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Feb. 15, 2010
Winemaker Bruno de Conciliis will be our guest for a special dinner paired with his wines.
http://tinyurl.com/ycu...
Mon-Thu. 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Fri. 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sat. 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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If I were to live for three lifetimes, I cannot imagine a more perfect and lovely way to celebrate reunions, an engagement, and meeting new friends who are really old relatives than with an hours-long feast, laughter, bottles and bottles of wine, and complete and total decadence rounding the dinner table. But only if that feast were to take place at Oliveto....And then ten lifetimes might be required.
Hours of gratefulness. Not only for love, for the man. for family, but for hogs. Whole ones. Local, sustainably raised, washed down with glass after glass of exquisite wine, the Prosecco and Cabernet Franc and the myriad Italian varietals glimmering in the low candlelight.
But the pork....As those who know, like, love, or hate me know, it is that one four-letter word which calls out my most decadent culinary soul. And over and over that night, the soul was summoned.
By lardo, prosciutto, lonza, spallacia, glistening with a layer of fat, ribboned red and creamy on the plate. By spreadable salami, salsiccia crudo (ah, raw sausage!), and lard piadini, swirled over crispy toast, melting. By ravioli ever-so-lightly coated with sugo and lardo and stuffed with prosciutto cotto, stained red by the spice and shimmering in a light layer of full fatted sauce. By cannelloni stuffed with pork, Fontina, garlic, and Chanterelles, fork-and-tongue tender. By porchetta, wild boar, Zampone bathed in saba and lentil crema, and smoked ham with kumquat gravy. By a chocolate-caramel tart studded with candy-coated pancetta, beignets fried in lard, and an intense bergamot-Prosecco sorbetto.
And when the plates were consumed, the glasses empty, the dinner drawn to a close, the glory and glow of decadence persisted. Perhaps, rivaled only by one other possible inspiration for celebration: a yes, and a kiss. I keep the menu and the glow at my side....
The service was good and the food was excellent.
The half portions of pasta are smaller than other restaurants (which are usually ridiculously large) but still adequate. The salads were very fresh and the pasta tasted great.
Good value.
Whole Hog dinner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Is all I have to say. I don't understand why more restaurants don't do this. I know Camino does something like this but...................Olivetos really delivered this time. From charcuterie with wild boar to pasta with pig hearts. I think we ordered most of the menu and shared everything.
The wild boar prosciutto was definitely one of the highlights for me. It had a great nutty taste and deep meaty flavor. The pigs are supposedly a cross between domestic and feral pigs fed only a special diet of acorns. It is like Iberico Pata Negra. I think Pata Negra might be a little better but it had great unique flavor.
The next best dish was the Wild Boar Ravioli. For my entree I had the Wild Boar Chop with a side of Potatoes fried in pork renderings. That's right my little friends stuff fried in pork renderings!!! There is a god and he loves pigs!!!!! Cost about $115 per person with tip and wine. Well worth the money!!
First time I can remember going to Olivetos in probably two decades. Never realized that it was… Read more »
I went there for an early lunch on Sunday. The atmosphere was quite laid-back, the service prompt, the food was great and they have the best coffee in the area. Their panini sandwiches are highly recommended.
There are so many reasons in life to celebrate. Usually, it's the company you celebrate who takes center stage. On rare occasions, the place and food compete for the limelight. Oliveto is such a place.
Over the last 15 years, I've been here quite a few times. Many of the meals have been standouts (Truffle dinners!). Last night was the quintessential Oliveto experience.
Imagine a cold and rainy night. A celebration planned in advance with a reservation for two thanks to Open Table. A request for a table at the window on the College Ave side. And, a desire for a special and simple night.
When we arrived, the hostess's area was convivial. Many guests were waiting for their seats. We were assured that we would be seated soon. When a table was available, the hostess asked if we would like to be seated now. Or she offered for us to wait for the table we desired.
Later, when it was taking longer than she expected, she came over and asked us again. We declined the offer. She said, "That's OK. We'll keep it open just in case you change your mind."
A few minutes later we were seated in the back near all the wine bottles, right on the window, looking out on beautiful reflections on the rain slicked street below.
Our server, Molly, was very welcoming. She gave us detailed explanations of the items on the menu we were unable to comprehend (sometimes my limited Italian doesn't really help). And, we were able to choose our meal.
- Star Route Farm hearts of Romaine lettuce with toasted almonds, sherry vinegar, and chives
- Sformatino of Butternut squash with hedgehog mushrooms
- Lentil penne with spicy Watson Farm lamb ragù
- Mostaccioli with smoked mozzarella di bufala, hot pepper, garlic, and breadcrumbs
We would share it all. And, they made this very easy to do.
The ease and comfort of the meal, the ambiance, and the service was very relaxing. The evening felt effortless.
When were too full for dessert, Molly asked if we could stay a moment. She brought out a lemon sorbet made with prosecco. A small candle burned bright. Gratis.
More restaurants should be like Oliveto: caring, warm, and understanding that you have many places to spend your money and time, but you choose to spend it with them.
Great food, great service, and a simply wonderful time. The company will always be better than the place. But Oliveto comes closer than most.
Wow!! I can't believe I drove all the way to the east bay for dinner and actually felt like it was worth it!! Oliveto has an outstanding menu, in fact I might even make the trek again just for the desserts.
Oliveto is in a very convenient location in Rockridge right across the street from Bart. Parking can be a little tricky as this is the heart of Rockridge which is surprisingly cute. Lots of cute shops and restaurants. So Bart is a good option.
