Olivea

My friend and I went to Olivea for dinner last night and we were very happy! The service was excellent, very attentive without being obtrusive! I really liked that our waitress brought us a carafe of cold water and left it at the table for us. Our drink orders were taken right away and brought to us. Our food order was taken just as we had decided (timing is everything) and it was very tasty and very large portions. We never had to ask for anything while we were there. The music wasn't my first choice but it wasn't loud or obnoxious. The atmosphere was very relaxed and the other patrons all seemed to be enjoying themselves too. We were able to have a conversation without yelling or leaning way over the table to hear. All in all, a great dining experience.

My partner and I have lived in Kingston for 8 years, and we are always excited when a new restaurant comes to town - however, we do like to wait a while before trying a new place for the first time. Having seen how busy Olivea seems to be every time we walk by, we decided to finally give it a try yesterday while on the prowl downtown for lunch. We figured they'd had enough time since opening last summer to work out the kinks.

How wrong we were.

We were lured in by the (as usual) numerous filled tables and what looked like a decent menu, food-wise. Also, the "lunch special" sounded perfect since we were not too hungry: a soup or salad and small pasta or panini for $10. After being seated, the server left us to browse the menu without having poured water. Only after our orders were taken did we get water, and then it was only about 3oz in the bottom of the water glass. Enough for a mouthful, but that's it.

It took 40 minutes - FORTY MINUTES - for our soup and "panini" to arrive (yes, both were brought out at the same time). Forty minutes for a soup and sandwich. All we could think was, "this better be worth it!"

It was not.

The soup was a butternut squash soup. Basically, a puree of butternut squash with some cream spilled over it (not mixed in) and some chives sprinkled on top. It was bland and unseasoned other than the pepper our server put on at our request.

The "panini" was laughable: it was the furthest thing from panini I have ever seen. My partner had the lemon grilled chicken, while I had the eggplant parmesan. First, the bread was dreadful: a crumbling white roll with exactly two sad little grill marks on the tail end of my sandwich (with none at all on the chicken one). My partner describes his sandwich as: dull, plain, and hospital cafeteria-esque. My sandwich consisted of a paper-thin, barely-there slice of eggplant thoroughly fried to death and smothered with bland tomato sauce. There may have been some mozzarella in there somewhere, but I was too fascinated by the skimpiness of the eggplant to notice. They must stock only one eggplant a day if they're rationing it out like that every time.

The restaurant has the audacity to describe this menu item as "Italian Style Pressed Sandwiches". I could honestly do better with a dinner roll and a George Forman grill. I would have been even more disappointed if I had paid full-price (i.e. not as part of the "lunch special") for this insult to panini-kind.

Since we'd waited 40 minutes for this, we'd had a lot of time to check out the place and mull over why it might be so busy all the time (we learned it could not be because of the food). The interior design is reminiscent of Starbucks, and as loud as one to boot. We concluded that the only reason why it is so busy is due to location.

Yes, it DOES overlook the market square.

No, this is NOT enough to be considered a saving grace.

Never again.

PS: I have never written a restaurant review before, but there are so many other Kingston restaurants that I dearly love. I want this bad experience to be known, so that people can have a better lunch somewhere else.

Well i guess it is time to wade into the great Olivea debate. Things going for this restaurant? One of the best locations in town looking out onto Market Square and a comfortable dining atmosphere. Things going against this restaurant. The unfathomable inconsistency of the food. I have had the Bison steak and frites (excellent!). The Bella Burger was pathetic. The $10 pasta lunch special was yummy. The Paninis get a resounding thumbs down from fellow reviewers and friends who have tried them. I get the feeling I am playing Russian Roulette every time i think about eating there. I was beginning to think they had tuned a corner after our most recent lunch but a friend who works nearby had to send her panini back - it was that bad. If you ask for parmesan cheese it comes in a tacky plastic dispenser that they leave at your table. Gordon Ramsay would have a fit. The management of this place needs a serious shakeup.

I have to say that I am also shocked by the negative reviews. It is normal for people to make mistakes. Good luck finding a restaurant that is flawless. However, I feel that Olivea has fewer flaws and is always willing to help when possible. The establishment of today is not the same place that opened last July; they have evolved and have made changes to better cater to their clientele.

Some of the other comments are pretty outlandish. So, being a huge fan of this restaurant and a repeat customer, I want to make some things clear.

First of all, the owners do cook there occasionally, and the "poster boy" is clearly an excellent chef with very high standards and the awards to prove it. Do the owners of every restaurant cook at their establishment? No. The owners are often present and are very approachable and personable, as are the servers.

Some of the previous comments made a few months ago are easily explained as growing pains. Most if not all have been rectified in my opinion. To be honest, I have never experienced anything less than superb on all my visits.

They do take reservations now, even for parties less than 6.

