Restaurant Review: Olives at Bellagio

A meal with a view tastes even better!

Nothing wrong with Olive Tapenade to start

Less tomato, more ravioli would've been better

Before I even get into the meal and the experience itself, I want to share a little story regarding the dress code for the restaurant.  The website has since been changed to show "casual" dress, but it said "resort casual" before my trip.  What exactly is that?  I say that it's upscale casual, like something a rich wife would wear on a day-long boating excursion with her family.  I decided on Bermuda shorts, dressy sandals, and a summer cardigan set.

We debated the dress code for Olives at great length on the LasVegas4Ever message board before I left, but let me tell you all I should not have been worried.  When I walked up to the hostess stand, a man walked past me who either A) obviously had money, or B) Olives just wasn’t that concerned about his appearance, because he looked like a hobo or a REALLY badly dressed tourist.  His salt-and-pepper hair was sticking straight up all over, a la Albert Einstein, and he was wearing black and red basketball shorts with flames coming up the sides.  He also had on white socks – yes, SOCKS! – with his black flip flops.  Not sandals…flip flops.  With his sock toes spread around the thong part.  Socks and flip flops is one of my pet peeves.  At least his black t-shirt was normal.  The rest of his party consisted of nicely dressed older people, so what was the deal with him?  Did they call him from the pool?  They appeared to be two couples, but I’m surprised his wife/girlfriend/SO didn’t make him change.  So I needn’t have worried myself about the dress code there.

I’d made my reservation on the Bellagio website, and it allowed me to ask for patio seating, so I did.  Views in Vegas are always my favorite things to ask for if I can get them for free.  The hostess noted it and led me out to a table at the front of the patio, overlooking the Bellagio fountains and Paris across the Strip.  It was a pretty day: cloudy and cool with a few sprinkles in the area, and patio seating was definitely the right choice for this meal.  Passing through the restaurant on my way I noted dark wood and low lighting, which are very nice when you're in the mood for that sort of dining experience, but I was in the mood for light and airy.

They served two delicious olive tapenades -one green and one kalamatta - with a basket of assorted breads, and I took my time looking over the menu while I tried out different combinations.  Trust me when I say all the combinations were good.  I should have saved myself from another overloaded stomach and had a lighter salad or a couple of appetizers, but their daily special, the Ricotta Ravioli, was calling my name.  It was pretty good, but it had a very tomato-y sauce.  The ravioli themselves were delicious and creamy, and I could have eaten them without the sauce (and probably should have).  The small pieces of Italian sausage throughout the sauce saved it from being way too tomato-y for me, but I think it just was too much food for lunch.  

All in all, I enjoyed my meal, the waitress' commentary and my beautiful view, and it was one of the few I paid for. ($26+tax and tip, including tea).  I would like to go back again and choose something lighter for lunch.  There were several items on the menu I would have loved to try, but dining alone sometimes leaves me with few options.  I'd rate the entire experience a 7 out of a possible 10.  The view and the tapenades were the best.

To view the Olives at Bellagio menu or make a reservation, visit their website here:

http://www.bellagio.com/restaurants/olives.aspx

A major DISLIKE from my meal that had nothing to do with the food:  I have a couple of smokers in my family, and I have no problem with them lighting up after a meal if they ask first or even just direct it away from me.  Really, I don’t.  HOWEVER…if there are only FOUR tables occupied on a patio, all the people are seated close together, and you sit down and intend to smoke - from the beginning – wouldn’t you be courteous and ask if anyone minded if you smoked, or move to one of the other tables a little farther away?  I had just started eating when a couple came in and sat right beside me.  They both smoked from the beginning, holding their cigarettes up and away from their faces.  How nice of them!  It was blowing right in mine.  I asked the waitress if she minded if I moved back a little, and she looked over and saw why I wanted to move and got me to another table a little farther back.  These people had the audacity to look at me like I was the one who offended them!  C’mon, people!  I don’t mind smoke, but don’t force me to smoke with you.  I fully expect it in a casino, but how ‘bout a little courtesy?  


End of rant, and end of review.