Regarding the food...yum yum yum!! I had the squid appetizer to start and it was so tasty. The squid was super tender and is was on top of bread that absorbed all the juices and flavors. I definitely like salt but this could have used slightly less. Regardless, it was delicious!! For my entree I had the stuffed rabbit which was so tender and tasty. I wanted to pick up my plate and lick it when I was done!! For dessert I had the honey ice cream with sea salt. I'm not a big ice cream person, but this was perfection. The ice cream was so flavorful and creamy and the sea salt on top was the perfect touch. My husband had the coconut creme brulee which was also amazing and I pretty much ate all of it for him :). My husband and friends appetizers and entrees were all awesome!! Everyone was raving about their choices. Apparently they are known for their pastas which are very reasonably priced and can be ordered in appetizer or entree portions.
All of the prices on the menu are reasonable and there is a good selection of moderate and high end wines. Next time I will probably order a bottle because the I was not terribly impressed with the two "by the glass" options that I tried (Sangiovese and Pinot Noir). The service is efficient & attentive, however I didn't find it warm and friendly.
I will definitely go back to Oliveto and would recommend this restaurant to friends in the east bay AND in the city. It's worth the drive!! It's a good spot for a date, but not at all quiet and stuffy so you could also go with a group. Reservations recommended.
The food here is amazing!
Go for the gnocchi it's the best i've ever had.
We got a bunch of dishes and shared them and everything we had was beyond great: The Lamb or the Bass, the Butternut squash with mushrooms, and the cherry ravioli dessert !!
This Restaurant should be your top choice, and we will definitely be returning in November for the Truffle dinner, possibly multiple nights in a row!
Finally I have dined in heaven. This restaurant truly deserves our hard earned $ (except we got to dine here practically free). This year's birthday was a very special one for me. I became a US citizen on my actual birthday, and I got to lead the pledge of allegiance during the ceremony.
To celebrate this special day, my husband and I headed over to Oliveto for dinner after the ceremony. When we arrived, the host greeted us and said, "Ah yes, you're celebrating today." We were seated at a quiet corner window side table as requested.
The waiter then greeted us with two glasses of champagne ($22 per glass!), saying "compliments of your coworkers". Can you believe that? I LOVE my coworkers! The waiter gave us the menus and said that my coworkers had already paid $100 in addition to the champagne for us.
We ordered:
- Pasta with squid in squid ink sauce: I'm a huge fan of ink sauce, and this comes very close to the best pasta with ink sauce I've had in my life. This restaurant knows how to cook pasta. The texture of pasta was absolutely perfect. Chewy and soft at the same time -- as you take a bite, it gives in to your teeth with just the right force of resistance for your teeth to have fun while your other senses process the earthy and oceanic flavors.
- Grilled leeks with anchovies and pecorino cheese: Leeks were also perfect. Mushy and sweet. The anchovies added a depth of salt without overpowering the dish.
- Spaghetti with meat ragu and pork cracklings: Holy smokes. I had no idea pork cracklings would be so fun in a pasta dish.
- Grilled pigeon with pears, radicchio and balsamic reduction sauce: My husband loved this dish. I had a bite of the pigeon, but I couldn't get passed the fact that it was a pigeon. A little gross for me. The flavors were nice though.
- Chocolate cake: it melted in my mouth like a piece of dark chocolate and was light and airy. At this point, I wished that I had worn my stretchy pants. Why did I decide to wear tight jeans!!!!!!
- Bread pudding: Bite sized spiced bread soaked in deliciousness and sitting pretty on top of flan-like pudding. Perfect for the holidays.
- We also had decaf coffee which was super yummy.
The bill came out to $164 with tax. Yes it was pricey, but $144 of that was paid for by my coworkers, so we ended up paying $20 plus tip. This was the most luxurious and sensational meal we've had for 20 bucks.
Came here to belatedly celebrate a friend's birthday. Oliveto had some hits as well as misses.
It was a party of three (me, g/f, and b-day girl) and we started with two apps: crostone of Oliveto brandade and chanterelle mushrooms and leeks with anchovy, parmesan cheese, and chopped egg. Both of these were delicious with the leeks having a very subtle anchovy flavor. I was concerned when I ordered that the anchovies might overpower the dish. Excellent start.
For entrees we had 1) the spit-roasted veal with arugula and fried onions, 2) the cassoulet of duck confit, sausage, lamb riblets, and cranberry beans, and 3) the striped bass with artichokes and leeks braised with lemon and wild nettle sauce. The server informed us that if we were not meat eaters the artichokes and leeks were braised with pancetta and that she could substitute pea greens. I thought that was very good information, but probably should be on the menu to not take non-meat-eaters by surprise.
Anyway, the veal dish was great. The other two not so much. The duck confit in the cassoulet was incredibly salty almost to the point of being inedible. Did no one in the kitchen taste this before it went out? The opposite was true for the striped bass which was extremely bland even with the nettle sauce on top. Maybe the missing pancetta artichokes were the key, but we can only judge by what was presented to us.
The service was good except for a stretch when our wine bottle was empty and we wanted to order some other drinks and couldn't find our server for a bit. Oh, that and when she dropped off the b-day dessert with lit candle and proceeded to high tail it out of there without a word while we sang Happy Birthday . . . join in please, it's not American Idol or anything . . . :)
For a tab of close to $140 per person with tip, I expected more.
