I did a tasting at their Santa Barbara location in 2011 and was very pleased, the food and drinks were all very authentic Italian cuisine. When I tried the food at their newest location in Westlake, I was also very happy. They take ordinary Italian food and make extraordinary, quite the feat. I ordered some of the same food items I ordered back then, but this new tasting was really spectacular. I tried a lot more food items this time around. It is a lovely new addition to the Westlake community, one that should be enjoyed by people that live there and beyond.
Olio e Limone Meaning “oil and lemon” in Italian, their restaurant’s name reflects husband-wife team Alberto and Elaine Morello’s philosophy: rely on the integrity of the ingredients and quality of the preparation to provide Santa Barbara and Westlake Village, diners “simply sophisticated” Italian cuisine served in an inviting atmosphere with European hospitality. When husband-wife team Alberto and Elaine Morello opened Olio e Limone Ristorante in 1999, their goal was simple – rely on the integrity of the ingredients and the quality of the preparation to offer Santa Barbara creative, authentic Italian cuisine. Chef Alberto Morello draws inspiration from all over Italy, but brings particular passion to Sicilian dishes. Director of Operations Elaine Andersen Morello oversees the dining room.
Here is what I tried:
Cocktails:
Rosmarino Succhiello Crop cucumber Vodka, house made rosemary simple syrup, house lime juice. A nice take on a different type of martini, this cocktail will quench your thirst.
Vodka Martini, always my drug of choice, this one was super cold with a couple nice olives, really terrific.
Watermelon Cooler, House infused watermelon & rosemary Hangar 1 vodka, Giffard Pamplemousse rose liquer, fresh lemon ice, guava nectar, organic coconut water. Fresh and wonderful, just what the doctor ordered.
Crudo:
Ostriche Fresche Shigoku oysters; jalapeno ginger dressing, these oysters are like little gems, refreshing and elegant.
Carpaccio di Tonno, Yellowfin tuna, avocado, jalapeno, green onion, micro wasabi, and citrus emulsion. This is a very tasty fresh crudo.
Seriola, Hamachi Carpaccio, citrus zest, spring onion, and sesame‐soy infused oil. Kind of like you would find at a sushi restaurant but with an Italian twist.
Salads:
Carpaccio di Bue con Rugola e Parmiggiano Thinly-sliced raw beef tenderloin, arugula, capers, shaved Parmesan; Olio e Limone dressing. The meat is a great red color and full of great flavors from the cheese and olive oil.’
Timballo di Melanzane con Purea di Pomodor Eggplant soufflé with goat cheese center, fresh tomato-basil sauce. A different take on an eggplant dish.
Acciughe alle Erbette Marinated imported white Mediterranean anchovy filets, mache lettuce. I wasn’t too crazy about this salad, but maybe if you are an anchovy lover you would like this salad.
Grilliata Saporita Grilled radicchio, endive, eggplant, Portobello Mushrooms, prosciutto- wrapped goat cheese, balsamic drizzle. The grill flavor is what I really loved about this very fresh healthy dish.
Insalata di Mare Tiepida Warm seafood salad (mussels, clams, calamari, shrimp and scallops); lemon-white wine sauce. A very nice array of fresh seafood with a light sauce.
Tortino di Granceaola Italian-style crab cake, arugula & bell pepper sauces; mixed greens. This crab cake is full of great crab, a lovely cake.
Mozzarella di Buffala con Pomodoro e Basilico Fresh-imported buffalo mozzarella cheese, vine-ripened tomatoes, and basil. This salad is just ok; you would be better off ordering another one in its place.
Pastas:
Capellini d’Angelo al Pomodoro Fresco e Basilico Angel hair pasta, fresh tomato, garlic, basil. There is a lot of very thinly sliced garlic and the pasta is Aldente.
Fettuccine con Spugnole e Asparagi Ribbon pasta, morel mushrooms, and asparagus, cream. The pasta is nice and light with these great combinations.
