Sometimes, it’s the waitstaff who can make or break your meal.
“Get the short rib so I can know what it looks and tastes like,” said our waitress with a grin. We were at Oliviana’s in Surrey Center for the first time in forever, and everything sounded good. There was marsala chicken in a winey sauce and potatoes and veg; spaghetti carbonara con pollo, rich with cream, pancetta and an egg yolk, plus the virtuous additions of spinach and peas; and a linguine pescatore, with a trifecta of mussels, shrimp and calamari cooked in white wine and herbs. Not to mention pizzas, soups and salads, and appetizers.
The short ribs were the night’s special—and our waitress also suggested that carbonara and Nonna’s Baked Lasagna as two of Oliviana’s most popular dishes. I grinned back, “OK, I’ll try the short rib, and I’ll let you know.”
My husband Sean ordered the lasagna, and we added the house salad to share, but with blue cheese dressing instead of the suggested honey balsamic.
Above us, dangling hearts and multicolored lights made the restaurant cozy and romantic, even as we could also enjoy watching the TVs above the bar area.
Our waitress brought our bowl of salad (she offered to bring another bowl, but we were fine sharing). The leaves were dark green and fresh, there were broad strips of carrot and small and juicy halved tomatoes, and the dressing was creamy and tangy, yet surprisingly mild and sweet for blue cheese. Together with the soft loaf of bread and the side of balsamic and oil, it would have been a good meal of itself.
But then she set down our entrees. Topped with a tangle of crispy fried onions, the tender brown short ribs were angled on a bed of mashed potatoes with rivulets of gravy. As I took up my first forkful, the fatty ribs, sharp brown gravy, and the crispy onions with their sweet, creamy centers made for the perfect bite.
Sean was rightfully jealous, but his was a good choice too. Nonna had chosen a sauce arrabiata, which was light and spicy, against the tender noodle and thick layers of melted cheese.
Our waitress soon came by to peek hopefully at me. My mouth was full, but I gave her a thumbs up, and she grinned again. I had a smile again the next day, too, when I enjoyed the leftovers for lunch.
Make Your Reservation
Oliviana Ristorante
399 Highland Ave.
Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday.
Entrée cost (interestingly, our paper menu did not have costs listed, but according to the online menu): $12 to $23
Danielle Wong Moores is a local freelance writer who’ll never turn down a shrimp cocktail, sushi or cheese dip. Her greatest food influences are her mom and writers MFK Fisher and Amanda Hesser. Her Dine and Dish column runs the second and fourth Fridays in The Augusta Press.