Food: 2.5 stars
Service: 3.5 stars
We love the restaurant and had our best meal there tonight. Every dish we had was wonderful. The lobster and pigeon sausage appetizer was a risky and ultimately satisfying dish that exceeded our expectations.
Shrimp and nettles ravioli - delicate , wonderful
Penne with chili and pork cracklings - rich and satisfying
Rabbit with pancetta - out of this world - a dream
Chocolate cake - skip it
Best restaurant in Oakland for fine dining.
So definitely a love-hate relationship with this place. I've had some really, really lovely meals here. Not so much last night. It wasn't awful, but it wasn't good, and for those prices, it needs to be good. Started off with six pieces of lettuce with some cheese on top for which they charged $11.00. Come on. Entrees were then quite mediocre.
So what's up? How come some meals here are great and some are insultingly mediocre for the $$$ they charge?
Farewell, Oliveto. It was nice while you were good.
In the last year, Oliveto has returned to glory. Really fresh, sustainable local food, delightfully… Read more »
A-mazing! Finally came down to the cafe for a casual dinner and was blown away. Don't remember what the lady had but I had a Manhattan with some of the best whiskey I've tasted. Lots of complex, earthy flavors but alas, I forgot to ask the waitress what they put in it.
We shared the penne with pork ragu and the roasted swordfish with pole beans and some sort of olive tapenade. The penne was basically a gratin cooked to perfection! Crispy outside with plenty of cheese, and the pork ragu bursted with rich flavors. The swordfish took 2nd place but in most places this would be the blue-ribbon winner. The beans were cooked to bring out the best of its flavors and textures. The tapenade also added a bit of punch to everything too.
The meal ended with the Bread pudding with orange caramel sauce. All I can say is that we dug into that badboy and the poor guy didn't stand a chance. Fluffy. crispy and the syrup added the right kind of accents without overpowering everything.
The best meal I've had in quite a while. Worth every penny and then some!
Total disappointment.
Soup was tasty but served lukewarm.
Expensive lamb entree looked like a pile of scrapmeat one would serve a dog. No side greens or garnish.
Dessert was good though.
I don't think I'll be going to Oliveto's again.
I had dinner here a couple of weeks ago and was very happy with the food (the interior is beautifully decorated also). My guests and I shared the chacuterie (salami) plate, which was nice (finocchiona was my fave). For the main, I had the Strozapretti pasta with ragu and it was excellent! One of my guests had a veal goulash with pearl onions atop a root vegetable puree, and the other guest had a porchetta with red cabbage and a nice apple/horseradish topping. We also got a polenta side dish which was okay, and a more interesting dish of puntarelle greens. We drank a bottle of the Vina Nobile which matched the pasta and goulash, but not so much the porchetta. I had the Blood Orange souffle for desert and it was fantastic! I definitely needed to drink an Amaro after all that food...
My coworker and I ordered bucatini carbonara. When we were about 1/2 finished the dish, he found human hair stick in the middle of the noodle. Fine, it can happen. we gave away the dish to a bus boy since our waitress was bz taking care of customers somewhere. waited for about 20 mins, the waitress finally comes to our table asking for dessert. ahh she had no idea wassup, umm ok. we told her what happened and she went in to the kitchen. another 20 mins, she comes back w the pasta togo bag and telling we wont get charged for his dish. hmm that was nice of them.
but im still yelping and giving you negative comments. i wasnt expecting a proper apology or anything, but at least checking up on us during our wait time u know.
and the waitress said, "it was maybe your eyelash," shady shady shady. come on ms, u already know it - ASIAN MAN'S EYELASH CAN NOT BE THAT LONG. please keep it real to your customer.
(From February of 2009)
Oliveto's is a well known restaurant in Oakland. It has seasonal menus and a deep selection of wine. The people that go there, are usually well dressed. I guess it's a place to cross off your restaurant list - and that's exactly why I wanted to go.
We got reservations for one of the rainiest nights. Yeah, it started with a leap out of the car. We got there around 5:45, exactly in time and got our bread and water around 6:00. I guess that's what it boils down to, bread and water, no matter how fancy you dress up the bread platter or the water cantor, it's still what it is. I looked through their winter menu and was a bit lost in the language. I felt embarrassed when I had to ask what the Steel head was, which is of course a fish. They also had pigeon, wild boar, free-roaming beef, and rabbit. It was not your usual menu. I ordered the beef in the end, and my girlfriend ordered the rabbit. We were recommended a light red wine, "nothing too dry" said my accomplice. It arrived in a half-bottle and it started the night off right.
The fish was good and so was the rabbit. I'd have to say, when you're eating rabbit, you'd have to arm yourself with no thoughts of cute bunnies. "It's just food; food for you," I told myself. But then again my mind drifted to Golem in the Lord of the Rings movies and how he devoured the poor rabbit. It was weird, but all in all, I took a piece from my girlfriend and I found it quite delicious.
By then a few more parties have settled in on the tables around us. We had a little window that showed the streets below and I was happy to see umbrellas move about. The wine was just right for the night and so was our entrees. The dessert was chocolate cake, it's something my girlfriend prides herself on - trying all the chocolate cakes of the world. True to the rumors, the cake was amazingly rich and softer than any you'd get a super market. It reminded me of confections in Japan and I yearned for a nice cup of green tea. It was a sweet way to end a fabulous meal and dreamy night.
It's probably how I would remember it, everything was "just right". If I had to compare it, it'd be close to Rivoli's, except Rivoli's beats it by just an edge.
