Olivetta

Olivetta Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant: It seems that this stretch of Melrose Avenue is under the notion that "if you can get in the restaurant, it will be more for the scene than anything else." This rings true at Olivetta, from husband-and-wife duo Matt and Marissa Hermer (he is British; she is from California), who have operated restaurants, nightclubs and a hot dog joint in London. Marissa, who is also a TV personality from "Ladies of London," returned with her family back to her homeland, and, of course, the couple continued what they are used to doing, i.e., creating restaurants with a scene. The "No Photography, Please" policy should be a hint that they are expecting celebrities --- a tough restriction since these days it's all about capturing the moment to share with others on social media. Even if you have a reservation, which is required, expect to be given a once-over by the bouncers guarding the door. After you've passed them, you will discover a space heavily decorated. There are four distinctive areas: a lounge with antique chandeliers on the right; a large bar area, where you can also dine, with a back-lit bottle display; on the left a patio-like dining room in beige tones with a fireplace, ivy-covered walls and Bougainvillea vines; and, to finish, the main dining room where most of the seating is along a double-sided banquette. The walls are adorned with quite a colorful wallpaper, and other decorative elements include huge lamps, mirrors and greenery. Both the main dining room and bar have ceilings bedecked in beige drapery. The overall atmosphere created by the décor is rather British, understandable since the Hermers landed back in California from London.

Likes: The casarecce pasta with roasted garlic and bone marrow.
Dislikes: Service, performed by a young team, is not as attentive as it should be.

Food: The restaurant says its cuisine is Mediterranean (inspiration from Italy, Greece, France and Spain) but it is not that obvious when you read the menu --- bigeye tuna, yellowtail tartare, caviar d’Aquitaine, shoestring frites, cheese board, grilled potatoes with crème fraîche, Dover sole meunière, NY strip with fries and béarnaise, roasted chicken, double-cut pork chop and a vegan "Double-Double." Chef Michael Fiorelli, whom we've known from mar'sel at Terranea and Love & Salt, brings us to Italy with the house-made pasta, as well as the 30-day dry-aged Prime Tomahawk steak with rib bone prepared alla Milanese, Maine lobster spaghetti and the grilled branzino (the latter we found disappointing). Meanwhile, the baked Greek sea bass moves us east, while the grilled Spanish octopus, Manchego cheese and jamón Serrano takes us west to Spain. The desserts we tried (brown sugar budino, chocolate olive oil cake) were not really interesting. After having dinner at Olivetta, we think that there is a disconnect between the rather sophisticated décor and the so-called Mediterranean cuisine.

Drinks: There are craft cocktails created especially for the restaurant that simply bear the name of the featured spirit ("Vodka," "Tequila," etc.). The wine list highlights regions from around the world, while putting an emphasis on boutique and small producers.