Olive Tree, Lichfield

But one restaurant in the Cathedral City of Lichfield is creating its own unique taste and reputation offering something genuinely new to diners across the region.

The Olive Tree on Tamworth Street, has been open for six years and head chef, Alex Brown, has transformed the menu in the three years since he joined the team.

Officially billed as a Mediterranean restaurant, the Olive Tree is much more than that, offering dishes encompassing traditional British food, such as pork and beef, but with added tastes and flavours.

A selection from the menu includes wild mushroom with parma ham rissoto, homemade soup, seared tuna with sweet potato mash, fillet of pork with a potato rosti and spinach and beef medallions with horseradish mash and wild mushroom sauce.

Alex, aged 24, says his aim is to offer food that customers can recognise but with a mix of tastes from the Mediterranean and beyond. The restaurant doesn't shout about its presence on the high street and its almost shy facade hides a very exciting culinary experience.

On entering you almost immediately become aware of how contemporary the venue is. The room is decorated in white and deep red with lovely wooden tables stretching back toward an open kitchen area where customers can watch Alex and his staff prepare their unique dishes.

My partner and I were welcomed by a cheerful waitress and as we sat down we were immediately impressed with the generous size of the tables.

All too often a table for two means you are sat in a corner, against a radiator and with only a tiny area to balance your dishes on, but not at the Olive Tree.

The restaurant offers food with enough of a British feel to make you interested but also a little something extra to make the night exciting. While my better half decided on the homemade carrot and rosemary soup I went for the sauteed mushrooms with garlic and herbs served on crostini bread.

The food was brilliantly presented in such a way that made you regret sticking your fork into it. With the first bite the mix Alex speaks about was instantly recognisable in a way that quite literally sent your taste buds into a frenzy.

For the main course I chose slow roasted duck confit with mash potato and spinach while my partner devoured the pork steak with thyme, apple rosti and buttered cabbage.

Again the meals were delicately put together and arrived at the perfect time giving just enough of a delay to appreciate the starters and enjoy the atmosphere. Taste sensation is an overused cliche but one that no doubt applies to the Olive Tree.

To round off the night we indulged our darker side with chocolate torte and chocolate fudge.

The fudge cake was drenched in thick warm chocolate sauce and both were served with two slices of strawberry. To say they were a delight to eat is an understatement.

The Olive Tree is a fantastic night out for anyone who enjoys good food and likes to try something just that little bit different. The restaurant has an excellent atmosphere with helpful staff and high class cuisine.

Customers can choose from either the a la carte menu or the express menu offering a full range of choice.

A clue to what kind of service you can expect at the Olive Tree is written on the menu where it says: "If you need a taxi, ask a member of staff when you are on desserts and we will do our best to get one booked for you." What a great idea.

So the next time you can't decide what kind of food you want you know what to do, try the Olive Tree.

Prices are very reasonable for the type of meals you can enjoy. The sauteed mushrooms with garlic and herbs was £3.95, homemade soup was £3.25. The confit of duck on mashed potato was priced at £12.95, with the pork steak with thyme and apple rosti costing £10.95. All side orders cost £2.25.

The Olive Tree also offers deals on three course evening meals costing £10.95.

ADDRESS

Olive Tree, 34 Tamworth Street, Lichfield

Tel: 01543 263363

By Shaun Lintern