I just had lunch and dinner at Oliveto the other day.
The cafe is a great place to have a quick bite. I like sitting at the bar and watching my lunch being made. It just makes it taste yummier.
My girl friend had a b-day party that evening and we ordered 10 different dishes and 5 appetizers and they made her a special unique cocktail at her request! All of the dishes were fabulous and the staff helpful, pleasant and accommodating! I would pick Oliveto over Baywolf or even Dopo for good food, great menu variety and good value. Parking is easy in the evening next to Rockeridge Bart.
We had time for one last meal before our long flight back to Chicago (tear). My dad and his gf took us to their favorite neighborhood breakfast spot...yep, Oliveto!
I'm a big fan of homemade granola so I was psyched when I spotted it on the menu. One for me and one for the hubby! Delish! And It had dried cherries in it, which made it extra tasty.
Dad ordered his favorite scone, which I've had the pleasure of enjoying in the past. And dad's gf ordered a light looking crepe, which I may just need to try next time with my granola!
This place rocks although it's a bit pricey. I came here for a family dinner though so I got to sample some of the food I probably would never order. I really don't like the idea of veal but my a-hole family doesn't care and shoved a bite in my face after I had a couple glasses of wine. I caved and saw what the fuss is about though I still won;t order it.
My meal was also amazing; duck cracklin is the most interesting texture and delicious combo I have had in recent memory. They also make their pasta fresh in house and that is a huuuuge plus b/c it comes out perfect. Stick to your own bottle of wine since the corkage fee is about half the bottle price. All in all a really nice place to take anyone if you have the cash to burn. Only then would it be supremely worth it.
My friend Rina and I had dinner here last night to celebrate a belated birthday (thanks again Rina!), and we got to try the polenta dinners.
Our server (I didn't get her name), but she was very helpful in providing us with recommendations from the menu and telling us which polenta offerings paired well with the entrees.
For our antipasti -Rina ordered the Crostini di polenta (Paulding family figs and Bellewether Farms ricotta scented with orange and thyme) and I ordered the End-of-summer pole bean, tonnato with celery hearts and capers. I had assume tonnato would be just tuna, but really, the tonnato was a sauce - so the tuna was pureed with the celery hearts and capers. The tonnato was amazing! I really loved the saltiness, and how well it paired with the beans. I even put some on my bread, but surprisingly, the saltiness disappeared once I spread it on the bread.
For our entrees, Rina picked the Charcoal-grilled spicy Willis pork, wild fennel, and farro sausage, spit-roasted Heritage pork belly, and pork skin rolatine (can you say pork feast?). It was a huge portion. I got the Charcoal-grilled spiedini of Paine Farm pigeon and Hoffman Farm quail with red wine giblet sauce. The birds were bacon wrapped and skewered for good measure. I was concerned that the bacon would make it too salty. However, the meat was cooked just right - the red wine helped take away the gaminess that can be all too common with eating quail and pigeon. The only thing was that, it wasn't easy eating the bird on the skewer with a knife and fork. I really wanted to use my hands, which seemed too much for the nice ambience. Oh! We paired our meal with the Yellow Dent corn, which tasted delicious, and was not too overpoweringly sweet against our dishes.
For dessert, we ordered the Oak Knoll Cabernet grape sorbetto (yum) with the krumiri cookies and the Cocao nib panna cotta (omg! intensely delicious in a mousse way) with chocolate-dipped Florentines (which were ok). We topped it off with a pot of Wild Chyrsanthemum tea (with hints of ginger fragrance, but did not overpower the taste). This was delicious.
Oh, I had a glass of Prosecco di Valdobbiadene, Sorelle Bronca - that was light and delicious. I want to go buy a couple bottles now.
I got food poisoning here and lost 30 pounds in one week. Ya know, *sick* sick.
I probably should have got IV fluids or gone to the ER, but I didn't have insurance. I asked for them to pay for my acupuncture treatment ($40?) and they offered me a dinner there instead.
Yeah. Let me get back to you on that.
I pulled a Michael Bauer and visited Oliveto for dinner three times -- two times in the cafe and once upstairs -- before writing my Yelp review :)
The dinners have been consistently solid. The menu is always interesting (wild nettle? rabbit? rabbit liver? pancetta? wild boar prosciutto? all of the above.), and the appetizers are solid. Crudo? I heard angels singing in a choir while I relished the crudo. The food is fresh and well-prepared, and while the appetizers are on the small side, the entrees are on the large side. Pastas are perfectly cooked, sauces absolutely delectable, and the experience a fully satisfying meal and experience.
I like having the option of dining upstairs (more fancy-pants and birthday candle -fille dinners) or downstairs (for the every-day meal). The restaurant is beautiful, the servers and waiters are always nice, and the bathroom is absolute zen. Five stars for Oliveto -- consistently delivering on any pasta or Italian dish you can think of. And don't skip dessert -- they're amazing.
There is a time and a place for everything. Tonight was the time and Oliveto was the place. It was a beautiful experience worthy of earning the spot as my 500th (Can I get a "what what" for needing more productive things to do with my free time?) review. I toyed with what to do with my 500th review. I didn't want to do WHAT EVERYONE DOES and review Yelp. Puhleeze. That was, like, 375 reviews ago. I toyed with, as fabulous Toni M. had done, reviewing family. I toyed with announcing a retirement from Yelp and cutting Yelp off. I'll review Oliveto instead.
