Salt and Olive — Restaurant in Glendale

5/16/2023 Visit

I was specifically craving falafel + ordered the platter, which came with rice, a choice of salad, pita, hummus + tahini. [NOTE: This photo shows the House salad cos they accidentally gave me my friend's platter.]

Now a well-seasoned falafel ain't easy to find and, thankfully, Salt + Olive did not disappoint. This generous portion of falafel was properly crisp on the outside, moist + flavorful on the inside!

The Greek salad was fresh + the pita were warm + lightly oiled.

Unfortunately, the tiny serving of hummus was not memorable (literally a condiment cup size dollop) and indistinguishable from the tahini sauce, which was herby + had a thicker, almost dip-like consistency.

I will say that I requested extra tahini sauce to go with my leftovers + that batch was much better.

Bonus: I turned my leftovers into a falafel salad for lunch the next day + those bad boys were still tasty + had retained a good texture even served cold!

Atomsphere: We sat on the patio during lunch. It was bustling + loud.

Service: We initially requested a table for 4, and though I informed the host that there'd only be 2 of us, our server brought our drinks + then disappeared for 30 minutes.

We'd been engrossed in convo, so we didn't immediately realize that she hadn't come back to take our order. When I finally flagged her down, she asked about the rest of our party. An understandable oversight for inexperienced servers, particularly during a lunch rush.

However, it signaled:

1. The host never told her that the size of our party had changed

2. She didn't think to circle back after we received our drinks to ask if we wanted to order or to wait for the rest of our party, which is the standard of practice.

3. The manager wasn't monitoring the...

Good Food — But Terrible Business Practices Behind the Scenes

The food at this restaurant is good, or at least it looks that way. But what many customers don’t see is how this business treats the people they work with behind the scenes — and it says a lot about their values.

We were hired to do lighting work for this restaurant by a woman named Karen, who claimed to manage or own the place. At first, things were slow, but payments eventually came through. However, by the second year, they stopped paying altogether. We continued doing the work in good faith, sent multiple invoices, followed up with phone calls and texts — Karen completely ignored all communication.

This isn’t just about money — it’s about basic respect and integrity. We’re a small, local company and part of this community. Like everyone else, we work hard to support our families, and we expect to be treated fairly. If this is how they conduct business with other professionals, you should seriously consider how they might treat their employees or others who rely on them.

Supporting a business means more than just liking the food — it’s about supporting good people who treat...

Salt & Olive offers a dining experience that, while satisfactory, doesn't particularly stand out in a crowded culinary scene. The service at the restaurant is very good—prompt and courteous, making the dining experience pleasant. However, the menu feels quite common, lacking unique dishes that might entice a diner to return frequently.

They also offer a range of drinks and cocktails, which could be a draw for those looking to enjoy a beverage out, though these too align with the more standard offerings one might expect at any typical dining establishment. The quality and taste of the food were okay, but again, nothing distinguished the dishes from what you might find elsewhere.

Constructively, I would suggest that Salt & Olive could benefit from introducing some signature dishes or unique culinary twists that could define a more distinctive dining narrative. Such additions might create a more memorable experience that encourages repeat visits. Overall, it's a competent venue, but with some creative adjustments, it could...