With its signature blue and white Santorini-inspired decor, Mediterranean fare, and breezy vibe, Olive Cafe and Bar’s debut in Kolkata is long overdue. Bringing restaurateur AD Singh’s time-tested formula of combining good food, a good crowd, and a chic setting is a project that takes time and finally, 25 years after the first flagship opened in Mumbai, the brand has arrived at the right location at the right time. This rooftop spot (previously occupied by The Salt House) on the arterial Shakespeare Sarani covers a sprawling 6000 sq ft of with a gorgeous bamboo-roofed courtyard complete with cabanas, plush couches, rattan furniture, a wooden island bar, a plethora of bougainvillea, potted palms, and frangipanis. While Olive Cafe and Bar is more casual than the restaurant format, this is not just a cafe, not by a long shot. The space itself is malleable enough changing from a languorous brunch spot by day to a buzzy mooodily lit restaurant-cum-cocktail lounge by night and one imagines it becoming a fast favourite with ladies who lunch, couples on a romantic night out, and cocktail enthusiast. The bar with its three-tiered cocktail menu of “Olive Signatures”, “Classic Tipples”, and “Olive You Kolkata”. The latter pays tribute to the city’s cuisine and culture via drinks like Tolly Gunge made with ghee-washed rum, rice syrup, all-spice tincture and acids; the Hoogly Ho! Gimlet, a blend of India dry gin, housemade green mango and gondhraaj cordial, and garnished with kasundi-glazed mango slices; and the martini-style Mishti Joy with cream-washed vodka and coco-jaggery vermouth. Teetotallers can pick from zero proof beverages, an extensive coffee and tea menu and fresh juices. The food follows an equally versatile AM to PM programming spanning shareable artisanal cheese and charcuterie boards, mezze platters, bar snackibles, pizzas, sandwiches, mains, and much more. Curated by Jyotika Malik who is Vice President, Culinary for the Olive Group, the menu is a whirl through the fresh aromatic flavours from the Mediterranean region all the way from main courses to dips and condiments like hummus, guac, garlicky dips, cheese, herby olives, and more. Pick from small plates like Burrata & Friends (fresh burrata served with vine ripped cherry tomatoes, pesto, arugula, balsamic and sourdough), Soft Fish Tacos, Prawns Pil Pil and a range of bruschetta; or try the Portuguese-style espetada skewers with vegetarian options featuring cottage cheese, broccoli and mushroom and non-veg spanning chicken with sun-dried tomatoes, chermoula rubbed fish or harissa flavoured prawns. The large plates span an entire journey from grills to mains to elegant and hearty pastas, pizzas and rissottos. Think: New Zealand Lamb Chops with fondant potatoes, polenta, mushrooms, kale and olive dust, Roasted Butternut Squash with a smoked Greek yoghurt labneh, sumac, honey, hazelnuts, pomegranates, lentils and parsley, or a ratatouille puff with feta. And if there is space for dessert, there is a picnic variant of a tiramisu which is served in a wicker basket with a biscotti, coffee ganache, coffee ice cream and a macaroon. Hat tips to Kolkata come via spices like kalo jeere, posto and freshly caught bhetki and river prawns. All of this with a view of the city through charming slatted khorkhori windows in pop-blue tones. -Diya Kohli
English