El Olivo

5 Reviews on “El Olivo”

• Magnus Summers

  Lovely family run restaurant – I often go here for lunch or dinner and the service is always fantastic. I particularly recommend the cappuccino – it comes with a delicious chocolate patterned topping :)There’s a lot to choose from on the menu but there could be a few more vegetarian options. Highly recommend if you’re in Stokey and need somewhere with a relaxing environment and delicious Spanish food. The happy hour looks good too!

  April 30, 2017, 6:03 pm

  Log in to Reply
• Iris

  El Olivo offer a remarkably wide selection of tapas, paellas and Mediterranean main dishes; if you can’t find a combination of ingredients you like in there, maybe you’re just not that into Spanish cuisine. If that’s the case, you’ll be happy to hear that the rest of the menu is just as extensive, and mostly features bog-standard British cafe food. I wasn’t too sure what English breakfasts, jacket potatoes and burgers had to do with a tapas restaurant, and yet they were all there, making me wonder what El Olivo’s selling point actually is. I’ve yet to see a restaurant succeed in specialising in wildly different cuisines, and would be happier to choose from a smaller selection of high-quality Spanish dishes, than have to skim over pages of the same old stuff, worthy of my local greasy spoon.A few of the colleagues I was with ordered the tapas set lunch. That’s either two tapas at 7.75, or three tapas at 10.75, both with complimentary bread – not bad if you want to try different flavours without spending a fortune. Plates were, as you’d expect, on the small side; still, a few people claimed they were too full to eat everything up. I take it as a testament to how generously those small bowls were stuffed: I’ve seen other restaurants serve far tinier tapas at far more expensive prices.I chose from outside the tapas menu, and went for a warm dish with eggs, chorizo, potatoes and spinach in tomato sauce, priced at slightly less than 7. It looked smaller than some of the tapas plates, but turned out to be rather filling. I liked how the chef crammed heaps of of chorizo in such a tiny skillet; liked less the choice of putting fried potatoes in the mix, as boiled or sauted potatoes would have created a much nicer texture, and the extra grease factor was unnecessary, given the abundance of oily meat. Had I known in advance, I probably would have ordered something else; the nagging feeling I’d be able to cook a better version of this at home strikes me as I write.Towards the end of our meal, I got to partake in a colleague’s leftovers of Houmous Con Chorizo: a nice enough idea (I’d have ordered it in a heartbeat if I’d chosen the tapas), but sadly, also proof that the pairing isn’t meant to be. It’s not that it tasted bad; the two flavours just didn’t blend. The houmous was rather overpowering, while the few chunks of fried chorizo on top made no difference whatsoever; you’re better off eating them separately, if it’s that bold kick you’re after.The bread we ate is, too, a controversial point. Going by the menu, a few of us were supposed to get a complimentary portion with our meals, but the staff brought two sharing baskets for our party of eight, so I can’t tell if we all got a fair share or were short-changed. I also question the choice of serving flatbreads instead of crusty bread. I thought crusty bread would be a no-brainer with Spanish-inspired food; it would certainly have been a better option, as the warm flatbreads were limp, as if they’d just been microwaved in a hurry, and rather bland in taste.In a nutshell: good ideas, so-so execution, filling lunch at a decent price. I won’t go out of my way to return, but since we were stuck in Stoke Newington for a few hours, I’m glad we chose El Olivo instead of letting those who were rooting for nearby Nando’s have their way. whatevergetsyouthroughtheday.wordpress.com

  August 2, 2016, 7:21 pm

  Log in to Reply
• Mireia

  Yummy Spanish tapas with a twist. Cool atmosphere.

  December 2, 2014, 10:25 pm

  Log in to Reply
• Ludo Pianon

  Good, tasty, spanish tapas.If you are in Dalton and you fancy a tapas, try this little little. It is cozy, warm, and the menu offers many spanish traditional plates.Try the menu lunch, it offers 2-3 tapas or a main course (try the pollo espinaca it is delicious!) at very reasonable prizes.

  May 6, 2013, 5:45 am

  Log in to Reply
• Eli Nadel

  This was the worst dining experience I have had in about 5 years, honestly. After waiting for 20 minutes to receive our drinks, the waiting staff were very short staffed so the interaction was rushed, awkward and very impersonal. Water was slipped on us and the table as the staff were running with glasses past our table. The food was very low budget at a high price. It tasted like cheap supermarket tapas from Tesco. Also we never received all our food ordered. Thank goodness. This all I could deal with and possibly give them another chance as I myself work in this industry and understand that we all have bad days. I requested the bill, waiting for someonetime. I went to the reception area ans asked the manager again for my bill. I was told it was 35. I told the manager (Sere) that I didn’t enjoy my dinner, the service was not at a good standard and we did not enjoy the food. He responded by saying thank you, in a sarcastic tone. I said no maybe you didn’t understand that I am not happy. He again said, yes thank you. I said that I myself work in the industry and understand he was stressed but he didn’t need to be rude. He just kept saying thank and said he could phone the owner but I will need to wait. I picked up a bussiness card wrote down this unprofessional over worked Guys name and will be sure to be in touch with senior management or owners. A bad attitude topped off a terrible experience.

  November 19, 2012, 9:24 pm

  Log in to Reply