Olives
Olives Cafe
A short while ago I saw a tweet on twitter from someone who was sitting in Olives, a new café on Prospect Chui, not far from the office. It referred, favourably, to the size of the portions and I decided that maybe I ought to go and check it out.
So, when a friend of mine suggested having lunch there one day, I was more than happy to agree.
In the main room
Olives is run by a young dynamic character – in fact he was chosen as one of the young and dynamic speakers for the recent TEDxBishkek event.
However, the décor and surroundings suggests something a bit more staid, with soft colours and quiet music. (Actually, that’s quite an advantage as one of the problems with restaurants and cafés in Bishkek is that many feature loud music that can make it difficult to hear your dining companions talk. There is a piano but, thankfully, I’ve never seen anyone playing it.) There is nothing bright and garish or loud and conspicuous about it.
Although it’s called a Café, that’s slightly misleading although that accent over the final “e”, (é), gives the game away. It is more to do with the way that eating establishments are classified here – it’s more “up market” than what we would call a café back in Britain.
A meal
The menu is varied, (although mainly European), and although some of the dishes such as Burger and Chips might be typical fare for a cafe at home, there are other dishes which would be perfectly at home on the menu of a much grander establishment. I have tried several of the options on the menu and I already know several dishes which I will be ordering regularly.
Olives meets the criteria that I look for in a restaurant, (or café): it’s local – just a block away from the office; peaceful; it’s not too big, nor too small – just eight tables in a spacious room with a small bar at one end, (but there is also a patio which is ideal for indulging in one of my favourite summer occupations, “people watching”); it is scrupulously clean; the food is good; and the prices are reasonable.
The staff are young, polite, friendly and attentive – and speak English.
Suchariy
There are a couple of distinctive features which mark the Café out:
A bowl of complimentary olives is placed on the table, (which is something I could do without, not being very fond of olives), along with another of suchariy, (croutons made from dried lightly toasted bread – which, on the other hand, I really enjoy – they are definitely “moreish”).
Olives also offers wi-fi internet access and I have yet to go there and not see someone sitting with a notebook open, attentively scrutinizing the screen.
Perhaps that is one of the reasons it seems to be so popular with such a wide range range of clientèle, almost everyone can feel comfortable in it’s tranquil surroundings. It’s a bit like Kyrgyzstan as whole in that respect – there’s a little bit of something for everyone.
Bishkek