New Places - Olivia Italian Restaurant at Circ Hotel

Saturday is Pescetarian day (in my imagination), and that could only mean salmon for dinner, and I'd been anxious to try Olivia's.  Dinner at Olivia is an experience!  From the moment I walked in, there was a lively energy, smiling faces and beautiful food being whisked from the kitchen to the tables.  The decor is modern but still warm and inviting.  High ceilings with enormous space age copper disks with giant bulb pendants cast a glow that makes everyone look healthy and tanned.  Of course, it's South Florida; everyone could actually be healthy and tan.  The crowd was mixed age groups and the bar was full.

I couldn't wait to be seated.  But I didn't have a reservation so I did have to wait to be seated.  This was about 8:45 on a Saturday night, so I advise calling ahead for reservations, especially on the weekends.

The menu doesn't go on forever, which was an indicator to me that the chef prepares exclusively what he makes best, so my expectations were high.  It was a tough choice between the Shrimp Flatbread and Salmon Rubino,  but in the end I opted for the salmon.

The wine list is generous, with options from Washington State to Italy to France.  I ordered the Tuscan Chianti Classico.  If I knew anything about wine, I'd give you a real connoisseur's review, but all I can say was it was nice, not too sweet, not too sharp.  I broke the only rule I know about wine - red with dark meat, white with fish.  Not to worry.  No one looked down on me.

Salmon Rubino - before the sauce

As for the wild Alaskan Salmon Rubino, the server put down a beautiful, generous serving before me, cooked to absolute perfection.  The sauce is truthfully a "delicate pink lobster bisque" with chopped shrimp that made the salmon even better.  Vegetables were a scalloped potato with a crunchy crumble, which was beyond amazing (the secret is truffle oil), and broccoli.  The broccoli had a lemony kick to it and was still a little crisp, not overcooked.

Salmon Rubino - with the lobster bisque and shrimp sauce

I wasn't ready to leave, and I'm a sucker for dessert, so I finished my meal with tiramisu with Peruvian chocolate.  This was seriously the best tiramisu I've ever had.  Take note of the spoon shape outlined in the cocoa powder sprinkled on the plate.  I thought that was just the cutest touch.

Take your friends if you care about them. And don't wait for Pescetarian Day.  Just go!  There's a semi private room with a generous sized table by the wine racks.

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Olivia is inside Circ Hotel.  Easiest access is from valet parking on Polk Street, just east of Federal Highway.

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