Olivera's

Olivera's Ristorante and Pub.
390 S. Dexter
Ionia, Michigan 48811

Olivera's began in a smaller building a few years back and got excellent response. In time it became apparent that the parking was inadequate and the place was too small. So this week, Olivera's moved down the street to a much bigger site that had been vacated by a Mexican Restaurant. We made an impulsive decision to run down there this evening. And it turns out it was a good decision.

It didn't seem promising at first. Although it is a more than ample parking lot, it was nearly full. When we found out they'd only been in their new digs two days, and it was Friday night, and it was 6:30 pm, the 15 minute wait was fair.

The service was prompt and efficient. My wife and I both chose entrees that offered soup or salad, and we both chose soup. My wife chose the Tomato Basil and I opted for the Turkey Noodle.

Wow, these were good soups! My wife noted that she could tell by the texture that the tomatoes had been pureed and put together just right. My turkey and noodle was a combination of penne noodles, turkey, carrots, and other great stuff. I tried to make it last. It had a hint of a spicy bite to it that was wonderful. This wasn't dull at all. I could have made a whole meal out of this stuff.

My wife chose a Chicken Parmesan (and she accuses me of not thinking outside of the box). But hey, when it arrived, she raved about it the entire time. She was blessed with a very generous sized portion of chicken breast that was prepared so that it retained it's moisture and tenderness. Well done, Olivera's!

I ordered the Spaghetti Rustica. It was a spaghetti in a garlic cream sauce combined with sauteed spinach, fresh tomatoes, and Italian sausage. And oh, buddy! Was this ever good. It, as well as the wife's entree, comes with a breadstick that is delicious without being covered in melted cheese.

The portions are generous and we both ended up bringing some of ours home. The prices were modest, that is, entirely fair.

Johnny Carino's on the East Beltline had previously been my wife's favorite restaurant. But they closed last year. We have our suspicions on where the chef's went. My wife Penny declared tonight that she thinks that Olivera's is her new favorite restaurant.

The Good: Great food at modest prices.

The Bad: The wait, but they said it would be 30 minutes and it was actually only about 15. And I suspect they were so busy was because of curiosity about the new digs. And it was Friday night at about 6 pm after all.

The Ugly: I got nothin'.

By the way, the hours are : Mon - Saturday 11 am - 12 midnight.
                                           Sunday 12 noon - 12 midnight.

Grade: A