OLIVE TREE BRASSERIE CHESTER

[dropcap]M[/dropcap]e & Patrick were kindly invited down to the 1st birthday anniversary of the opening of one of my favourite new restaurants in Chester, The Olive Tree Brasserie. It resides on the rows of Chester a short walk away from Chester Cathedral (also where I graduated from my degree almost a year ago!) This Greek restaurant combines Mediterranean dishes in a modern way, so it’s something more than a plate of olives and feta cheese. They source the finest high quality fresh produce locally. They also import some ingredients directly from Greece which adds authenticity to our flavoursome dishes. They cater to both gluten free and have a brand new vegan menu to try out!

The Food We Tried

To start off our Greek journey of food, we sat down near the famous tree with a glass of fizz and within minutes had Houmous and Hitipiti served with pitta and Skoumpri served with toasted ciabatta served up. We’re seriously fascinated with how they got their fantastic recipe for their Hitipiti! It’s a serious must try! The combination complimented well with traditional and modern twists on tastes.

Next up was Kolokithakia Keftedes served with Olive Tree Balsamic and Mint Dressing, Mini Meli Feta with Honey, Greek Salad. A refreshing second course, light whilst refreshing and a great appetiser whilst mains are being cooked up. I’m huge on my salads and love the unique take on a quintessential Greek dish that I’ll certainly be trying at home whilst I’m not in Chester.

One of my favourites was the Kota Souvlaki with Herb Rice, Tiropita, Beef Shin Stifado with Kalamata Olive Mash. The Beef Shin simply fell apart by looking at it – the best way to have beef in my opinion!

To finish off our incredible evening of Greek food we tried the Mini Chocolate and Tahini Brownie served with Hazelnut Syrup and Portokalopita served with Greek Yogurt Quenelle. The Portokalopita has easily become my favourite dessert dish for it’s sweet, glazed texture and filo pastry.

Each dish gave us an indication into the broad spectrum that Olive Tree are aiming for, that olives and pita bread doesn’t represent a taste of cuisine that we should all associate a country with, whilst inspiring me and Patrick to try out more Greek foods at home.

Dean Wilson set up his first Greek/Mediterranean style restaurant in Lytham St Annes in 2007 with his second branch opening in Preston in 2012. Dean went on to refurbish and invest in Preston’s restaurant cellar to create a stunning cocktail bar area. Deans commitment and passion for making modern Greek/Mediterranean dining experiences accessible and enjoyable for all allowed him to open the third Olive Tree Brasserie restaurant in Chester in July 2016.

Dean and his team regularly travel to Greece for inspiration, meeting with suppliers to find new and exciting products to bring back.

As well as delighting guests with authentic Greek/Cypriot beers, the Olive Tree Brasserie are proud suppliers of the rare Greek spirit Mastiha. This spirit, made from resin of a small evergreen tree that only grows in the southern part of the Greek Island of Chios is an exclusive natural product that boasts a delicious irresistible taste.

Address: 39 – 41 Watergate Street, Chester CH1 2LE, United Kingdom