Ravioli d’Anatra ai Funghi Porcini Housemade duck ravioli, creamy porcini mushroom sauce. This is my favorite pasta here at Olio e Limone. The porcini is cut into little pieces and the sauce is creamy and wonderful.
Risotto al Nero di Seppia Carnaroli rice, shrimp, scallops, calamari, squid ink. This dish is not for the faint of heart, it is black from the squid ink, but it has a nice smooth constituency.
Mains:
Pesce Fresco del Giorno Fresh fish of the day; Chilean Sea Bass. It is wonderfully tender, flaky, a delicious fish.
Scaloppine con Carciofi e Limone Thinly sliced veal cutlets, fresh artichoke hearts, and lemon sauce. I loved the added artichoke hearts, and the veal is very nice as well.
Costata di Manzo alle Erbe Herb-roasted rib-eye steak, roasted potatoes, vegetables. A very juicy large steak, cooked rare, fabulous.
Costolette d’Agnello con Balsamico e Menta New Zealand lamb chops, balsamic vinegar reduction sauce. The Balsamico reduction sauce is simply perfection and the chops were rare and fantastic.
Special Pork Chop, cooked kind of Parmesan style, lightly breaded with cheese and marinara sauce, very good choice.
Desert:
Torta di Limone, lemon custard tart. I simply love anything sweet with lemons, this is a custard type dessert done as a tart, very delicious.
Cannoli di Ricotta with ricotta cream and chocolate chip filled Sicilian pastry shells, pistachios. An Italian tradition, this one hit the spot.
Crème Brulee ai Lampone Raspberry crème brulee. I just loved this desert, great creamy texture with soft flowing flavors.
Wines:
Sauvignon Blanc, Cordon l’Inox, Happy Canyon, Santa Barbara County, 2014. This wine went great with the Hamachi Carpaccio, it has a bit of a pineapple overtone, and so it worked out great with the sauce on the fish.
Chardonnay, Flor de Campo, Sanford, Santa Barbara County, 2013. I would drink this wine time after time with the Insalata di Mare Tiepida, it enhanced all of the buttery goodness in the seafood.
Viognier, Fess Parker, Santa Ynez Valley, 2013, this wine for me was perfect with the Chilean Saebass, it doesn’t over power any of the flavors in this fish.
Pinot Noir, Point Conception, Solomon Pico, Santa Maria Valley, 2012. I like this wine with the Ravioli d’Anatra, adding fragrances to the smoky porcini’s in this dish.
Syrah, Andrew Murray, Tous les Jours, Santa Ynez Valley, 2014. The balsamic reduction in the lamb chops worked out quite nicely with this wine.
Cabernet Sauvignon, Tolosa, Paso Robles, 2012. Got to do this one with the steak, its bold edges just balanced out the texture and richness of the steak.
My dining neighbors who love coming to this restaurant were locals, Brian and Erin from Thousand Oaks and Joe and Elizabeth from Westlake, we compared food notes about this spectacular restaurant.
The music will put you in the proper mood, Frank Sinatra, Etta James, and The Supremes. Really stylish dressed up people here, there were lots of families, and also people on dates. The interior consists of café chairs with white tablecloths, chandeliers, glass wall sconces, mirrors, and big black and white photos of vineyards, wood floors, and faux yellow walls are all very elegant. Olio e Limone is in a mall setting but you wouldn’t know it from the delightful food.
My great server Michael Brand who moved here from Whistler, was very knowledgeable and provided me with great service. General manager Tray Bristol also did a great job helping me out with my fine dining experience.
This is the real thing, you don’t need to get on a plane to go to Italy, just get in your car and drive to Westlake, its that close to the best Italian dinner you will ever have.
Olio e Limone
30760 Russell Ranch Rd., Ste. C
Westlake Village, CA 91362
TEL: (818) 706-OLIO
http://www.olioelimonewestlakevillage.com
*Note some content was taken directly from their website.
