Olivia ☆☆☆

Olivia

2043 South Lamar, Austin TX 78704

512-804-2700

Open Mon-Sun 5:30-10ish; Sunday Brunch 10:30-2:30; reservations available

Olivia opened to much fanfare in 2008 as a promising new addition to the fine food/locavore movement in Austin. Located in SoLa, it attracted a lot of attention, both locally and nationally almost immediately as the new foodie destination. I have been going to Olivia almost since the day it opened. During that time I have had some absolutely sublime meals there; however, I have also had some less than stellar experiences. Over time, I have learned how to navigate the menu to increase my chances of having a great dining experience. But unless you know what you're doing, to a certain extent, you risk having just an ok meal. And really, that is my main complaint with an otherwise well executed restaurant concept - I feel nervous recommending Olivia to new diners because I'm not certain they'll be as adept at ensuring that they will have a great meal as I am. In any case, let's get down to the details...

Olivia has a light and airy environment - the structure was designed by one of my favorite architects in town, Michael Hsu. He is also responsible for the design concepts behind Uchi, Fino, Bess, La Condesa, etc. His aesthetic for Olivia was modern elegance with a touch of quirk. The outside is dominated by a huge slanted roof. It provides a sense of shelter and calm. There is a well designed outdoor seating area with a carefully cultivated xeriscapic-looking garden. Upon entering you encounter a demarcated bar area with cocktail tables and the hostess stand. Beyond the bar is the main dining room under a vaulted ceiling. As with many of Hsu's interiors, there is a wall that is papered with a quirky print. This offsets the warm wood tones of the rest of the space. There are a few enclosed banquettes, but most of the seating is of the standard four-top variety.

Generally, I've had pretty great service. They are well versed in the constantly changing, seasonally and locally focused menu. Additionally, the waiters are decently knowledgeable about wine and the sommelier (the initial sommelier behind Vino Vino) is extremely helpful. The wine list is one of my favorite in town (I confess, I go there simply to delight in the wine by the glass offerings sometimes). Along with listing the locale and varietal of a wine, a tiny description of the taste/aroma is provided as well. It is a much more helpful attention to detail than one might think - a truly delightful cabernet franc from de la chanteleuserie is described as "racyjuicyspicy!" Beyond the great descriptions, the wines are excellently sourced. The focus tends to be more on Europe with a strong nod to France and Italy; however, they venture further afield as well. I recently tried this extremely intense wine from Slovenia - Movia's Ribolla - which I had read about in Food and Wine earlier in the year. I had thought I would have to scour NYC to sample it, but there it was in little Austin!

Olivia has many pros. As I mentioned above, I've developed a system for ordering that has allowed me to have great experiences. Generally, they have amazing soups and salads (I tried to eat this peach gazpacho they had this summer like once a week). Additionally, they are whizzes with grits - they get them stone ground and they smother them in smoked Gouda mostly. They are heavenly at dinner or at brunch. Their cheese plate is always a good option as well - it features more obscure American producers and little condiments. Moving into entrées, anything slow cooked - braise or stew - is uniformly amazing. I had a lamb shank the other day that was revelatory. It had the usual suspects - tomatoes, wine garlic - but then they added cilantro and pickled onions. Talk about a flavor pop! Olivia also excels at their pasta dishes (usually involving home made pasta) and their desserts. The duck egg crème brûleé is delectable. Finally, I love their brunch. I enjoy their small omelettes, their mimosa trio and their homemade sausage.

While Olivia is endowed with many pluses, it also has some strong cons. It is extremely expensive. I was with a party of 6 the other night and we ordered two cheese plates and a charcuterie plate. I did the math and realized that, before ordering any entrees or desserts, we had managed to ring up a bill for $60! $18 for a cheese plate, no matter how well-sourced, is a little steep. Not to mention that the portions are less than generous. I mentioned earlier that they have great soups and salads. What they don't have is a well-thought out appetizer section. Often I go in and it is an extreme ode to offal and raw protein. I like paté and oysters as much as the next gal, but when your apps are as follows - lamb's tongue, lamb's heart, raw beef carpaccio, paté, and raw oysters - you might have a problem enticing diners, not even finicky ones, to order. I applaud the adventuresome spirit, but maybe a little moderation would be in order? When it comes to the entrées, I have a few hints. If you order the duck, order it well done. They like to serve it raw. I've dined with multiple folks who have felt the need to send their duck back because, despite ordering it medium, it arrived barely cooked beyond a sear on the exterior. Trust me on this. This rule also extends to most of their roasted/grilled items. Unlike the stewed/braised category, Olivia tends to fall down on this front. I generally avoid them. Another surprising item I avoid is their risotto. While they excel at pasta, they tend to produce extremely heavy/fatty risottos. After three bites you feel full. Good for extremely cold evenings after you've run 10 miles, but not much else. My last point on entrées involves over-salting. I haven't found this to be the case, but many of my friends and family who dine at Olivia regularly find that the chefs' have an extreme love of salt and a penchant for over-expressing that love through copious additions of it to all foods. Finally, brunch. As I mentioned above, I like their brunch, but I have friends who have found the portions to be tiny and the prices steep. Again, if you're looking for a well-priced dining experience, Olivia is not really the spot.

Overall, Olivia hits high marks with its attention to seasonal and locally produced fare, its excellent European-focused wine list, and its creative approach to traditional dishes. It's strengths also tend to be its weaknesses. It's adventuresome spirit sometimes is a bit unbridled with the extreme love of offal. It's focus on obtaining high quality, locally produced ingredients drives, to some extent, the high-priced dishes. And finally, with the selection their wine list offers, you will be hard pressed to find a wine by the glass for less than $10. Additionally, they have a few quirks in the kitchen, as mentioned above.

If you know what you're doing when you're ordering, however, you will probably have an excellent meal that is both creative and inspiring as well as down-right tasty. Just be careful. ☆☆☆