I Heard It From the Olive Vine

There seems to be a paradox of Western cuisine here in Singapore.  To definitely indulge in the finer tasting Western dishes, one should settle himself in a reputable hotel around Orchard or wander in the alleys of Club Street or Clarke Quay.  This, for sure, will burst your pocket.  Nevertheless, in almost every hawker or food centre, a conspicuous Western food stall is an easy find.  But, almost every time, the hungry expat will find it a cheap and disappointing imitation, an unworthy quick fix.

It was such a happy incident, therefore, that we managed to stumble upon a gem of a find that is Olive Vine.  Hidden in the subterranean walkway connecting Suntec City to Marina Square, the hurrying commuter will often neglect this quaint nook.  In fact, what caught our attention was the opposite stall in front of it, as our palates were craving for that good old Western flavor already, months after being saturated by chicken rice and chili. 

Sleek black and red linings create an aura of style.

Almost shamefully, I admit at first that what hooked us to Olive Vine was that "no service charge" boldly printed out front.  With prices of sit-down mid-range restaurants here exponentially higher than their equivalents back home in our 7,107 islands, that golden phrase was enough to turn our eyes to their colorful menu.  Still, having tried a few Western food stalls in hawkers, we remained a bit skeptical.  Nonetheless, our grumbling stomachs and craving palates gave in.

The cheerful Filipina waitstaff was an added perk - in typical Filipino hospitality, she searched for a cozy spot for us to sit in.  The restaurant, of course, is self-service - you pick your orders from a laminated cardboard menu and queue up to the cashier.  Not a very enticing experience, at first glance, yet the food here is the star anyway.

On our first trip (yes, read on and see why we came back for more!), Olive Vine offered promotional set meals.  That gleaming rack of ribs was enough to get me hooked, as I struggled to keep my baby back ribs withdrawal symptoms at bay.  But, ribs aside, the menu was filled with all sorts of Western favorites - from sandwiches to pasta, from steaks and chops to the ubiquitous french fried potatoes.

Cheesy Fries, SGD 5.90 (approx. PHP 200)

There was nothing a big bowl of crispy fries couldn't do to spark us up that night.  Oozing with gooey cheese and a drizzle of mayonnaise, the fries remained amazingly crisp and crunchy. A highly addicting treat and a sure way to kick start your palate.  The serving size seemed commensurate with the price tag.  And these were real potato fries, for that matter.

Can't get enough.

On our first visit, she picked a chicken + pasta set, a safe choice for our initial try.  We requested for an added spicy kick for the chicken chop, to which the staff obliged willingly.

Crispy Chicken Arrabiata, SGD 10.90 (approx. PHP 380)

Not surprisingly, this was one of their best sellers.  Heck, even in hawkers the chicken chop plus pasta combo are sure hits.  There must be an unfailing love between noodles and Singaporeans here.  I confess I'm not a pasta lover, but with my first bite, the flavor of the tomato based sauce was full and true - there were tell-tale bits of real tomatoes mixed within.  This was no cheap hawker imitation, this was restaurant-grade Italian cooking.

Chicken + Pasta = love

Not one to disappoint, the chicken chop was huge!  Larger than my palm, it was perfectly deep-fried to a golden brown.  Although a tad oily, the crunchy breading was a welcome change in texture.  The meat itself was juicy, and the added spicy level we requested for was prominent.  The big portion was so large we couldn't finish it and had to pack it for home.

Soup of the Day: Cream of Mushroom

My highly anticipated baby back rib set came with the whole shebang: the soup of the day, your choice of drink, a tiny slice of cake, and the main.  The soup was hearty and warm, but not extraordinary.

Pork Ribs Set, SGD 18.90 (approx. PHP 660)

The big plate was half occupied by the rack of pork ribs glistening with the red barbecue sauce.  A generous serving of the same flavorful fries and a side of coleslaw completed the ensemble.

Hello there, I missed you.

