Olive Bar & Kitchen is a super popular, celebrity frequented restaurant in Bandra. I had always wondered what was the charm of the place. My wondering stopped when I discovered it had opened in Pune. The Olive Bistro is where the old Room 21 was in Poona Club. The restaurant is exclusively for Poona Club members and their guests. I first visited the restaurant on my birthday in February last year. It instantly became my new favorite restaurant! I also hosted a party for 80 people at the restaurant and had the most pleasant experience arranging a dinner.
The first thing that catches your eye when you enter Olive is the Mediterranean ambience infused with quirky pieces. There is a chandelier made entirely with Victorian style plates. There is a rooster somewhere. There are well-weathered cupboards and tables. On most tables, there is an old styled coal iron which doubles as a flower holder. What I love the most is the Victorian influenced upholstery. Outside is the best place to sit in the evenings. It may not be a lot of fun to walk amongst the white pebbles in heels, but it definitely adds to the calm ambience. The structure reminds me of an old, tiny church. The tables are all very rustic and for a change, the chairs are light, which makes it easier to make you comfortable. Their brick oven for pizzas is outside and its exciting to see your pizza being made in front of you.
I have been to Olive multiple times now and I have never been disappointed with their food. They are always reinventing their menu and have combinations I wouldn’t think of! I have had their grilled veggies pasta which had no cheesy sauce, no excess tomato sauce, just the flavors of the grilled vegetables, olive oil and some herbs. So delish! I love their hummus and falafel platter. Just the right portions and great flavors! Pizzas are a no-brainer! They’re so good!!! To be honest, I have never ordered more than 2 entrees – a pizza and a pasta. They seem to fill the stomach up without being overly heavy and they just leave this gorgeous taste of mixed herbs in your mouth. My stomach and my taste buds always leave happy from Olive Bistro.
I also loved that they are wonderful and very helpful when you are planning a party. We were planning a party of 70 guests and wanted a simple, but different menu. The chef and the owner were extremely helpful. We sat down together; they worked to understand my needs and wishes for the party. They specially created certain items of the menu for us. What I loved is that they realized since we were having cocktails, its better to serve more appetizers. We had the jalapeno cheese balls, 3 kinds of pizzas, breads and a few more starters that I can’t even remember now! They kept them in circulation till we wanted. Dinner was served promptly when we requested for it and desserts were amazing! We had asked for the Baked Raspberry Cheesecake and had birthday cake as an additional dessert. The bartender was excellent at mixing drinks and kept everyone in great spirits! They had organized chairs just the way we wanted and the décor was so elegant, we did not have to do anything else!
All said and done, its reasonably expensive, Rs. 375 upwards, but that itself is a highly subsidized rate because its part of the Club. The servers are well trained and normally are attentive. Cutlery is interesting and you can never get bored there because there are so many unusual things to keep you entertained!
Would I go there again?? Yes!!! Every week if I could! I give Olive Bistro at Poona Club a 4/5!
Restaurant Timings: 12 noon to 4 pm and 7 pm to 11:30 pm
Contact Information: +91-20-30570433
Delight in Pink 