I try not to talk about it much, but it always comes up eventually. In the fall of 2005, both of my parents passed away a month apart. I have spent the last four years trying to figure out how to go through life as an orphaned only child. This is a struggle that few people I know understand. I had to learn how to strengthen and comfort myself in the face of adversity. In the past, I tried to find things that had no memory of my parents attached to them. Recently, I started searching for experiences that kept them alive to me. Certain ways that I keep my parents alive in spirit is through food. Tonight, it was Oliveto.
My father was a bit of an aspiring chef who never did anything professional with it. He studied with Bruce Aidells. (Yeah, that's right, of sausage fame whose wife, Nancy Oakes, is the chef at Boulevard.) He was the primary cook of the family. My father loved taking us to fancy restaurants. Some twenty years ago, my father wanted to take us to Oliveto. At the age of seven, I figured that I would like their salami pizza. My ignorant and young mind assumed that it would be like Round Table's salami pizza. It wasn't. It had onions instead of tomato sauce. I was horrified. I didn't speak to my parents for the rest of the day. I thought that food was awful. What did I know? I was SEVEN!!!!
I found myself in Rockridge earlier this evening for an awkward first date. I'm not sure if I'll see him again. I am not going to waste energy worrying about it. However, after the date, two things were on my mind a) I really need to pee and b) I'm not going to waste a trip to Rockridge on just coffee...I'm taking myself out to dinner at a nice place. After strolling about College Ave, I curiously peeked at the menu for Oliveto and curiously peeked inside. I figured that there would be no place to sit and that I would look like the biggest loser if I went in alone. To my pleasant surprise, downstairs had a plethora of counter seats that are perfect for solo dining. I chose to sit downstairs...I was dressed in flip flops and a cotton dress and was paying for myself....I'll save upstairs for when a date is paying. ;)
I brought a book to read (key to dining alone without feeling awkward); but found myself watching the chefs work the wood-fired oven instead. They so effortlessly crafted everything in front of me. It made me so hungry! I ended up getting the Polpettone of pork with polenta. After seeing the chefs make flatbread, I ordered that too. You would look at my dinner and just think to yourself, "Whatever, Michelle S. It's meatballs and cornmeal." I tasted it and was instantly comforted. It tasted like something my father would've made. The flatbread was a perfect compliment with its olive oil and seasoning...and it tasted so good when dipped into the polenta. For dessert, I got the pear ice cream with salted caramel sauce. I barely fit everything in; but it was worth every penny that I spent.
The service was warm and exemplary...and very open to those dining alone. They really seemed to care about the customers and wanted to share an amazing experience with you. They really work to make you want to come back. And, when I am missing my parents again, I will. After all this, I felt less lonely, less lost, comforted, and taken care of. It was so beautiful that I actually got teary-eyed at the bar. To you, the reader, it may seem cheesy. To me, it was priceless.
Consistently one of the best meals you can have. Although it is not cheap, you will be rewarded with excellent food. "Finn" at the upstairs counter is our favorite host!
My wife and I go at least once a month and have never been disappointed.
The words "locally sourced" and "sustainable" are trumpeted so much now in the foodie world, they've almost began to lose meaning. Oliveto defines these ideals and executes with a minimalist approach to Italian that truly respects the ingredients.
The chef not only has a discerning eye and palate (though leaning towards the salty side) but lets the components layer without cloying, masking sauces. They are also the only restaurant I'm aware of that purchases their meats fresh and whole. The talent in the kitchen certainly makes up for the lack of ambiance considering the hoity-toity and rather staid atmosphere.
Being relatively young and chatterboxy, we were initially met warily by our seasoned server and were recommended the closest things on the menu palatable for Oliver Garden lovers. Thankfully he warmed up after our curiosity about more adventurous dishes and proved knowledgable and attentive, particularly with pairings.
[4 for the upstairs + an extra .5 for the ethos]
Community blog: http://www.oliveto.com...
Bay Area, it's time you ate here.
I will start by posting my only negative comment: Their sign is UNREADABLE!!! I completely drove past the same corner three times and finally parked and decided to search more carefully. Even well lit it was hard to make out "Oliveto's", luckily they had a much smaller sign on the side that would have been hard to see while driving.
Besides that tiny issue I absolutely had a fabulous time. I went to the cafe and it was rather late, around 8:30, and the place was still decently packed. We got a cozy table in the corner and were served rather quickly. The light was dim, but in a relaxing way that I enjoyed.
The menu was short and sweet, with a decent variety without becoming overwhelming. Since I was in a group we ordered all of the appetizers, and a few different pizzas, all to share. I have had few meals that were consistently excellent but this was one of them. Not only was everything cooked perfectly but the flavors all completely worked and I thought some of them were genius. And of course we absolutely destroyed the dessert menu, and I really couldn't get enough of it. The waitress was even kind enough to pour some hot orange caramel over my bread pudding right at the table. I love being treated like that.
The best part of my experience was getting to watch the chef work, he clearly knew what he was doing and always had a big smile on his face. We wanted to sit at the bar but it was filled, which simply means I will have to go back again sometime soon to get the full experience.
Cost per person to do it right: $45
The price above is reflecting the dinner menu, for a small group, and an egregious amount of food. As insane as this sounds, for its weight class, Oliveto makes the best food that I've had in the Bay Area (easily beating Chez Panisse, Market One, Slanted Door, etc.).
