The Olive Tree - Modern British
4-7 Russell Street
Lower Lansdown
Bath, BA1 2QF
01225 447928
The Olive Tree is situated in the basement of the Queensberry, a gorgeous boutique hotel five minutes’ walk up the hill from Bath’s main shopping streets and only a couple from its famed Royal Crescent. My girlfriend and I were staying at the Queensberry [link to Bath weekend review] so it made perfect sense to sample their restaurant while we were there.
The restaurant is set in the basement of the four Georgian townhouses that form the Queensberry. The room was lit perfectly and was full when we arrived – always a good sign.
The menu is a creative mix of modern British cuisine with a few Mediterranean influences and the Olive Tree prides itself on the fact that it sources virtually all its meat, vegetables and cheeses from farms local to Bath. It also has an extensive wine cellar, with the wine list sorted by the nature of the wine (“Aromatic whites with rich flavours”, “Black fruits full of body”, “Warm and spicy” etc), which for someone like me, not renowned for my wine knowledge, was extremely helpful, as was our waitress when asked for assistance with choosing.
We were treated to a delicious amuse bouche of parsnip and truffle soup to whet our appetite before the starters arrived. However, this did nothing to prepare us for the quality of the food to come. My starter of Cornish crab ravioli with spinach and bisque was absolutely sublime – perfectly cooked pasta with light, sweet crab offset beautifully by the spinach and the wonderful bisque. Given the surroundings, I thought better of licking my plate dry, but it was extremely tempting. My girlfriend’s Olive Tree seasonal salad, whilst perhaps inevitably less wondrous than the ravioli, was nonetheless perfectly balanced and fresh.
I often think that, for whatever reason, starters and desserts tend to outdo main courses at many restaurants. So it was gratifying that my fillet of beef with dauphinois potatoes and spinach was spot on; the beef cooked perfectly so as to melt in the mouth and accompanied by a rich red wine and pancetta sauce that complemented the meat perfectly. My girlfriend, meanwhile, tucked into fillet of Brill with saffron risotto and tomato concassé, which was deemed to be delicious, although it could have been a little more sizeable.
After what was a rather extended wait (perhaps inevitable on a busy Saturday evening) we were presented with our desserts. My girlfriend’s orange and yoghurt pannacotta with fresh berries was outstanding, while my orange parfait with crisp caramelised oranges (almost like the topping of a crème brulée), fig puree and almond cream was a triumph, bringing together a number of diverse flavours and textures perfectly.
All in all it was a memorable meal and it was easy to see why the place was so full – with food and drink of that quality it is no wonder that the Olive Tree’s excellent reputation is spreading fast.
Oliver Humphrey, Lovells, LLP
