Category: Bistro (£
£- £££)
Oliveto is another example of a substandard, overpriced Italian restaurant in London. I don’t know why you can find so many of them in London, I think I have eaten more bad Italian food than any other cuisine.
Oliveto is part of a small Sardinian restaurant dynasty consisting of a few restaurants with olive inspired names (the others are Olivo, Olivomare and Olivino), all in the Belgravia area. Unfortunately, Oliveto is an example of a previously nice restaurant gone bad. I used to eat there once in a while several years back, and while it never was one of my favourite restaurants, it was appropriate for a decent, no fuss pizza or plate of pasta. I always disliked the restaurant’s interior though. Completely devoid of anything (like carpets, wall paper, curtains…) to dampen the sound of the diners, the background noise is deafening and you literally have to converse by shouting, even if you sit next to each other. Not the best atmosphere for a relaxed dinner, but good enough for a quick lunch.
My first visit after several years was very disappointing. The plate of grigliata mista di verdure (8.70) as antipasto was mediocre and not exactly generous. Particularly as half of it was celeriac and celeriac is my top most hated vegetable. (Mind you, this little detail is NOT Oliveto’s fault).
grigliata mista di verdure (8.70) @Oliveto
- Bread Basket @Oliveto
My most favourite part of the meal was the bread basket. Fresh ciabatta and crisp pane carasau (the typical Sardinian bread) were surprisingly delicious, considering the rest of the meal. I would have had to go home hungry if not for this, as the pizza clearly missed the mark.
pizza carretiera (13.40)@Oliveto
- @Oliveto
- Food: 4/10
- Service: 6/10
- Ambiance: 2/10
- Value for money: 3/10
- Chances of Returning: 0%
- Verdict: Shame on you, pizza chef!
I totally agree……everywhere you turn, there is an eating place offering Italian fare with so many of them sub-standard.
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