Food review: Olive Garden Greek and Mediterranean, Gorleston

My partner and I visited the long-established Greek and Mediterranean restaurant for meaty feasts, vibrant vegetable flavours and a warm and hearty welcome. And we were not disappointed.

Despite arriving late, we were greeted with smiles and reassurances before being taken to our table.

A birthday meal inside Olive Garden, Gorleston. Picture - James Weeds (Image: James Weeds)

Inside, the restaurant was abuzz with two birthday parties and we were delighted to be included in both celebratory songs which involved lots of cheering and clapping while sparklers danced over birthday cakes.

We were swiftly handed our menus and were overwhelmed with choices for our starters. It all sounded so heavenly, we couldn't go wrong.

While we read the menu, our waiter supplied us with bread, oil and balsamic (on the house) and the rich taste of oil-mopped bread was a sign of things to come.

To start things off, we went for the spanikopita (filo pastry with feta and spinach), vegan dolmades (vine leaves), kolokithokeftedes (courgette fritters with tzatziki) and bread with taramasalata.

Taramasalata, vegetable crudites and other starters at Olive Garden, Gorleston. Picture - James Weeds (Image: James Weeds)

The spanikopita was an absolute treat with its soft, creamy, cheesy centre. The balance of flavour between pastry, cheese and spinach was spot on. And the portion was enough to please the tongue, but not to fill the stomach. Perfect.

Delicious spanikopita starter from Olive Garden. Picture - James Weeds (Image: James Weeds)

The dolmades were fragrant and herby with a rich tomato sauce. I could sense highlights of dill which added a slight creaminess to the starter complementing its fruity tones.

I had never tried kolokithokeftedes before and was blown away by the summery earthiness of the courgette and the surprising addition of a light cheese. The fritters had a gentle crunch on the outside and an invitingly soft chew in the middle. The tzatziki was refreshing and sweet.

READ MORE: Food Review: Is this the best place in Norwich for authentic Indian cuisine?

Olive Garden on Gorleston High Street. Picture - James Weeds (Image: James Weeds)

Taramasalata seems to be something people either love or hate, but I can't imagine how anybody could not fall deeply in love with Olive Garden's take on the Mediterranean meze staple. It was super creamy and sweet with a subtly sharp lemon twist. The flame-grilled bread, which had a delectable bite, merely served as an edible spoon for the pink treat.

With our tastebuds tingling and begging for more, we wasted no time heading to the main course. I went for the chicken gyros with halloumi, houmous and Mediterranean veg, while my partner tried the seafood risotto with mixed roasted veg.

READ MORE: The Hermitage, Acle, review: An unforgettable Sunday Roast

Chicken gyros with halloumi, houmous, mixed veg and fries from Olive Garden. Picture - James Weeds (Image: James Weeds)

The gyros came wrapped inside a soft, thick pitta. There was a hearty amount of chicken inside with two fistfuls of halloumi. I added some veg and houmous to complete the gyros and started to tuck in.

You can never go wrong with bread, meat and vegetables. Especially when paired with a generous amount of fries. However, admittedly, midway through the main course my tongue did tire from the saltiness of the meat.

The houmous was excellent and the smokiness of the chicken added a depth of flavour to the substantial amount of bread. But the chicken was just a little too well-seasoned for my liking.

READ MORE: Food review: Unbeatable fish curry at Planet Spice, Ormesby

The delicious seafood risotto from Olive Garden. Picture - James Weeds (Image: James Weeds)

Across the table, my partner had been silent for several minutes as she was transported to another dimension thanks to the creamy and meaty risotto.

With a fantastic variety of crayfish, mussels, prawns and clams, the rice dish was rounded off with nutty parmesan cream.

Mediterranean veg from Olive Garden. Picture - James Weeds (Image: James Weeds)

The accompanying veg was a mouthwatering selection of courgette, peppers, carrot, garlic and red onion roasted in olive oil.

With our belt buckles unfastened, we opted to share a dessert of baklava with vanilla ice cream.

It has to be said, with honey oozing out of its beautiful layers, Olive Garden's baklava is one of the best I have ever had. The soft and delicate tones of the vanilla ice cream complemented the sweetness of the pastry and it was a fantastic end to a superb meal.

Our selection of starters from Olive Garden. Taramasalata (left), spanakopita, vegan dolmades and kolokithokeftedes. Picture - James Weeds (Image: James Weeds)

Setting

The Olive Garden team have clearly gone to great lengths in creating an authentically Meditteranean restaurant both inside and out. From the street, Olive Garden looks like a traditional family taverna, while inside it has mood lighting, traditional music and a friendly welcome.

Price

Our bill, which also included drinks (diet Coke, Appletiser and sparkling water), came to a respectable £70.50.

Service

We were served by Abbie throughout our meal and she remained patient, courteous and friendly.

Highlight

It's hard to pick just one, especially seeing how the risotto and the dessert were both absolutely stellar. But, my sweet tooth always wins, and the baklava takes a high spot in my list of best desserts I've ever had.

Summary

Olive Garden remains a staple of Gorleston High Street, and the presence of two separate birthday meals on a Thursday night shows how adored the restaurant is. Its enduring popularity is a true sign that the business is just as loved as the food.