Like I said, it's ridiculous how well this places presents itself every time I go. First, don't screw around and go alone or with only one person, start with at least 3 big eaters or a group of 4. The key to the menu here is tasting, especially the pastas. The menu is always changing, though not to the extent of say, Chez Panisse, so the best plan is to do ~10 dishes/3 people: 2-3 appetizers, 3 pastas, 1-2 sides, and a main course or two. You will be rewarded with some of the freshest and most thoughtfully prepared pastas when you do this. For instance, the pastas on my last visit were: cannelloni w/ cod, mostaccioli w/ pork ragu, and linguine w/ sanddabs. Each was excellent, but more importantly, they were very distinct from each other.
While the food here always hits the mark, the service is equally superb. First, you want your server to be Ken. Got that? Ok, good. If you ask him, he will tell you point blank when a dish that you ask for is weak and what you want instead. He's never wrong. Furthermore, if you don't order a dish/side that would compliment what you did order, he'll let you know or sometimes just hook you up for free. I've gotten two free dishes this way and various good suggestions. Again, he is always dead on.
I can only think of two low points for this restaurant. First, reservations are necessary if you want a specific seating time. Second, if you want to take the BART (it's across from the Rockridge station) and you live north of there on the Richmond line, the transferring/time it takes are a little stupid.
Verdict: You have to do it.
I had a hankering for some Italian food last night, so my gf and I decided to voyage on up to Oakland to try this place. Oliveto had a decent yelp rating, so what did I have to lose? ...A lot of money, apparently. You know those fancy-schmancy places that make you shell out a ton of money and then give you itty bitty portions? Oliveto, unfortunately, is one of those places. Now, to set the record straight, I'd like to say that I'm not a penny pincher-- I don't mind leaving a restaurant with a hole in my wallet if the food is incredible. But the meal that I had last night was mediocre at best, and wholly unsatisfying. Please note that I refer only to the restaurant half of Oliveto (which is upstairs), I have not yet dined at the café on the first floor so I have no comment on that.
Aesthetically, Oliveto is stunning. Low lights, nice views of the little shopping district outside... there are plenty of little touches here and there that seem to say, "this is a fine dining establishment." Your beverages are served in vases, which sounds odd but somehow it ends up looking classy. Oliveto is pretty elegant. But that ambiance of elegance is easily ruined by the cacophonous chatter of its patrons. I had to yell just for my gf to hear me, and she was only two feet away. So, if you're looking for a romantic evening, this obviously isn't it. -1 star.
Our server came and greeted us; she was young, full of pep, and immediately recommended several dishes. She kind of disappeared after that. We both ordered a glass of wine. I had a glass of Sangiovese. I asked our server to pick out a sweet red wine for my gf. She came back about ten minutes later with the wine. I noticed that the amount of wine she gave us was significantly less than the amount that we're usually given at other restaurants, but I didn't say anything. -1 star.
We looked at the menu, and by our waitress's suggestion, we ordered the seared yellowfin tuna for our appetizer. We then ordered two entrées: the potato gnocchi with Chanterelle mushrooms and scallops, and the sea bass (sea bass is a personal favorite of mine, when prepared correctly). Lastly, I ordered a side of honey-glazed carrots. We received our food in thirty minute increments over the next TWO HOURS. That's a ridiculous amount of time to wait, in my opinion. Rarely do I ever want to make dinner a two hour long occasion, especially at a restaurant where having a conversation is nearly impossible due to the noise. -1 star.
The tuna finally came out. It was well-presented and tasted very good. What I disliked about it most was the portion size. It was just two tiny slices of tuna-- literally smaller than the size you'd use to top a piece of sashimi. I felt I'd been jipped, since I paid $15 for this. I also didn't like having to wait 30 minutes for it, since I know that I could recreate the dish myself in only 5 minutes (seriously, all you'd have to do is pan-sear some sashimi-grade tuna, which takes a couple of seconds (literally), throw on some minced onions and white peppercorns or whatever was on there, and-- voila!). +1 star because in spite of the wait, it did taste good.
About 45 minutes later, the gnocchi finally made it's arrival. This was the highlight of our meal. No complaints here, it was delicious. The gnocchi melted in my mouth, and the mushrooms and scallops paired wonderfully. $20 well spent. :) +1 star.
The reason my rating is so low is because of our last dish, the sea bass. Sea bass is my favorite fish. EVER. It is one of my favorite things to eat. EVER. I had high expectations for Oliveto's sea bass. I was drooling in anticipation. When I finally got it, I could tell it wasn't going to be good just by the looks of it. It looked dry. It was. This was the worst sea bass I've ever had in my life-- there, I said it! It was served with capers and I think olive oil, which didn't pair well with the subtle flavor of sea bass at all. It actually kind of tasted like mustard. When it comes to preparing sea bass, I feel less is more. Smothering it with a bunch of crap ruins it's delicate flavor. Far worse than that, however, was the fact that It was WAY overcooked so it was super dry. Where was the light, fluffy, buttery texture I love and crave? No where to be found! It tasted like a poorly prepared piece of catfish. I had trouble even believing it was sea bass. It was so horrible, I couldn't even finish. I couldn't finish my $30 tiny piece of sea bass; a fish I would have lovingly devoured at any other restaurant. I was extremely, extremely disappointed and unsatisfied. I spent the rest of our dinner poking around at the side of carrots with a little pouty face. -2 stars.
