Ginger Olive | Restaurant and Grill — Restaurant in Melbourne

😱Lizzies first impression: Conveniently situated right off Flinders Lane near Degraves. The place feels like Melbourne with its mix of asian yet european dishes - its a no brainer that they have called it Ginger Olive. Ginger represents asian and Olive represents European. Decor is neat, dim but welcoming at the same time. Staff are amazing here - it is run by a really sweet family and you can tell how close they are through their interacactions with each other.

🍩Lizzie enjoyed: I had a chance to try a few of their dishes and they were all so flavourful.

First was the Honey soy BBQ Pork steam buns - these buns are becoming such a trend and it tasted impeccable. Baos were not too soft and the bbq pork was cooked well and very flavoursome -the kewpie sweet chilli hollandaise sauce just completed the flavours.

I also had the slow cooked beef ribs - these ribs are slow cooked in a heap of herbs and spices so it tastes delicious and mouth watering. It also came with fries so WHAT A PLUS!

Now on to my favourite dish of the day - the Seafood Linguine. Pasta cooked al dente and the best flavours from the fresh seafood, garlic and fresh herbs. A generous serving of prawns and muscles along with other seafood too. The flavours were great and I will remember this restaurant for their perfect pasta. Amazing.

Sweet potato fries - fried crispy and has a heap of flavour from the rosemary on top. Tequila Sunrise - Why not have a drink for breakfast/lunch? Perfect way to start my day in my opinion. They do a whole range of drinks and even stocks Roasting Warehouse coffee for those coffee snobs out there.

🍅Lizzie did not enjoy: N/A

🥇Lizzie rates overall: If you know me, Im all about the service (as well as the food), so seeing this kind of service just speaks volume about their attitude towards this restaurant and of the love for their food and people. Im so impressed by the food and I will definitely be back again to try the rest...

BEST PRE-SHOW DINING EXPERIENCE – EVER!

We dined here for the first time last night and OMG – WOW! What a lovely experience. They just won themselves another regular.

From the moment we walked in, the owners and staff couldn’t have been any nicer. We were shown to our table promptly by the loveliest young lady — full of smiles and asking how we were. She really made us feel welcome.

The place was packed. Luckily, we’d booked in advance — and this is a must here if you want to be sure of getting in. I can see why.

Let’s get to the best part — the food!

ENTRÉE We started with their signature tasting platter for two, which comprised beautifully cooked boneless BBQ chicken pieces, crispy garlic prawns in a light, fluffy batter, chargrilled calamari cooked to perfection, a cheese kransky sausage that left you wanting more, and the freshest green Asian salad I’ve ever had. It also came with a little bowl of dipping sauces to complement the different meats. WOW! 10/10, guys — you nailed this dish.

MAINS For mains, we both had the Beef and Reef. We’re soooo pleased we did. It featured a slow-cooked beef short rib where the meat just fell off the bone, a piece of seared Barramundi that was to die for, more crispy garlic prawns in that same light, fluffy batter, and their signature crispy Asian salad to finish. I have no words other than: stunning, stunning, stunning.

Have you ever had a meal where you were sad when it ended? This was one of those.

Overall, the close location to the Regent Theatre, combined with the service, food, and atmosphere, was a solid 10/10. I wish I could give them more stars — five just doesn’t seem enough.

When we were paying the bill, the owners were so lovely, gracious — almost humble. We made sure to leave a nice tip. Every person working there last night absolutely earned every cent of it. It was like a well-oiled machine.

We can’t...

I visited Ginger Olive for the first time and unfortunately it was a disappointing experience. I ordered the grilled barramundi for $39.90, and it was overcooked/quite dry. The skin was mostly soggy, with only one small crispy piece. I expected a melt-in-your-mouth dish for that price. The sautéed veggies consisted of just three overcooked pieces of bok choy with 1 small chopped piece of capsicum and a few bean shoots drenched in a soy sauce-like liquid. The dish also came with a slice of lemon, which was submerged in the sauce. Perhaps serving it on the side would be better.

The meal lacked balance and quality. I would have appreciated some mashed potatoes to soak up the liquid or additional veggies, but the $10 extra charge for mash felt excessive, especially since the dish didn’t seem to come with enough to justify the price.

Other meals my group ordered such as the pasta dishes, for the price did not seem justified. The vegan option noodle dish lacked flavour. However, the ribs looked good. The $10 bowl of chips, small, ordinary and overpriced.

I was also disappointed the restaurant doesn't allow split bills. While I asked politely if there was any flexibility, the response was that I should have known this in advance, which I wasn’t aware of. Not all patrons will be aware or want to be responsible initially for a whole table’s cost. The waiter was respectful in the way he explained and throughout the evening pleasant service.

There is a weekend surcharge added bringing the meal total closer to $45 for a dry, over-sauced piece of fish and minimal vegetables. The amount of salty soy sauce type liquid (unless it’s a soup or curry) is not something you’d consume that amount of.

Given the overall experience, I won’t be returning or recommending...