Wild Olives – Funny Name – Serious Dining
Located at 5050 Town Center Circle in the rear of the Center’s walkway, this year old club-like restaurant features cuisine by celebrity Chef Todd English as interpreted by Boca Chef Jamie Pruitt.
We reviewed six out of the nine appetizers offered including a Boston Bibb salad with shaved red onion, mache toasted walnut dressing and maytag bleu cheese- it’s sweet and flavorful, a very nice taste and texture. Olives’ Caesar salad with eggless dressing we found to be too light for true Caesar taste to come through.
Marc Kent
Yellowfin tartare with cucumber salad and some crispy shrimp was smooth and tasty with sesame dressing. Wild Olives’ Carpet Bagger oysters with beef carpaccio, whipped truffle potatoes and scallions was a fantastic treat not be missed. Crispy calamari was not too spicy with its chipotle aioli and tomato picante but had a tangy flavor. In contrast, the Braised Mussels –small Prince Edward bivalves – featured calebrese peppers and spicy roasted tomato broth – put over garlic bruschetta, it was an open-faced sandwich, spicy and with a lovely after bite- wow!
The menu lists fifteen items as antipasto ingredients – the Chef’s antipasto choice serves 2 to 4, the family style antipasto serves 6 to 8, mix and match.
Pasta, pasta, pasta – as entrees, three variations are presented – we chose the Old School Bolognese – a great tasting, hugh dish of tagliatelle with pork, beef and veal bolo and fontina crèma that would make an Italian Grandma smile – exceptional! Likewise, the lobster ravioli – large pasta pillows filled with sweet meat, featuring peas, grape tomatoes and a great, rich lobster crème – wonderful. We tried potato gnocchi with spicy shrimp, lump crabmeat and arugula, tomato and a fine aglio e olio, lovely. We could not taste the Spaghetti Polpetinni “Brooklyn Style” but will be sure to do so at a later date.
Four fish listings include sweet pan-seared Diver scallops served with parsnip puree, frisee and orange salad, shaved fennel, crispy pancetta and toasted pistachios – a perfect marriage of flavors to savor. You must try the crispy hog snapper with saffron rice, mussels, shrimp, chorizo and green peas- it’s most tender and tasty, a real winner.
We must return to try their salmon with its horseradish potato puree, prosciutto lardons and escarole in roasted tomato burro fusso and the wasabi crusted tuna with shrimp fried rice, nori confetti, ginger carrot puree in a sweet soy reduction. These dishes hold great promise.
We were told that the slow braised short ribs was comfort food personified – true – especially with the sweet pea risotto, pearl onions and cranberry gremoulata – a must try! The king of steaks is the rib-eye and we had these brown sugar cured slices both medium rare and medium – each done as requested, each tender and surrounded with silky parmesan whipped potatoes, bacon braised brussels sprouts in a veal jus. There is none better. We were not able to try the filet mignon or the bone-in chicken cacciatore or the boneless pork loin as listed.
By the way, Wild Olives has a roster of six starters listed as “signature flatbreads” We were temped to try a crispy rosemary crust with fig and balsamic jam, gorgonzola and fontina cheese and also try the “Boca Bomber”, smoked salmon, cream cheese crema, capers and garlic olive oil – both a delight.
Wild Olives menus change quarterly and there are specials offered at the Chef’s option. There is also a childrens menu – free dining for up to 4 with 2 full dinners purchased by adults.
To accompany their fine food, Wild Olives has an extensive selection of wines-by-the glass and currently over 100 choices of bottled wines..
The desserts offered include Todd’s ricotta cheesecake, an apple cobbler, a white chocolate bread pudding, crème brulee and a chocolate trifle.
Wild Olives seat 110 inside dining and another 50 on patio, serving lunch Mondays to Fridays from 11:30AM to 3PM, dinner 5:30PM to 10PM. Dinner is also served from 5:30PM to 10PM on Saturdays, Sundays from 6:30PM to 10PM. This club-like atmosphere, fine food and drink combined with flawless service makes a wonderful dining experience – Go and Enjoy!