The Good:
+ Pretty restaurant
+ Friendly service
+ Potato Gnocchi
+ Extensive selection of wine
The Bad:
- The portions
- Our waiter basically disappeared after we ordered
- The wait time
- The loud crowd
The Ugly:
- The "sea bass" :(
- The $130 tab :(
just ate at the cafe...the flatbread was really good. had the cabbage-wrapped mozzarella/olive dish, which was good. the carmelized onion and potato torta was the best dish we had that night...it's a small portion so get YOUR OWN!
for dessert we got the risotto ice cream with huckleberry compote. not a big fan of that. the trio of sorbets with wine (or grapes used for wine?) was really tasty. they had these gelato "truffles"....which were the BOMB! and i don't usually use the word "bomb", since it's not really age-appropriate for me anymore. and maybe it's not even hip anymore. anyway, if someone can tell me the name of that, please do (it's not on their website). in terms of service, let me just tell you this...i asked our waitress about that gelato truffle dessert (after hopelessly butchering the pronounciation)...she said they ran out...then she came back with what they had left over (i guess it wasn't enough for a full order) and gave them to us on the house. that was so nice of her! thanks, Lucy!
definitely will come back here and see what their wood-fired oven has got to offer me...
I couldn't hold off on reviewing this place, since I didn't want to miss any details.
This was *truly* the epitome of fine dining at its best.
With two levels of dimly and classily-lit seating area, you are greeted by friendly people who are happy to show you to your seat.
First, the bread was very tender served with butter that was not cold but not room temperature - perfect for keeping shape but good for spreading on bread, too.
The salads were both unique in their own ways. They had delicious and deep flavors.
Two of us got the half-moon shrimp ravioli, which, for lack of a better term, was TO DIE FOR. I've never once had ravioli this good. The portions are small, which really make you slow down and enjoy the complex flavors swimming in this fine creation of food.
My Dad got the ravioli topped with mushrooms, which was equally good but a completely different taste. Scrumptious!
We finished the dinner with several things: bittersweet chocolate cake, pear tart, chamomile tea, and decaf coffee. The chocolate cake was perfect - there is nothing more I could have asked for, and the dollop of homemade whipped cream on the side made it that much more perfect. The pear tart was delicious, but my only critique is that it could have had more crust for the amount of pear included - especially for the price. The chamomile tea had a tinge of citrus in it and was better than anything I've ever brewed myself. The decaf coffee wasn't too strong, but a great after-dinner touch.
Oh, and the wines are great as well.
Overall, I really enjoyed having my 23rd birthday dinner with my family at this great place. I hope to go back. It's actually the best closest restaurant to my house here in Oakland.
I had a great lazy Saturday lunch here on the way home from work. I have long been a Rockridge Market Hall fan and decided it was time to try it. I had a simple bitter green salad and a great pizza with farm eggs, arugula and anchovies. Nice glass of some Italian white too. I will be back, hopefully upstairs! The service was great as well.Verry professional and classy, friendly too.
I've wanted to try this place for a while. Very calm environment. Reminds me of Mission Beach Cafe, but more upscale and two stories. Organic/veggie friendly. Good simple menu. Nice wine selection. The butternut squash pizza was very good!
The food: OK quality. Portion sizes were on the small side. The wine pour was very stingy. Still felt a bit hungry after eating an entire meal (and I don't eat all that much). Not a good value for the price charged.
The service: it's the reason for the 1-star rating. Our waiter was smug, snotty, seemed to really despise his job, and was definitely bothered by the fact that he had to deal with me and my friend. While we were seated promptly and someone brought us water and bread, it took him awhile to pry himself away from the other tables to even speak to us. It seems as though he didn't feel us worthy of his presence.
I committed the cardinal sin of mispronouncing gnocchi as "no-chee." His response was an eye-roll and a rather irritated "you mean NYOKEE." I felt like I had just praised Satan inside the Vatican.
We had not been given a wine list. So I ask: "Could I see the wine list?" He gives an audible sigh. "One moment, please." So after mispronouncing a menu item, I had the audacity of wanting a glass of wine. Uh, oh. We must be awfully demanding people.
After an extended delay, the jackass returns with the list. As I'm browsing through the wines, he's standing over me, not so much to answer any questions, but instead glaring at me. I point to an item and start to say, "I'll have the merlot..." and he cuts me off with, "ok." He walks away. What he returned with was red,anyway. Was it the correct wine? I'm still not sure. The wine glass had about half as much wine as it was supposed to.
I won't belabor each of his numerous flaws, but suffice to say: this guy had no business as a waiter at Olive Garden, let alone an ostensibly high-class place such as this. From the moment he first walked up to our table, he was rude, extremely impatient, and snotty.
Now make no mistake: I've worked in restaurants before. Therefore, I treat waitstaff and everyone else with respect and courtesy. I know it's not an easy job, and I'm sympathetic to the issues you face in that industry. I'm not an overly demanding customer, nor do I treat waitstaff as though they were slaves. In fact, I'm quite friendly with them.
That said: the way this guy acted was out-of-line and inexcusable. Neither I nor my friend did anything to merit his rudeness. For the prices this place charges, I expect courteous and professional service. Leave the attitude at home. This jerk was the exact antithesis of this.
I might consider going there again if I know for a fact that he's been shitcanned. Unless and until that happens, forget it: there are far better places to eat.
My boyfriend took me here for my graduation dinner. We had a reservation, but still had to wait about 30 minutes to be seated, because apparently the people just weren't leaving. The only thing that made it ok was that the hostess was super nice to us.
