It's been a while since The Olive resumed its dine-in operations at Mehrauli, New Delhi. Touted to be one of capital's most sought after restaurants Olive is renowned for providing holistic dining experience for their patrons. The blue door, the banyan, the luxurious courtyard and the incandescent walls do their bit to amplify this experience, but ultimately it is the food that stays with you, and aren't we glad! Mixing up the farm-fresh produce and locally sourced ingredients to whip up exotic treats has been Olive's forte. We dined there after a good couple of months, and does Olive match up to its former glory in the post-Covid world? Let's find out.
The hygiene baskets carrying sanitisers and napkins perched atop spacious tables, and cutlery wrapped cloth makes quite an impression as soon as you step foot in the courtyard.
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Conceptualised by Chef Dhruv Oberoi, the new menu stays true to local and seasonal eating but with a refreshing upgrade. The balance of flavours, the immaculate textures of all the salads truly made for a heartwarming start. We started out with the chunky avocado, apple and millet salad that we paired with super thin and delicate tuna carpcacio. We followed it up with the burrata and tomato, made with creamy burrata undercut by seasonal citrus fruits, balsamic, pesto, and some toasted almonds for crunch. This salad we paired with parma ham slices, and recommend you to do the same. The beetroot and plum salad is ideal for those who are always up for something sweet and cheesy. The excellent blend of beetroot, goat cheese, hazelnut crumbles, jamun chutney made for a delight. As for the cold cuts, it was the smoked duck this time.
Next, we tried our hands on the tortellini stuffed with amaranth leaves and parmesan cheese. Served with the side of kale and parmesan chips, this tortellini is a must-try. So is the Scottish salmon served with buttermilk veloute, Brussel sprouts and potatoes. Simple and classic. The warm and toasty cheese souffle remains in the new menu too and that is quite a reason to celebrate.
The Belgian pork belly served with roasted beetroot, cherry puree and buttery mash makes a smashing statement as well.
Do save some room for the dessert, as you cannot leave without trying their Tiramisu which was conceived during the lockdown months. The DIY dessert comes in a dainty basket that you are supposed to 'unlock'. In the basket, you'd find a jar of mascarpone cheese, some whipped coffee (inspired by the whole Dalgona trend), some liqueur, some biscuits and doughnuts. Assemble them together, and well dig in! Sounds like a treat, right?
Where: The Olive, 6-8,Kalka Das Marg, Mehrauli, New Delhi
Cost For Two: INR 4000