Olivo - Guildford

The Olivo group of Italian restaurants was founded in November 1997 by the management team of Nicky and Fulvio Bertani, in an historic building that goes back to the early 1660s and is an Elizabethan timber-framed house. The history of its usage over almost 400 years make fascinating reading but we are here to take a closer look at some of the best Italian food to be had in Surrey.

Rather a nice touch in that they like to look at the restaurant as the setting for a play, which being Italian just has to be one of passion. This embraces the setting, the music and naturally the dishes and wine that are served with a true sense of bravura.

Their chefs share a common desire to present top rate Italian food in the Italian way, not as a concession to the British palate. Traditional recipes are revisited, interpreted and adjusted according to the creative instincts of the kitchen team, against a background of complete dedication to the availability of high quality basic ingredients. It is a common truism that we are what we eat, and this is more true than ever today as modern processing becomes more destructive.

A cautionary note is sounded by the quotation of the old Roman adage, 'Rome was not built in a day', and whilst the preparation of your meal will take considerably time less than that, it will be fresh right from the outset.

For instance all the pasta is freshly made in the traditional Italian style with choices like linguine served with tiger prawn, langoustine, mussels, clams, tomato, garlic and white wine sauce, or penne served with garlic, chicken and their own pesto sauce. The individually handmade ravioli is filled with spinach, mixed herbs and ricotta cheese served in a courgette, sweet peppers, garlic and tomato sauce.

An Italian salad can be assured to have more ingredients than average, and their traditional air dried cured beef from the northern Italian Valtellini valley, served on a bed of rocket salad and dressed with balsamic vinegar, olive oil and parmesan shavings certainly does the trick.

Italians have special ways with fish, and you should expect to find pan fried fillet of sea bass cooked with mussels and clams in a light white wine, garlic, chilli and cherry tomato sauce, or fresh loin of swordfish brushed with olive oil and lemon and gently cooked on the char grill, along with vegetables of the day.

Main courses specials could include grilled fillet steak served with a garlic, cherry tomatoes and Marsala sauce, topped with Parma ham, or a fillet steak brushed with aromatic olive oil and gently cooked on the char grill. But if your taste buds send you to the Northern Italian Tirolo region whose seasoned, dry cured and mildly smoked ham provides the basis for risotto allo Speck, Arborio rice cooked with onion, saffron and the ham, served with rocket salad, a truly delicious dish.

Italian wine at its best is a real delight and the list at Olivo starts with decent house wine by the glass or bottle, finishing with, amongst many others a notable style of Moscadello, made from the local grape and slowly fermented in new oak to produce a straw coloured yellow wine with golden reflections. Ask for the Col d'Orcia Toscana.

For further information on their events, and their ability to deal with yours, getting married at Olivo, gift vouchers and many other things including their history and philosophy, click on their Website and become absorbed.