Oliverio's Ristorante
Oliverio's Ristorante's original location is in Bridgeport. They opened up a lunch option, Oliverio's Marketplace, which I reviewed here, as well as an Oliverio's Ristorante in Morgantown. Since I already review the marketplace, I thought it was about time to try out the restaurant.
This one is located in the Wharf District, so there is some metered parking, otherwise the garage is your best bet. This is one of the nicer restaurants in town, so they do reservations, but we just decided on a whim to go here, so we walked in. We were handed a buzzer. We waited outside until it went off, then we ventured back in the dark restaurant. Because it is nicer, and potentially "romantic," the lights are way down. So, it was difficult to catch the decor.
As soon as you walk in, there are some green, leafy plants and small lights in the entryway. The dessert case is to the left, and a set of stairs lead you back to a few different dining areas. On this particular night, they set us out on the covered patio. Inside, the tables are gorgeous and seats comfy. Outside, we were sitting on plastic chairs, and our table rocked a bit. I wasn't super impressed, considering the inside diners have a nicer experience than the outside. There was also some miscellaneous chairs and tables laying about, so it didn't give off that high-end vibe I want to feel at Oliverio's. It was very chilly out that night, but luckily they keep it heated.
Our waitress came out with menus, and we placed our drink orders. I was incredibly hungry, so we put in an order for bruschetta. She also brought out a basket of fresh bread. I can't say a bad thing about their bread - it's fresh and warm and soft and scrumptious. And, I'm not even a big bread person. Our bruschetta came out afterward - four large pieces of bread with cheese, tomatoes and spices. The first thing I noticed was the melted cheese overtop of the bread. Normally, I would like this. But when I think of bruschetta, I think of a more light, airy appetizers with tomatoes and crunchy bread. Maybe light parmesan. But the melted cheese made the toppings warm and an awkward hearty vibe. I wasn't a huge fan. It was also served with marinara sauce. This dish was heavier, and I like the simplify of bruschetta with it's olive oil and tomatoes. This was not my favorite.
I also ordered a half Caprese salad, as well as their stuffed shells. My salad came out first, and it was doing what I had hoped it wouldn't - provide only four small pieces of mozzarella and tomato - the rest is greens. Which is okay, but if I ordered a tomato mozzarella salad, I want those to be the prominent pieces. With that being said, it wasn't bad. It was just okay. I wouldn't order it again, though.
Finally, our entrees arrived. I wasn't sure what to expect. I ordered stuffed shells, for around $13, so I was hoping it'd be plentiful. Out came my dish with three stuffed shells. Decent sized ones, but still only three. The pasta was fresh and the cheeses were delicious and creamy. While tasty, three shells was disappointing. I'm glad I got my salad, or I would've been starving still. The quality is good, in the food at least, but the outside decor left something to be desired. On another night, this could be a much more pleasant experience.
Also, it was so dark, my photos aren't barely visible. Sorry about that.
Grade: B