diet… well, based on the Olive Tree menu, apparently vegetables! It’s very simple: tofu, seitan or tempeh as a primary protein source, along with a secondary source of legumes, lentils etc. Just look at the comparison of the two menus and imagine the nutritional values of both. With one round cocktails, a bottles of wine and dinner for four coming to over £800, I expected a lot better.
