Bar Olo

165 Nicholson St
Carlton, VIC 3053
https://barolocarlton.com.au/

Bar Olo won the coveted honour of being The Age’s New Restaurant of the Year for 2024, so I had high hopes for this traditional yet relaxed little Italian bistro. But honestly? Though the food was excellent, I was left rather disappointed all-up. The service may not be overtly unfriendly, but it often felt perfunctory and forced. Together with the patchy pace at which the food was served, it made the overall experience much more mediocre than the top-notch food deserved. It really is a shame, because the food was genuinely fantastic.

Rating: 13/20 – hard product is great. soft product needs work.
Best dishes: prawn tramezzini (absolutely slaps) and agnolotti (may not sound as exciting, but you will be rewarded).
Pet peeve: this sounds petty, but they totally did my least favourite thing – refused to give any idea of how much food to order, and would only say things like ‘depends on how hungry you are’ and ‘depends on which dishes you get’. c’mon guys, I know how hunger works, please just give me a ballpark number – I assure you I will not get mad if you can’t read minds and are off by a dish or two.

Prawn Tramezzini ($16, 2pcs)

The Prawn Tramezzini ($16, 2pcs) is the signature dish at Bar Olo, and it is utterly brilliant at channelling the joy that the 7-11 sandwiches in Japan taps into. It’s all about the simple pleasures done right – a cool, creamy prawn salad stuffed into the sweetest, fluffiest bread that can still pass off as not being dessert. And this may sound odd but, I was especially impressed with the single cos lettuce leaf, and the scant sprinkle of fried onions garnishing the sandwich, demonstrating the exquisite balance of textures and flavours, and the less-is-more approach. Also, it’s fantastic value for money!

Lasagna Croquette ($6ea)

Continuing in a similar vein is the Lasagna Croquette ($6ea). No, this is not some fancy ragu and cheese concoction – this is a straight up piece of lasagna, encased in batter and deep fried, for that wonderful contrast between silky layers of saucy pasta and a vigorously crunchy crumb.

Vitello Tonnato ($26)

One of the most traditional offerings for the night is the Vitello Tonnato ($26), and it is honestly the best rendition I’ve ever had. The thinly sliced poached veal was suspended in high quality olive oil, its delicacy a subtle base to the umami-heavy tuna mayo, and salty pops of fried caper. Just like the tramezzini, this is a masterclass in balance.

Free Bread

And yes, that was Free Bread you saw in the background! This one is a crusty little sourdough number, coupled with the most milky of butters.

Agnolotti Del Plin ($27)

The Agnolotti Del Plin ($27) was actually at the bottom of my list, but when our waitress told us without hesitation that this was the best pasta, it felt wrong not to get it. And yep, it was an absolute banger. Smaller than ravioli, these chewy little parcels housed a flavoursome meat filling, which were then left to swim in a buttery chicken stock with plenty of freshly grated cheese. It is simultaneously comfortingly familiar, and beguilingly decadent.

Rock Flathead Skewer ($22)

I’ll be the first to agree that the presentation of the Rock Flathead Skewer ($22) is unnervingly serpentine, but taste-wise it is certainly on-point. The fish is meaty yet delicate, perfectly grilled to a light char, its natural flavours accented by summery dill and a wedge of lemon.

Tiramisu ($17)

Tiramisu ($17) is the only way to finish off a quality Italian meal, and this one hits just the right notes of creamy, aromatic, and bitter. Couldn’t have asked for better.

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2 Comments

  • Reply Waterfall 15/01/2025 at 10:05 am

    Good food but ok service? I can live with that. Heh.

    • ming
      Reply ming 23/01/2025 at 4:46 pm

      Honestly, I would put it at less than ok. It was generally unfriendly and unhelpful, which isn’t always an issue but when you’re at a highly regarded place paying a good amount for the food, I expect at least reasonable service.

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