Set in a space that is as white as the elusive Mediterranean food that lends it its name, White Olive has officially opened in Midtown Manhattan.
Conceptualized by co-owners and brothers Michael Karim Sopariwalla and Amin Himani, the menu leans in the direction of seafood, though a couple of pastas (shrimp gnocchi with sundried tomatoes, fresh beans, and red pepper sauce) and meat dishes (grilled baby lamb chops) are on hand as well.
The restaurant, which is expected to receive its liquor license this month, will stock such high-end labels as Solaia and Château Lafite Rothschild in addition to quirky cocktails such as the Fig and Fabulous Martini, made with Figenza Mediterranean fig-flavored vodka, fresh lime juice, and pomegranate juice.
White Olive is currently open for dinner, starting at 5 p.m., with plans to serve lunch in the works. White Olive, 39 West 55th Street, 917-300-3105.
Vegan BBQ Branches Out
Pure Grit, one of the city’s few sources of vegan barbecue, has opened a satellite at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, according to Eater. As noted in this space previously, the eight-month-old restaurant has been commemorating Veganuary with two special platters — one showcasing the joint’s top-selling impossible brisket. Pure Grit, 36 Lexington Avenue, 646-449-8782.
See also…