A sneak peek at Olives - a soon-to-open restaurant in Abu Dhabi’s Venetian Village

Pan-seared branzino at the soon-to-open restaurant Olives in the Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal. Courtesy Stacie Overton Johnson

There's another new restaurant coming to the Venetian Village within the Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal. And, after a preview dinner giving us a sneak peek at the food, this is a restaurant I'm excited about.
The restaurant — Olives — is a brand from American chef Todd English. English, a decorated chef who has earned the respect of diners and critics alike throughout the United States and beyond, has several restaurant brands under his name. Olives is the first restaurant he's bringing to the UAE.
English was in Abu Dhabi for just two days this week. During his quick visit, he hosted a dinner as part of Gourmet Abu Dhabi. Along with a thoughtfully designed tasting menu, guests at the dinner got the chance to watch English work in the kitchen. It's easy to see the kitchen is where he's most comfortable. He's a quiet man (though we're not sure if that was, in part, due to jet lag). He's not showy, not gregarious. As he pieced together his dishes, he was deliberate, calm, exacting. There was no rushing around; no nervousness; no drama.
After graduating from culinary school, English honed his cookery schools in Italy in his early 20s. So while the food at Olives is Mediterranean, it has as strong Italian influence.
A first course of lobster and corn bisque, served with a generous amount of black truffle shavings was rich and complex with a healthy dose of lobster. We also had small raviolis stuffed with foie gras and served with earthy mushrooms and a quail egg. Other dishes included pan seared branzino (European sea bass) — a mild, white, flaky fish served atop creamy risotto with refreshing chunks of crab piled on top. We had an Australian gold Angus beef tenderloin that lived up to its name. Incredibly tender, this cut of beef was smooth, buttery and juicy. It takes a confident chef to serve a dining room full of foodies a medium rare steak without asking how they want it prepared — and that's exactly what happened. It was a testament to English's passion for food — and how it should taste. English is confident, but not cocky; he's simply going to serve you food the way he thinks it should be served. It's smart to trust him.
Throughout the night, the dishes were beautifully plated, adding a level of elegance and sophistication to the meal. English and his team will be back before the opening of Olives in May to train the staff and the chefs.
The head chef in the Abu Dhabi outlet has worked with English for more than 20 years. We're hopeful that kind of experience pays off in the kitchen and results in the same quality dishes you'd get if prepared by English himself.