The beautifully adorned Olivia’s Kitchen brings a cosmopolitan, almost Back Bay vibe to the Broadway row stemming from Powder House Circle, with its old school delis and diners, Lyndell’s classic bakery (since 1887!) and neighborhood feud (Sound Bites vs. Ball Square Cafe). Stepping into Olivia’s is like entering another world. The space is defined by a long, lean bar in dark lacquer (hard to believe it was a cheery chartreuse green when the space was home to Taco Party.) Chef and owner Simona Sbano’s clear vision for Italian dining is realized perfectly in this new gem in Ball Square.
The food is deeply influenced by northern Italy —Sbano cut her culinary teeth in Turin. She came here during the pandemic and opened The Emporio Bakery Bistrot in Stoneham in 2023. At her new spot, the menu includes beef tortellini stuffed with green peas and imported ham, and then there’s savory tortellini soup with umami. A secondi slate includes brasato (braised beef cheek), pork loin with prosciutto and zuppa di pesce. The apps include staples like carpaccio and mussels in broth and some intriguing spins, such as air dried cod and whipped potato or a ricotta and mushroom flan.
The specials the night I went included a delectable-sounding branzino (seabass) done with a parsley and olive oil dressing. I started with a special app, gambero rosso di Mazara, a raw/ceviche-style red shrimp surrounded by finely diced, crisp red apples and ripe mango with daubs of caviar and a lite ginger soy sauce.
The marinated shrimp at the center were near aspic-like, smooth, cool and with a uniform texture that blended well with the zesty sweetness of the apple and mango. The salty offset of the caviar with the subtle accent of soy and ginger gave it a flavorful bouquet. The careful plating was so aesthetically pleasing, it felt like defacing fine art to push a fork into it. But epicurious desires had to be satisfied.
My main dish was strozzapreti cum vongole— pasta and baby clams— which came with lightly roasted cherry tomato halves, virgin olive oil and chopped onions and parsley, simple and rich. The strozzapreti, hand rolled and twisted into corkscrews—was tender, meaty and pleasantly, slightly chewy. The clams were teeny and sweet, baby-like indeed. Also reminiscent of infants in requiring a lot of work, if only fishing the meat from the shell. As with the red shrimp, the plating was impeccable and the portion just right.
I capped off my culinary wonderment with dessert, choosing basilica y panna —fresh strawberries and cream with mint. The cream was not sweet and played perfectly with the ripe and juicy berries.
The other fun thing, nearly everyone working at Olivia’s speaks the mother tongue fluently. The service is prompt, professional, even giovale (friendly).
At the time I visited, Olivia’s was not serving beer and wine—I had an alcohol-free gin and tonic, which wasn’t bad — but it was recently approved for a liquor license and they are able to serve wine and alcohol as of this week.
Olivia’s may feel like a change-up for Ball Square but given the Green Line expansion and Somerville’s budding restaurant scene, also a harbinger. Call ahead to hear the specials and see if the wine tap has been turned on. But being pleasantly surprised always heightens the dining experience.
Olivia’s Kitchen, 711 Broadway, Somerville
Have a favorite dish or dine out spot that we’ve not covered and think we should? Email Tom Meek at tmeek@cambridgeday.com.
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to reflect Olivia’s Kitchen’s recent change to its alcohol service.
A stronger
Please consider making a financial contribution to maintain, expand and improve Cambridge Day.
We are now a 501(c)3 nonprofit and all donations are tax deductible.
Please consider a recurring contribution.
