Olive Tree, Southampton

3:44pm Friday 14th March 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

BE WARNED there are few tables spare anywhere along Oxford Street on an average Saturday evening.

Luckily, we walked in off the street and were kindly offered a table for two on the condition we ate up in an hour.

Dining tables were brimming with couples and groups, creating a merry atmosphere of chinking wineglasses and laughter - perfect for meeting old friends.

However it might not be ideal for a romantic meal for two as tables are in close proximity to each other and some couples may find the revelry a little too lively for an intimate date.

A menu with lots of options was presented to us, which should keep anyone out on a group night satisfied while those with a more adventurous palette were able to veer towards the slightly pricier specials.

We decided on two courses and initially it seemed best to pick desserts over starters but I soon regretted this after seeing adjoining diners scoffing olives with relish.

Service was prompt and our smartly presented fish dishes arrived quickly. I plumped for swordfish steak atop an artichoke salad and the fish itself was a generous portion, the same went for my dining partner's seabass. Each of the main courses came in at around the £15 mark.

Surprisingly there was no chocolate option to hide behind so I broadened my culinary horizons, opting for a mango sorbet, for those with a sweet tooth will be pleasantly surprised, however, it was a little too sweet for my taste and in an unprecedented move left more than half of my pudding.

I did feel the service was a little hurried, but in fairness they had explained the situation beforehand and it was their busiest night of the week, but there is a definite art to being efficient without making your guests feel rushed.

The crowning glory of the evening though was by far the tiramisu, my friend and I agreed it was rich without being overpowering and left us both smiling.

Olive Tree, 29 Oxford Street, Southampton. Tel: 023 8034 3333.