Review: The Olive Tree (Part Two)

After our first experience at the Olive Tree in Bath we were over the moon to be invited back to write a follow up after their recent major refurbishment. Having just arrived home from our Honeymoon, and just a few weeks before my Birthday, the invite couldn’t have come at a better time - what a way to celebrate!

Having had such a wonderful experience on our first visit, our taste buds were literally salivating at the thought of the culinary delights we were about to experience.

However, we weren’t sure what to expect from the new look restaurant as we didn’t even think it had needed an update and as a result, it may have lost its warm and cosy charm.

Walking down the historic Georgian steps and in to the restaurant we knew it had retained all of its character, but with a richer, more opulent look and feel. A lot of thought had clearly been put in to it to ensure the buildings old features and the layout of the dining area were fully complimented.

We received an extremely warm welcome and were seated on a cosy round corner table. We were then presented with an extensive wine list and food menu.

We both wanted to make different choices to our previous visit so after perusing the wonderful food menu we decided on the fish dishes. So for our wine choice, we opted for the Verdicchio Casal di Serra; a fantastically dry, crisp and fresh white which had been chilled to a perfect temperature, making all the difference.

A new feature in the restaurant is a table in the centre of the restaurant where the water and wine for all the tables is left rather than on or next to the individual tables; no more shuffling glasses and plates around to make room for the food on a cramped table – fantastic idea.

A selection of warm fresh bread was brought to the table followed by the amuse bouche; a rich, tangy onion mousse which really woke the taste buds up but without being too overpowering.

To begin with, I had the Crab Lasagne mousse and bisque with basil and ginger. The basil and ginger really accentuated the strong tasting crab, rather than overpowering it which being a crab lover, really pleased me.

Ross had the Pea soup with horseradish ice cream and Iberico ham which was served at the table to lock in the heat and freshness; a really nice touch.

For the main, I was torn; Duck, my go to favourite dish was on the menu along with two other meats, a vegetarian tagliatelle and two fish dishes.  After much deliberation I opted for the pan fried Brill, salt baked celeriac, pea, shimeji mushrooms, black truffle, and gewürztraminer sauce. The fish was really meaty and moist and the pea shoots and mushrooms really added to the texture and set off the flavour. Suffice to say the presentation was beautiful and I was very happy with my choice.

Ross chose the pan fried Hake, mussel and parsley purée, fennel, charlotte potato seasoned with sea herbs. The dish looked stunning and melted on the palate throughout and was set off well by our wine choice.

Luckily we still had room to enjoy their tempting deserts. I had the chocolate cherry bomb but I must admit, that I did have slight food envy with Ross’s choice of chocolate and pistachio pudding. I had had this last time and it was dessert heaven but I was determined to try different dishes. However, as soon as I tasted it my envy disappeared, the texture and complimenting taste of the cherry and chocolate was a delicious treat.

So what is it that makes the Olive Tree so special? In my opinion, it’s the little attention to detail that makes all the difference; the way the décor has embraced the quirky charm of the building, the knowledge and passion of the staff, the flavours and presentation of the food, right down to how the wine is chilled!

A big thank you to Philip the restaurant manager for being so welcoming and taking the time to explain our dishes in detail; it really did make us appreciate the different ingredients and flavours.

Dinner for two including drinks approx. £130 - for a top notch restaurant of this calibre; a very reasonable price for an out of this world dining experience.