My husband and I visited Oliverio’s Ristorante in Bridgeport a couple of weeks ago when a friend of his was in town for business. His friend threw around a couple of the big chain names when we were deciding where to meet for dinner that evening. Being the locavore that I am, I had to step in and suggest that we all have dinner at a local restaurant instead.  It had been quite a few years since my husband and I had sat down for a meal at Oliverio’s, so we decided to introduce his friend to a little taste of some of our local Italian cuisine. 

We started our meal with the Angel Hair Crab Balls. I know the name could be a tad bit misconstrued, but these were actually three balls of crab meat stuffing that are rolled in angel hair pasta and then deep fried. This is a truly unique and tasty appetizer and was definitely a great start to our meal. I think we all agreed that the portion size was perfect for the three of us. My husband even liked it, and he isn’t a huge fan of seafood so that speaks volumes.

After much self-debate, I decided on the Mediterranean dish for my entrée. I realized it had been quite a while since I had enjoyed some scallops, and thought this seafood pasta dish would be perfect.  My expectations were not quite met with this dish.  It was a bit over salted, and was somewhat heavy on the sauce. When I think of Mediterranean, I imagine something a little lighter that lets the freshness of the seafood really stand out.  Though the entrée was good, I found myself wishing that I had ordered the Chicken Picatta instead.

 

 

We finished our dinner with a slice of tiramisu. I am such a sucker for tiramisu, but I usually only allow myself to have this decadent treat from one particular local Italian restaurant.  (I won’t name names quite yet.)  So I almost felt guilty, like I was being disloyal for ordering my tiramisu elsewhere. But this slip in discretion was well worth it. The tiramisu was perfect.  And it should be expected to be since it is made and delivered locally from Almost Heaven Desserts. (This bakery really knows their desserts, right?)

My husband’s friend was very pleased with his visit to Oliverio’s, and was happy that I had swayed the restaurant choice that evening.  The atmosphere is pleasant.  Our service from Judy was wonderful. 

For more information on Oliverio’s, including their locations, hours, and full menus, visit their website here- http://oliveriosristorante.com/index.php