A Taste of the Mediterranean
A stylish setting, stellar service and sumptuous food were just some of the adjectives our friends Lottie and Sean used to describe their first visit to the Olive Tree Brasserie in Lytham, writes Tedd Walmsley
The new restaurant, now flagship for owner Dean Wilson, has slotted in well to an already burgeoning food scene right in the heart of the town. With refurbishment costs being well in excess of £500k, Dean and his talented team of chefs and front of house support have hit the ground running, so to speak.
As we settled into our seats to take in our surroundings fully, we were all hugely impressed with the décor and of course the centre piece olive tree adorned with lights and lanterns. Long before the food arrived, we were whisked back to our various trips to Greece, climbing the Acropolis, new hotels in Rhodes and our favourite restaurants in Crete. The question is, I guess, was the food authentic and did it bring back further fond memories of the Med/Aegean gastronomy and our time spent there?
Sipping cold Greek beer and a strong rich and fruity red Greek wine was the perfect aperitif to our food choices for the evening which were as good as we had anticipated them being. The highlights of our starters were crisp and trendy baby squid with an unctuous creamy aioli, a delightful fresh green salad adorned with salty feta cheese, heritage tomatoes and plump tasty olives, combined with herbs and a generous glut of the best Greek olive oil complementing the ingredients perfectly.
It’s always difficult to choose main courses at the Olive Tree Brasserie – I tend to defect to my long-term favourites and tonight was no exception. My lamb souvlaki was perfectly seasoned and marinated in paprika and herbs then grilled to perfection.
Liz broke with tradition and surprised us all with her choice of Metaxi Kota, juicy chicken breasts sautéed in a rich and creamy brandy and mushroom sauce, which was a definite winner.
It’s rare I leave room for a dessert but tonight was an exception – a delicious honey laden Baklava had my name written all over it. All of my favourite things in one place and transported me back in time to a memorable holiday in Crete sipping coffee and eating Greek desserts watching the perfect sunset.
With Christmas fast approaching there are a variety of menus available for both lunch and dinner at the Olive Tree covering off every budget and catering for all group sizes – details of these can be found on the website.
As we said our fond farewells to our friends, we reflected on what a great night we’d had and promised ourselves we’d return for another Greek fix.
Olive Tree Brasserie
9 Dicconson Terrace, Lytham FY8 5JY
01253 370050
5-6 Miller Arcade
Church Street, Preston PR1 2QY
01772 825888
