Olive Bar & Kitchen, Mehrauli, New Delhi Restaurant

Restaurant Name: Olive Bar & Kitchen, Mehrauli, New Delhi
Phone: +91 9810235472, 011 29574444
Address: One Style Mile, Haveli 6, Kalka Das Marg, Mehrauli, New Delhi, India
Time: 12:30 PM to 12:30 AM
Meals for two: Rs. 4,000
Cuisines: Mediterranean, Italian, European, Salad, Seafood
Facilities: Wheelchair Accessible, Full Bar Available, Valet Parking Available, Outdoor Seating, Wifi, Table booking recommended, Live Music, Brunch, Smoking Area, Speakeasy, Free Parking

Olive Bar & Kitchen, Mehrauli, New Delhi: Decor

For the first time in the history of Delhi, here is a restaurant that is so iconic that patrons flock to it even in summer at lunch time and choose to sit outside, under the banyan tree! Of course, the white gravel, white ‘adobe’ walls of the restaurant, white cane furniture and mist fans all conspire to keep you cool and refreshed even when the rest of the city swelters in 44°C. Inside the restaurant (there’s a separate bar and a greenhouse that doubles up as a cafe), it is comfortable, but there’s no doubt that the courtyard is the center of attraction. Since Chef Dhruv Oberoi has taken over at the helm, the flavors have become more intense, the presentations more playful and the juxtaposition of ingredients more inspired. Service too, is far more professional than Anokhi-style shirts would lead you to believe.

Olive Bar & Kitchen, Mehrauli, New Delhi: Food

Since it was a hot afternoon and the thought of red meat didn’t appeal, I went for an entirely vegetarian menu, and came away admiring the fresh flavors and contrasting textures. White asparagus and Parmesan bar (Rs. 795) was an all-white appetizer in two parts. Shavings of white asparagus, cut to resemble tagliatelle, were interspersed with skinned purple grapes that were halved and drizzled over with vincotto – ‘cooked’ wine that has the appeal of 30-year-old aceto balsamico. On a side plate, atop a bed of ice, was a pure white ‘icelolly’ with a center of white balsamico gel, enveloped with grated Parmesan. My salad course was foxtail millet and avocado (Rs. 795) that had a myriad textures with pickled green apple, palm heart, pickled radish, green tomato and pearl millet crunch, all to be eaten with the generous chunk of avocado. What I liked most was that the absence of meat made it incumbent to include a variety of exotic ingredients to present options that are based on luxurious dining. My main course was florets and asparagus (Rs. 995): a picture of broccoli and cauliflower with Brussel sprouts and asparagus poached in milk.

Plus & Minus:

I loved that the vegetarian menu had actual vegetables filling the plate. The restaurant can certainly do better with its wine by the glass offerings, all of which have been scraped from the bottom of the barrel.