At Bangsar’s Olivia Deli, Spanish and Portuguese delights steal the show
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 — If you find yourself in APW, Bangsar anytime near happy hour, I urge you to make your way past the wine crowd out front and venture into the unassuming far-left corner to arrive at Olivia Deli.
On the outside wall, a mosaic tile mural spells out the restaurant’s name and features a colourful tapestry with illustrations of fish, bell peppers and a woman in a flamenco dress playing the lute.
Warm string lights are suspended above the corridor, where the tables seat about 30.
Inside are a few more tables, as well as shelves stocked with Mediterranean products, including my personal favourite, NURI tinned fish, which align with the place’s self-described “Southern European Deli Shop” label.
It’s the kind of restaurant where everything from Khruangbin to Fugees plays on the speakers, and everyone from young families to a group of five that look straight out of a Blumarine lookbook can be found at the tables.
The menu continues the Mediterranean motif, albeit with a general focus on the Iberian Peninsula.
The corridor at Olivia Deli.
Gazpacho (RM22) is a refreshing cold soup made from blended raw tomatoes, bell peppers, onions and more, topped with diced raw cucumbers, onions and croutons for a bit of crunch.
My love for this Andalusian classic is well documented, as I find its blend of sweet, tangy and bright freshness to be the perfect tonic to our tropical weather.
Pan Con Tomate & Jamon (RM28) is a variation of pa amb tomàquet, an iconic dish in Catalan cuisine that’s deceivingly simple.
Gazpacho at Olivia Deli (left). Pan Con Tomate & Jamon, a Catalan icon, with added ‘jamon’ (right).
Tomato, the it-girl fruit of the summer, is rubbed over toasted bread with a little bit of olive oil and salt, and in this variation, covered with a paper-thin slice of jamón serrano.
The beauty of this dish lies in its simplicity, where the three main ingredients — crusty bread, juicy tomatoes, and delicate jamón — harmonise perfectly, with the ham's saltiness coaxing out the tomatoes' natural sweetness.
Carpaccio de Lingua de Vaca (RM28) is easily one of the tastiest carpaccio preparations I’ve had of late.
Carpaccio de Lingua de Vaca is one of my favourite dishes here.
Língua de vaca is Portuguese for beef tongue, and here it is served paper thin, smeared lightly with truffle paste and finished off with olive oil.
The result is elegant slivers of tongue that offer just the right amount of resistance to a bite, punctuated throughout with earthy and savoury notes that leave you wanting more.
Empanadas, popular in many Hispanic countries, are thought to have originated in Spain in the region of Galicia.
For most Malaysians, it visually resembles a large curry puff, though these are usually baked and filled with a wide variety of ingredients.
The Suckling Pig Empanada is a rich and wholesome affair.
At Olivia, the Suckling Pig Empanada (RM48) is filled to the brim with moist, tender pork shreds and generously covered with a velvety-rich jus.
The statement dish of the night belonged firmly to Portugal, with the decidedly unhealthy but delicious Bife A Portuguesa (RM98) leaving a lasting impression.
It’s like someone looked at American steak and eggs and said to themselves, how do we make this better? The answer? Wafer-thin potato chips, slices of jamon, and a silky-smooth, wine-heavy sauce.
The Crema Catalana here is one of the best I’ve had in recent memory.
Each of these components, on their own, are good, but probably rather unremarkable.
Together, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, resulting in a perfect dish for two to gorge on, or at least one especially hungry individual.
Desserts change often, and if you’re lucky enough to hear crema catalana or Portuguese roll cake when you ask a server on any of your visits, it’s a call one must heed.
The Portuguese Roll Cake was a pleasantly sweet surprise.
While the former may look remarkably similar to crème brûlée, there are a few key differences: it’s made with milk and typically flavoured with citrus and cinnamon, whereas its French counterpart is made with cream and typically flavoured with vanilla.
At Olivia, the thin glasslike caramel shatters to reveal a light, soft custard that tastes just like summer in Spain, with bright, zesty oranges at the fore.
Once again, oranges are the primary flavour in the latter, which is a soft, sweet roll cake resembling torta de laranja, served with a dollop of whipped cream for a lush touch of texture.
Olivia Deli
29, Jalan Riong, Bangsar Lot B03, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur
Open Tuesday to Sunday, 9am-11pm
Tel: 012-911 2537
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oliviadeli.bangsar/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oliviadeli.bangsar/
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