As I eagerly sliced through the ribs, my tongue anticipated a unique flavor.  Largely because of my heightened expectations, my first bite was a little disappointing.  The zesty barbecue flavor was there, but it was not full and barely penetrated the meat.  Still, the meat was tender and gave in easily to light pressure from my knife.  The natural juices of the meat were locked in, but my palate was still searching for that real grilled taste - that distinct aroma of charring, that blackened exterior, that smokey flavor.  All three were never fully achieved.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed munching away at every rib - I finished the rack.  This was infinitesimally better than any cheap hawker stall, but still light-years behind Rack's.  But in this island-nation, this perhaps is one of the better and more affordable baby back ribs.

Fruit Punch

Our first experience in Olive Vine was generally a fulfilling one.  The taste seemed authentic Western, with prices reasonable for the serving sizes.  It was therefore not surprising to find ourselves choosing to dine here again for a quick New Year's Eve dinner.

Caesar Salad, SGD 8.90 (approx PHP 310)

In an attempt for a healthier alternative, we swapped the fries for salad this time.  The Caesar's salad was a huge portion, with generous slices of tender white chicken meat and fresh greens.  Curiously, those aren't croutons.  It tasted more like our local biscocho.  A miss for this dish actually.  Nevertheless, the salad was filling and was a meal in itself.

Biscocho salad, anyone?

She still picked pasta this time out, while I chose to go pork all the way.  The Shrimp Algio Olio was a good choice, and again we spiked it with extra chili flakes.

Shrimp Aglio Olio, SGD 10.90 (approx. PHP 380)

There was a reasonable amount of shrimp concealed among the flat tangle of noodles, five plump pieces to be exact.  The noodles glistened in the invigorating olive oil.  The taste was herbal and fresh, the shrimps succulent and tender.  Another perfectly executed pasta dish, similar to the Arrabiata.

Shrimps hiding underneath this tangled mess.

I picked another pork dish, my taste buds craving for that fatty taste.  Can't get enough of that cholesterol!

Pork Steak with Rice, SGD 10.90 (approx. PHP 380)

Two large slices of lean pork steak came served with a hefty portion of rice and a side of coleslaw, all lathered in mushroom gravy.  The gravy was a comforting feeling.  Gravy sauces in hawkers are eerily different, reeking of black pepper flavor, bordering on chicken rice sauce flavor.  That simply didn't go well with grilled dishes.  Ah, but the gravy here in Olive Vine tasted honest-to-goodness mushroom gravy.  

But then, the flowery praises seem to end there.  For some reason, the grilled dishes consistently fall short.  Although the meat was tender, it was bland without the gravy.  That smokey grilled taste was glaringly lacking, the charred appearance notably absent.  A victim of too quick cooking, perhaps?  Still, the gravy was the savior, embracing the otherwise mundane pork meat in its loving flavor.

Blueberry Cheescake, SGD 4.90 (approx. PHP 170)

There was ample room for dessert this time, and the Blueberry Cheesecake was the easy choice, having been deprived of cheesecake for months.  A small slice seemed pricey, especially if pitted against those from Conti's or even Bag of Beans back home.  However, this minute slice was up to par.  The cream cheese stuffing was cloying and soft, almost like ice cream consistency.  It was not overly sweet, and the cheesy flavor mildly subdued.  The blueberries tasted authentic and fruity.  Our only complaint was the slice was rather thin!  It was a sweet end for our carbo loading.

Despite obvious misses in its grilled cuisine, Olive Vine manages to churn out restaurant-quality dishes at pocket-friendly prices.  The pasta dishes are mostly well executed, but they definitely need to improve on their grilling methods.  Still, a testament for their good taste is the long queues and cramped tables during peak dining hours.  So, if you don't mind lining up (both for seating and for ordering), bumping elbows with the tables next to you, but still getting an authentic Western experience, hear it from the Olive Vine.  First hand.

Jones

Olive Vine

Marina Square

#B1-17 Marina Link

Singapore

https://www.facebook.com/olivevine