Olivery: A slice of Sicily in the heart of Tel Aviv - review

In the square opposite the historic Cameri Theatre of Tel Aviv lies Olivery, a superb Sicilian restaurant.

Chef Yehiel Malihi’s menu includes Sicilian-style pizzas, arrosticini (meat skewers grilled in southern-Italian style), handmade cannoli, and pastas; Italian-style charcuterie produced and aged on-site; and other Italian classics with a modern twist.

Having recently moved to this fabulous new location by the theater, Olivery is the perfect choice for a pre-show meal or light snack afterward. It’s also a perfect destination for foodies and families looking for a good restaurant with delicious homemade food and a relaxed atmosphere.

My husband and I were invited to dine there midweek and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Our table was booked for 7.30 p.m. making it difficult for us to park, as is so often the case in the center of Tel Aviv. We would have been well advised to take the train as the nearest station (Hashalom) is only a 17-minute walk away, although as the saying goes, “hindsight is a wonderful thing.”

Nevertheless, that didn’t spoil our evening.  

A relaxed vibe and affordable food

We were greeted warmly upon our arrival and immediately shown to our table as diners started to leave to catch the start of the show at the Cameri. The light, airy restaurant interior, coupled with clever seating arrangements made it perfect for groups and couples alike.

We enjoyed refreshing, light cocktails – Jasmine and Sicilian Summer – while perusing the menu and seeking recommendations from our waiter. With many different foods on offer, I was keen to sample some of their most popular dishes. Before long, our starters arrived, all of which looked almost too good to eat.

Zucchini flowers filled with goat cheese, ricotta, parmesan, and chives in a tempura coating was the first dish to arrive. (NIS 52) This was utterly delicious, although, filled with cheese and fried, it was also rather heavy. Make sure you’re extra hungry if you start with this or you’ll have no room for the rest of the meal.

We also ordered the ceviche on brioche: Fish tartare on buttered brioche with sour cream and mixed leaves served on tomato gazpacho with a drizzle of chili oil. (NIS 74). Light and tasty, this dish provided a nice contrast to the zucchini flowers.

Probably the best of the three starters – and one which came highly recommended by our waiter – was arancini: Fried risotto balls filled with mushrooms, mozzarella, and parmesan, served on a bed of sour cream. (NIS 52).

Despite being fried, these balls were light, fluffy, and flavorsome, an absolute must for anyone eating there, particularly vegetarians.

The mouthwatering mains were no less delicious than the starters. Keen to try both “surf and turf,” we ordered the sea bass fillet with tortellini which came with oregano butter sauce, pea, feta cheese, and chili oil. It was wonderful – one of the best fish dishes I have tasted.

The beef fillet skewer with mashed potatoes, bone marrow, gremolata, and beef broth was no less enchanting. (NIS 98)

Despite not leaving room for afters, we still managed to put two away – almost.

Never one to miss an opportunity to try something chocolatey, I went with the chocolate celebration: a medley of Valrhona chocolate mousse, milk chocolate cream, hazelnut praline, mascarpone cream, cocoa crumble, tempered chocolate tuiles, and crème anglaise. I’ll admit defeat here – I couldn’t finish it all and took the leftovers home for my sweet-toothed daughter.  

My husband ordered the caramel puffs stuffed with white chocolate and dulce de leche cream, almond crumble, and berries, which he managed to polish off (with some help from yours truly).

So, if you’re looking for a reasonably priced restaurant in the heart of Tel Aviv – either for a night out or to grab a bite before or after a show – with yummy food, a decent selection of wines (I had a lovely glass of Valpolicella) and a relaxed vibe, look no further than Olivery.

Dine in or take away, you won’t be disappointed.

• Olivery
• Sderot Sha’ul HaMelech 23
• Tel Aviv-Yafo
• Tel: (03) 544-6076
• Opening times: Mon.-Sat., 12 noon-11 p.m.; Sun., 5 p.m.-11 p.m.
• This restaurant is not kosher.
• The writer and her husband were guests of the restaurant.