Local Review: A Trip to Olivia's Ristorante in Shallow Lake
Olivia’s Ristorante in Shallow Lake offers standout Italian dishes like Gnocchi gorgonzola and Penne alla vodka. Though the space and service have some rough edges, the food is worth the wait.
COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION
When you hear that an Italian chef has set up shop in Shallow Lake in a new restaurant, it’s time to see for yourself what has been created.
Olivia’s Ristorante occupies a space previously filled by diner-style eateries, but now spruced up to match an upscale menu. The renovations are still evident here and there, and there are awkward elements to the service and ambiance, but the food is outstanding.
As usual on an Italian menu, you start with antipasto, featuring among other choices the familiar Bruschetta. Not a dish that is easy to eat elegantly, no matter who makes it, this one is worth the challenge as you dab cherry tomatoes into the balsamic glaze to enjoy every last morsel.
Both the Greek salad and Caesar salad are nicely dressed and seasoned, but my companion couldn’t find the shaved parmesan in the latter, so they opted for lashings of grated cheese offered by the server.
Most menu items are available all day, but panini are only available at lunchtime. Here, the grilled veggie and goat cheese is a good choice.
Pasta from the Primi list, although generally considered a preamble to the Secondi meat dishes, comes in generous servings. Sauces, such as that served on Penne alla vodka, are subtle and satisfying. The Gnocchi Gorgonzola is a creamy cheese-lover’s heaven, topped with the bite of fresh arugula.
Desserts include the requisite Tiramisu, but don’t overlook the Torta al formaggio, a well-executed Italian cheesecake.
The service here is genuinely friendly and welcoming, but there are areas for improvement. Our server apologized for the delay on the appetizer, but then delivered the next course while we were still eating it.
The tables are small and crammed next to the wall in places, with no elbow room until we moved our table ourselves. At one point, a colossal crash of dishes being loaded or unloaded punctuated the room.
And in the corner, a large, incongruous screen TV draws attention to sports news. Outside, the patio seating consists of wobbly, large picnic tables or high bar tables accompanied by difficult-to-sit-in high chairs.
All of these can be put down to growing pains, I hope, as the food is deliciously memorable.
Olivia’s Ristorante, located at 481 Princess Street in Shallow Lake, is fully licensed and boasts an impressive wine list. There are some vegetarian choices. It is open for private events and delivery via Uber Eats, but is not wheelchair accessible.
Their current hours are Tuesday–Wednesday, 10 AM to 9 PM, Thursday–Friday, 10 AM to 10 PM, Saturday, 8 AM to 10 PM, Sunday, 8 AM to 9 PM, and closed on Monday.
Learn more at https://oliviasristorante.ca or call (519) 935-3500.
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