Since opening in July 2013, Olive at Mawson has developed a loyal following of diners from the Woden Valley and beyond. With a strong focus on classic dishes, visitors will be treated to hearty dishes served with all the love and care expected in a family restaurant.
The menu is designed to let diners graze through entrée and the meze dishes – staying away from the traditional ‘three courses’. However, you’ll find plenty of flexibility and dishes to suit every preference.
It’s difficult not to start with the deliciously stone-baked bread with just a hint of oil (no butter!). Served with olive tapenade, a subtle anchovy dip or balsamic vinegar, it’s more than just a side dish.
Who doesn’t love filo? The Crispy Filo Parcels with Feta crumble apart to reveal warm and smooth feta inside. Drizzled with ouzo, honey and topped with walnuts, there’s a symphony of flavours in a neat and folded package.
Not shy of presenting diners with value for money, the Tempura King Prawns almost roll off the plate due to their size. With tales intact, be sure to grab one before everyone else does, pausing only to dip in the tartare sauce off to the side. The prawns explode with juiciness, and there’ll be a race to the end for the last of the dish.
One of those dishes always worth dining out for is duck. At Olive, the Duck Breast is served with root vegetables, red currant jelly and raspberry vinegar juice. Where this dish comes in to its own is the way the vegetables are cooked in the same pan as the duck. It’s an absolute delight, with the rich tapestry of flavours combining to cut through the sweet richness of the duck to create impeccable balance.
The Seafood Stack consists of Balmain bugs, prawns, calamari, Silverdory, octopus. Already proving popular, it has quickly made its way from the Special’s Board is a fantastic idea to share with friends. Again, the prawns are massive, the Silverdory is wonderfully succulent, and stalks of fresh and zesty asparagus provide a textural contrast.
With the inclusion of home made icecream, and an intriguing list of delicious and it’s difficult to turn away from the dessert menu, regardless of how many jumbo king prawns one might have consumed through the course of the meal.
The Tirimasu is a cheeky take on the Italian classic. Arriving a the table much like some sort of exotic choc-top one might enjoy in front of Fellini’s La Dolce Vita. The tall glass encourages you to delve all the way down to the bottom, extracting more flavour with every spoonful.
The Ice-Cream Plate is made in-house, right down to the waffle basket in which the dish sits. The flavours are suprising treat. The Cassata ice-cream feels like a grown-up version of jelly babies, made with citrus peel, red and green glaceed cherries, pistachios, roasted almonds all folded through cinnamon ice-cream.
The balsamic ice-cream is something few people would be tempted to try, however as part of this collection (including an utterly decadent chocolate edition) the flavours work with spectacular effect.
For those whose palate may not be so sweet, a cheese plate – with the obligatory fruit, nuts and crackers is available and is perfect to share. The coffee is delicious, and the hazelnut truffles a delight.
Still hungry? If so, we’d be surprised!
