The Black Olive is a rarity -- a restaurant that doesn't try to do too much, but does what it does tastefully, in every sense of the word.
Baltimore's newest Greek eatery is nestled on a quiet block in Fells Point. The narrow dining room with its open kitchen in back is deceptively simple and has lots of style. Tables are charmingly dressed in blue-and-white checked cloths. The waiter arranges a bowl of briny Greek olives on each one as carefully as he might place a vase of flowers.
Brick walls painted white are hung with a few framed photographs and prints; the wood floors are bare; ceiling fans revolve slowly. The look is fresh and very Mediterranean. The only bad news: When the air conditioner is on, the dining room is downright drafty.
The Black Olive's menu and wine list have the same stylish simplicity as the setting. Greek wines don't usually get much respect, but the Black Olive's thoughtful selection offers customers a chance to explore beyond retsina. As for the menu, the specialty of the house is clearly whole grilled fish. Nine choices are listed; but expect only a few to be available any given night.
Judging from the whole red snapper we had, the fish is winningly fresh, with the smoky char setting off the firm, moist flesh beautifully. And you won't have to do any work; the waiter fillets the fish for you at tableside.
The rest of the menu doesn't look anything like a typical Greek restaurant's -- no moussaka, no spanakopita, no endlessly cooked roast chicken, not much in the way of lamb.
What you will get are superbly cleaned, deliciously plump mussels in the shell with the faint licorice scent of the ouzo liqueur they were bathed in. And a remarkable first course of meaty, charcoal-grilled portobello and oyster mushrooms with a buttery bit of grilled bread. And attention is paid to the looks of each plate -- a pretty garnish here, a careful arrangement of ingredients there.
The Black Olive's equivalent of spanakopita is a vegetable pie made with flaky pastry and a zingy spinach filling. It's too dry for my taste, but the flavor is excellent.
If you have a hankering for lamb, grilled chops may be a special, but they aren't on the regular menu. Something called kleftico is. Tender cubes of marinated lamb and mushrooms are cooked in parchment with a mild sheep's cheese, which melts deliciously into the other ingredients.
With it comes a fine couscous flavored with minced black olives and red pepper, and a winning concoction of zucchini and onions. Not so successful is the plain -- and therefore tasteless -- couscous that accompanies the lamb.
All this supposes that you haven't filled up on bread, which is baked in the brick oven on the premises and is irresistible. Order tzatziki, a tangy yogurt and cucumber dip, to eat with it. Brave souls can opt for the garlic-infused melitzanasalata -- too garlic-infused for me -- made with eggplant mashed with capers, olive oil and seasonings.
Finally, you must end your meal with the Black Olive's fruit plate. The night we were there it consisted of juicy ripe chunks of mango, fat strawberries, blood-orange slices and a few plump blackberries. Wow. The more conventional baklava and banana nut cake, house-made to be sure and quite good, paled in comparison.
The Black Olive
Where: 814 S. Bond St.
Hours: Open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday
Prices: Appetizers: $4-$8; entrees: $15-$24; major credit cards
Call: 410-276-7141
Pub Date: 6/01/97