The comments about frozen or package food is complete bull. Everything is made to order, everything is FRESH, nothing is packaged, local, and many of the ingredients are organic. How do I know? I asked. Simple as that. They even have this cool parmesan cheese grater that you get to keep at your table and use to your liking.

The atmosphere is very nice and unique to Kingston. It reminds me of a more modern, chic style reminiscent of larger cities. It's loud, yes, but not to the point that it's overbearing. On the contrary, I find it make private conversations possible because other people can't hear you. It make the open-space concept more private. I like the candles on the bar, the bar stools are the best in town, the colours and wood furnishings are clean and complement the overall mood.

The location is perfect. There is not a better location in town. The views of Market Square are priceless, providing you with a front row seat to the many events at Market Square or a peaceful view at other times.

After reading all of the reviews, I feel I have to point out that this is an Italian restaurant that is closer to casual fine dining, not fine dining - Italian finer dining I'd say. It's not expensive either.

They feature a much more unique and authentic menu - hence the separate side dishes. These side choices allow for greater customization, and prices with sides are comparable to other establishments where orders come with preselected sides. As for the bread, it is not "just bread", it is an appetizer in itself and is a high quality, local bread with oil and vinegar on the side.

They also make great drinks. Their manager is an excellent bartender.

If you want cheap and fast food, go to Denny's, otherwise treat yourself.

PS. No, I do not work at Olivea or have any ownership.

My wife and I went to Olivea last night, and we enjoyed it so much. It was one of the most enjoyable experiences we have had in a long time. The food was amazing and the steak was cooked perfect. Not only was the food great, our server was exceptional. We have yet to have a server as professional, friendly, and intelligent as we did last night. Thanks Kyle!

Thanks Olivea it was great, we will be back.

You can't expect much from 17-year old children in the kitchen. Veal cheek ragu was more of a tomato soup, with veal bits floating around. Salads were the best part of the meal, by far. Food was not 'fine' by any stretch, and would have rather spent my money at another establishment in the area.

Waiting staff was courteous, but should have offered to mend our poor meal quality in some way, shape or form.

The overall ambiance wasn't too bad, except for a lot of under-dressed, loud students kicking around.

Mediocre at best, overated and pretentious. Do yourself a favor and ignore the latest over the top glowing reviews. Its pretty obvious that they are writting thier own. The only restaurant in Kingston that could compete in another city? C'mon. All the other restaurants have the same (unbearable)noise problem. Really? The decor has nuances of NYC soho and nouveau Chicago, are they for real?Try nouveau Starbucks. Drinks prices are low - they are the highest markups in the city. The food is such great value. THEY CHARGE FOR BREAD! The Chef has learned the small plate/tapas song and dance that is all the rage in restaurants these days. Why? Small portion at a relatively high price for what you get = big profits. OK it is not all bad, we have had some decent meals there along with some pretty awfull experinces. There are many as good and much better options in town. Olivea is by no means a standout. To the owners: read some of the negative reviews (and there are plenty) and try to improve. You are not as good as you think you are.

I think this is the finest restaurant in Kingston. We had the pleasure of walking in between menus (yes, this restaurant cares enough to prepare for the dinner menu).

We liked their beer, wine and coffee selection! We were pleasantly surprised by the menu items and prices. Being connoisseurs of fine Italian food and having travelled extensively in Italy, NYC and Chicago, I think we qualify as critics.

The atmosphere is second to none with panoramic views of the Market Square, the interior is metropolitan chic, and the decor is nouveau Chicago.

We tried not to be conspicuous in out attempts to spot the Chef. It is obvious that he/she is a highly trained individual with a discerning and refined taste. Apart from the wonderfully prepared food, the service was quite memorable, a fusion of attentiveness, knowledge and pride.

Antipasti: Arancine (fried risotto croquettes stuffed with fontina and mushrooms)

Secondi: Aged Ribeye for Two - porcini rubbed ribeye with arugula salad

Wine: the region's own, Black Prince

Simply magnificent!

This restaurant I would say is the "gem" of Kingston. Aside from the enviable location of King and Brock Streets, next to the beautiful City Hall, this is a must-attend restaurant for any gourmet afficianado.

The decor: elegant with nuances of NYC Soho.
The food: palate indulgence would be an understatement. The Chef is an obvious seasoned professional who does not let the slightest detail escape his highly trained palate.
Wine & Beers: This truly is a sophisticated selection. The remarkable thing is that the price point makes these drinks affordable. The proprietor obviously has marriage of taste and drink in mind, more so than squeezing a profit from his clients - quite refreshing indeed.
Service: I have to say that it is second to none. The Staff is highly trained and professional in deportment.

Final comment: I entertained sophisticated producers from Montreal and Toronto at this fine restaurant. I was not disappointed and the cheque - a pleasant surprise.

I am surprised by all of the negative reviews. I thought the food was very good, as was our waitress. She was very attentive and friendly.