Page 15 - Boca Club News - June '21

Boca Club News, Page 15

Dining Out:

Much More Than a Pit!

By Alan Serinsky of Bocaire First Impressions: The Oliv Pit is like any small Mom expecting. I was reassured that the Grilled Octopus ($15)
Country Club. Hungry Al’s love and Pop restaurant operation. The footprint of the store is was amazing, but for me after watching the movie “My
for food started very young. limited in seating, the décor is modern Greek, the kitchen Octopus Teacher,” I’m struggling with ordering any octopus
Never satisfied with his Mom’s is wide open, and the staff eager to please. Thankfully, like dish ever again.
dishes, he started to cook his all restaurants in the time of COVID, they also adapted to Now for the main event of any Greek Restaurant…
way through her Betty Crocker outside dining and a take-out menu. The good news is, there the Greek Salad ($11). Having spent months throughout
Cookbook. During the years was a change of ownership since my previous lunch outing. the Greek Islands, I can testify with some expertise about
to follow he spend many hours What you can expect from the Oliv Pit is a family-run the quality of this salad. For me, it’s the tomatoes and the
working in restaurants, both as server and cook, attending business with the matriarch and patriarch of the kitchen, quality of olive oil. The “Pit” delivered an excellent salad
cooking classes and traveling the world in an effort to Anna and Tommy, handling the heat off the grill, and with nice ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, purple onions
expand his palette. As a professional writer, Hungry Al their son, Evan, managing a very small wait staff. There and Kalamata olives that would make Goddess Demeter
offers his perspective on current food trends and guides is something so authentic and gratifying when you see very happy!
you through your local restaurant options. family members working tirelessly to manage a difficult
and demanding food business. Much like gladiators, I can Straight From The Kitchen: As for our own Goddesses
Oliv Pit imagine they continuously move forward enduring the new at the table, they decided on the Grilled Whole Branzino
6006 SW 18th Street onslaught of uncaged hungry diners seeking freedom from ($32). Smart choice on their part. The presentation was
Boca Raton, FL 33342 their home kitchens. Good for them…and glad it’s not me! simple but inviting. Perfect grilled marks resonate the
(561) 409-2049 wood char flavors before the first bite. The pool of lemon
Prime Your Taste Buds: Like at any Greek diner the citrus vinaigrette and capers lying beneath this mild-tasting
Food for Thought: There were several variables at play choices are plenty, and sometimes I would be happy to just swimmer received accolades from our whole table.
even before I walked through the doors of this old, but new, settle for a salad and a couple of appetizers. But here at the Also shared by all was the Beef and Lamb Gyro ($9).
Greek bistro. First, I’ve been here before. It was a quick lunch “Pit” it’s going to be hard to resist some of your favorite This colossal pita wrap would feed a Greek army starving
stop for Hungry Al (that’s me) and Hungry D. A simple Greek Greek foods that you know could easily come straight from at sea for days. Sliced thin off the pressed lamb rotisserie,
salad and a site survey was all that was needed. The staff was a family recipe book. it was joined with those beautiful ripe tomatoes, lettuce,
sterile, the salad was basic, and the wine list was limited. The As a table we started with the tried and true Hummus onions and that special sauce.
jury was out whether I would return for another look, but all that with Pita bread ($6). Oliv Pit’s hummus is made from Fava As for you lamb chop lovers, these Australian cuts are
changed when we received an invite to come back for dinner. beans. Traditionally, I’ve been accustomed to hummus perfectly grilled with a brush of olive oil. You will think
Doing a review on the recommendation of others is being prepared with chickpeas and that may be the reason you’re in Athens overlooking the Pantheon.
sometimes like walking on eggshells. You’re not sure if you’ll for the thin consistency of this spread. Regardless, I would
be throwing plates in disappointment or sipping Ouzo in be happy with any topper on grilled pita bread. From The Dessert Tray: When it came to the
celebration. But the bottom line is, no review is worth losing Next on the appetizer tasting, we enjoyed a Spinach Pie desserts I wasn’t overly impressed. We were delivered
friends. that looks nothing like a “pie.” Rather than a slice, you get a complimentary sample plate, and besides the price it
Finally, my practice of reading reviews prior to any visit a pretzel-shaped phyllo crust that engulfs a cheesy spinach was like a Trojan Horse. Looks good on the outside and
sometimes places unpredictable expectations on my evaluations. interior. I happened to like their version and would definitely surprised by the inside. The Greek cookies, a variation of
Contrary reviews like: “I’ll never go back,” or it’s “the best order it again. Italian wedding cookies, were nicely powdered, but lacked
Greek food since my visit to Mykonos,” leaves you with an Our table companions, veterans of this restaurant, the almond sweetness within the casing.
ambiguous situation. Regardless, I forged ahead with a strong suggested the Zucchini Croquettes ($6), and sadly these Their signature Greek Orange Cake ($5) at first seemed
appetite and a positive disposition like any Greek warrior. so-called vegetable fritters didn’t pack the flavor I was to be the front runner, but the overpowering use of sugar
and orange zest didn’t make the finish line. As for the best
barometer of any Greek dessert, the traditional Baklava was
disappointing. The crisp baked phyllo crust lacked luster in
taste and was soft in consistency.

Check Please: Having endured the pandemic, you have
to imagine for any restaurateur, especially a small operation,
to win this economic battle you have to be like a Spartan
warrior. Fortunately, the Oliv Pit was able to overcome its
Achilles heel and forge ahead when so many were defeated.
For that alone, I must allow for some inconsistencies and
remember that for all of us it takes an Olympic winner to
pass a very tough year.
I look forward and hope that all small restaurants, much
like the Oliv Pit, continue to deliver true authentic global
cuisine for a long time. With
that in mind, the Hungry
Squad gives the Oliv Pit three
gold Olympic medals.