When we were finally seated upstairs, we looked at the menu and realized that we weren't sophisticated enough to understand the dishes. Fortunately, our server was nice enough to explain all the dishes we had questions about. Surprisingly, the restaurant served PIGEON! I think our server said they were different from the dirty ones we see in the streets, but we decided not to take any chances. I ended up getting cannelloni and my bf got a pasta dish. I was pretty sad when my dish came out to see that I only got 4 pieces of cannelloni. My poor bf's dish was also really small, and he left hungry. For dessert, I think we got some kind of almond cake. It was forgettable. My experience here was okay. The food was decent and not good enough to be so pricey for the portion.
Don't get me wrong. I still love the food at Oliveto. I'm downgrading them to 3 stars because of the poor service I had experienced a few months ago.
My bf and I went there for dinner. The restaurant was only about half full. It took forever for our waiter to even to come by and say hello and ask us what we wanted to drink. Then it was another 10 minutes before he came back to take our orders. After sitting there for over an hour, we still did not get our food. I flagged our waiter down. He said he doesn't know why we have not gotten our food yet and that the kitchen didn't really give a reason but assured that the food will come out soon. I asked to talk to the manager. The waiter then said that the people making the goose eggs I ordered kept breaking the eggs so had to redo to the dish a few times but they think they finally got it right. The manager finally came by to apologize for the wait. I felt like she begrudgingly comp'ed our desserts and would not have even said anything if I had not asked to speak with her. I was really surprised and disappointed by the level of inattention at a place like Oliveto.
In contrast, my bf and I went to Il Fornaio in SF for dinner a few years ago on a very busy night. Since the restaurant was packed, we had expected the service to be a bit slow. It took almost an hour to get our food. Without us asking, the manager came to our table to apologize for the slow service and comp'ed our ENTIRE MEAL even though we said it was not necessary. He even gave us dessert vouchers for our next visit. This is an example of what excellent customer service looks like. NOT like Oliveto!
My bf and I went to Oliveto 2 weeks ago (Thurs.) for dinner and had a great meal. Oliveto is a… Read more »
I'll go back just for the cake. The food was delicious and not overly expensive. The desserts cost a lot but are by far the best thing (get the bittersweet chocolate cake, which is perfectly made and not heavy).
The service could have been better, but nothing terrible. The food is heavier I would say, but very taste-ful.
Fantastic food and service!
Went to dinner with the family in the cafe part of the restaurant on the ground floor and had a fab time.
We all ordered something different and everyone was swapping our plates around as we wanted to try everything as everyone loved what they ordered and wanted to share. Yes, the portions are slightly smaller, but I personally like that a lot more because I hate feeling stuffed at the end of a meal. Plus, there was still room for super yummy chocolate cake!
Service was fantastic as well, water glasses were always full and our waitress explained everything we had a question about with a smile on her face.
Unfortunately I don't know if I'll go back as I always like to try new places in different parts of town, but if you are in the area, I highly recommend it.
Took my wife here for her birthday. Very clean, rustic, and the atmosphere is incredibly comfortable. With a reservation, you get the second floor with a quaint view the bustling Rockridge restaurant area. The wait staff was superb. We had a wonderful waitress named Monique who was attentive, helpful with her myriad recommendations when we asked, very responsive to our needs, but appropriately unobtrusive in her service during dinner conversation.
I was recommended the appetizer plate that marched out all the different types of salami. Very tasty. Although some thin slices of cheese and water crackers would have really made it for me.
The pasta was excellent, as were the scallops, although the squid ink was a bit thick. I'd go back... but only for special occasions. The price point is a bit on the high end, but the experience is nice, the wait staff (as I mentioned before) very attentive and friendly, and it's got a quaint, pleasant view off the second floor dining area.
This place was a great birthday experience!! I would've given them 5 stars, however 1) We had a reservation and still had to wait about 10 minutes before being seated 2) We waited about a solid 5 minutes or longer before our server said hello and even then it was a quick hello before she gave us her full attention.
So I took off a star for the start, but everything else was fantastic!
We sat upstairs, which if you're lucky enough to snag a window seat, you have a great view of the Oakland hills.
The menu is seasonal, organic and sustainable so I'm not going to rave about specific dishes. However, everything was delish! I realized the difference from fresh made pasta and the store bought stuff most American's are used to, what a difference!!
I would recommend going back for another special occasion. However, this isn't your average date-night place as I dropped $170 on dinner.
Ate at the cafe last Friday night and need to say how incredible their rabbit wrapped in pancetta was. I've been reading about Oliveto cutting portions, prices too high, so not sure if it's the restaurant people are talking about because the cafe provided an incredible meal for a great price.
Drinking a lovely red wine ($8 a glass) and watching the cooks twirl pizzas, roast potatoes and work the wood oven gave a great start to the evening and weekend.
The rabbit ($15.50) was half of a bunny boned out and rolled, then wrapped in their incredible pancetta, oven roasted, then served on bitter salad greens with just a bit of tangy dressing. The pancetta fat made the greens perfect, and kept the lean meat so moist - truly incredible.
I had a plate of assorted cookies and some coffee afterwards and was blown away by paying only $3 for a wonderful plate of treats (hazelnut macaroons, coconut macaroon dipped in chocolate, a thumbprint cookie with orange marmalade and biscotto). And $2 for a re-filled cup of coffee - gotta say I had no problem with the portion size or value for the buck at all.
And service was incredible. And I really have no connection to the place, except I think I'll hit Oliveto more often.
Neighborhood: North Oakland
Category: French
Neighborhood: North Oakland
Category: Italian
Berkeley, CA
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: North Oakland
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: North Oakland
Category: Italian
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