Reviews
From the Victoria Times Colonist
Thursday, July 17, 2008
It has been nearly a decade since the Ghinis family opened the doors to the Olive Grove. Step inside and you will likely find it bigger than you expected, with almost a couple of hundred seats offered in a variety of rooms and patios.
You could be mistaken for thinking this is a Greek restaurant, but despite the decor, they seem to be making an effort to brand themselves as West Coast/Mediterranean. Scanning the menu, we discussed how much of the appetizer section here is typical of Greek restaurants on the Island. Calamari, hummus, tzatziki and pita bread all have their merits, but what I wouldn’t give to see someone mix it up a bit by offering dishes like skordalia, grilled octopus, cheese and ouzo pastries, or taramosalata. Add dishes from Italy and Spain and you can see the potential.
The evening menu offers a good range of affordable entrée choices. Pizzas can be customized with a good selection of toppings. Platters for two at $31.95 are a definite bargain, with your choice of calamari, roast lamb, moussaka and souvlaki and spanakopita, served with Greek salad, roast potatoes and tzatziki.
If you haven’t been, check out this place. The prices are good, as is the food, and something about the atmosphere reminds me of places I have visited on holiday. The next time I have a free afternoon on a sunny day, I am heading for the beach with one of their wrapped souvlakis and some iced ouzo.
