What started as an early evening stop for a little something to eat turned into a full-blown dinner, complete with dessert. That was my recent experience at Olive & May, the new restaurant on the corner of Wall Street and Franklin Avenue in downtown Bend.
The restaurant, which occupies the former Drake space, is the latest venture from owners Peter Kost, Caprice Neely and Fergal Donoher, who also co-own downtown’s Ken’s Artisan Pizza. They’ve given the space a considerable refresh, trading in its previous look for a warm, inviting 1920s art-deco vibe. The basic layout remains familiar, but just about everything else has been updated, from the comfortable brown leather barstools to the vintage-inspired dishes, glassware and flatware. It’s stylish without feeling stuffy, a place where you can dress up a little or simply show up hungry.
The restaurant’s name has a bit of local history behind it, too. Olive & May is named for two women who made their mark on Bend’s history, May Arnold and Olive McKay. Their photographs, along with those of other notable Bend women, are featured on what the restaurant calls its Wall of Women. It’s an interesting touch that gives the space a little more personality and offers diners something to explore between courses.
Olive & May describes itself as a scratch kitchen at its heart, with a concise, seasonally changing menu inspired by the northern Mediterranean. Craft cocktails and a carefully curated wine list round out the offerings. The cocktail menu features familiar throwbacks such as the Paper Plane and Negroni, while the wine list covers a nice range from Oregon and Washington, Italy, France and Spain, with plenty of options by the bottle and a rotating selection by the glass. There’s also a healthy beer list, including Italian Peroni, along with several thoughtful nonalcoholic cocktails and a couple of NA beer choices.
My dining companion and I arrived early and opted for seats at the bar, which turned out to be a comfortable place to settle in and enjoy the evening. We started with three appetizers, although one of them, as it turned out, would eventually become my companion’s post-entree plate. More on that in a minute.
First up were the sautéed mussels, served in a tomato sauce with thyme, chili cream and house fries. The mussels were enormous, plump and delicious, and there were so many of them that the dish could easily have passed for an entrée. The tomato sauce was thicker and more intensely flavored than the usual mussel broth, with a depth that made me wish we’d ordered some extra bread for soaking up every last bit.
I couldn’t resist the seared scallops, which arrived with salt cod brandade, salmon roe and a crispy potato. The two good-sized scallops were fresh and nicely seasoned, with a beautiful sear. I might have given them just a few more seconds in the pan, but the overall combination was excellent. The brandade provided a creamy, savory foundation, while the little crispy potato basket holding the salmon roe added a welcome crunch and salty pop.
Then there were the albondigas, pork and beef meatballs in a saffron tomato sauce with basil, accompanied by focaccia. Three golf-ball-sized meatballs were tender, flavorful and generously coated in a sauce where the saffron really came through. It’s an interesting flavor that isn’t always front and center on a local restaurant menu, and it worked beautifully. This was another appetizer substantial enough to be an entrée.
Other starters worth putting on the return-visit list include pomegranate-glazed baby back ribs with fennel, orange and arugula, and saganaki, cast-iron-seared kefalotyri cheese with tomato-mint relish and a brandy flambé. The Italian chopped salad also sounds like a good option for something a little lighter.
For dinner, we settled on the halibut and prime bavette steak. The halibut was pretty much perfect, lightly seared and cooked just right. A sweet corn purée, blistered cherry tomatoes, chorizo and basil provided a combination of sweetness, acidity and savory richness that complemented the fish without overpowering it.
The bavette steak, also known as sirloin flap, is a flavorful cut with a loose grain and plenty of natural richness. We ordered it medium, although it arrived closer to medium-rare. Still, it was tender, juicy and well seasoned. The real star of the plate, however, was the potato gratin. Paper-thin layers of potato were somehow compressed into a tidy rectangular block, seasoned beautifully and practically melting in my mouth. Asparagus spears, pistachio salsa verde and grilled lemon rounded out the plate.
Both entrées were thoughtfully prepared, with well-executed details but nothing overly precious. The portions were generous without being excessive.
Now, about that third appetizer. My companion decided to pass on dessert and instead ordered the albondigas as his final course. He’s Italian, so I suppose a second helping of meatballs in place of something sweet shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise. I, however, was determined to see whether the desserts could hold their own against the savory dishes.
The choices included chocolate cake with mint crème anglaise, lemon panna cotta, affogato and olive oil date cake. Our bartender had been enthusiastically recommending the latter, so I took the hint. It was an excellent decision. The small, round, bundt-like cake is made with dates and olive oil, and somehow manages to be gluten-free while remaining incredibly moist. Served with whipped crème fraîche and hazelnuts, it was subtly sweet, nutty and downright delicious. It also paired nicely with my Paper Plane cocktail, made with Four Roses bourbon, Ramazzotti amaro and Angostura bitters. Espresso drinks, French press coffee and other after-dinner beverages are available, too.
Service throughout the evening was attentive and welcoming, and by the time we left shortly after 6 pm, the restaurant was full. Prices reflect the quality of the ingredients and the level of service, with starters ranging from $10 to $20, entrées from $26 to $44, cocktails averaging around $15 and desserts around $10. Glasses of wine start at approximately $11 to $12.
I’ll admit I was more than pleasantly surprised by Olive & May. Between the inviting atmosphere, interesting local history, excellent cocktails and wine, and a menu that delivers on both creativity and flavor, there’s a lot to like here. The owners’ goal is to create a neighborhood restaurant that appeals to locals as much as downtown visitors. Judging by the crowd and the number of dishes already on my list for a return visit, they seem to be off to a very good start.
Olive & May
801 NW Wall St., Bend
541-306-3366
Opens at 4:30pm Wed-Mon
oliveandmay-bend.com
IG: @oliveandmaybend
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