Olive Bistro, Cyber Hub, Gurgaon

It was my first visit to Cyber Hub. Seeing a Hyper City Market of restaurants and cuisines really got me surprised. Like a child in a toy store, I was excited to look around the new restaurants, the décor and the variety of cuisines available to choose from. We headed towards the Olive Bistro on the first floor and the place immediately brought back to us, the memoirs of our Europe visit!
Decorated in vibrant colours, detailed chosen antiques, the printed tiles, the open wood fire pizza oven, chandelier hanging with crockery, the chalkboard with some really quirky writings and drawings, and the European café-styled furniture, this place looked inviting. If not for the Delhi scorching heat, we would have loved to sit outside in a cosy décor of cane chairs and cushions. The potted plants and umbrellas surely would have given a feeling of sitting in one’s own little garden. The most favorite corner of mine was a bathtub with a tube well decorated with potted plants with full blooms. Though we were welcomed inside as early as 12 noon (that’s the opening time), we could see that guests( and not customers as they call ) had already occupied a lot of tables. We were told that on weekends, they have an hour of waiting since there is no pre-reservation system in Cyber Hub.
Having opened in January 2014, Olive Bistro has just got their alcohol license. So you will be introduced to some great cocktails from this month end. We were greeted and made comfortable by Chef Anuj Wadhawan. Already having decided what to present us for lunch, he asked if we had any food preferences or any allergies towards any ingredient. Happy to have gone by the Chef’s recommendation, we couldn’t help notice the menu. Stuck on a slate shaped wooden base, the menu had a lot of influence of European and American café food which was designed keeping in mind the corporate clientele around who drop by to have a quick lunch. The pricing was decent, making sure not to let you fall to your feet after seeing the bill. There was a nice write-up by A D Singh pinned as the first page of the menu where Beetroot salad was recommended. And before we could see what it was about, it was already on our table! The Ricotta and Arugula spread over roasted beetroot topped with balsamic and honey dressing was full of flavours. To top it all, the candied walnuts added a nice crunch. We thoroughly enjoyed it with our refreshing mock tails of Litchi Tornado and the colourful and eye-appealing Avalanche. 
Maneesh was served the Chermoulla Marinated Grilled Chicken Skewers and the Spiked Green Harissa Marinated Prawn Skewers. Of the two, the prawn skewers were loved by him. Simple yet tantalizing with a nutty flavour, this one’s a must try finger food for all prawn lovers. Though we could see a limited option for vegetarians ( but we were impressed with the “J” prints against some items on menu card suggesting jain options available ), Chef Anuj made sure not to let me go hungry. There came on the table “The All Veg on a Thin Crust Pizza “. Topped with Mushrooms, sweet pepper, red onions, jalapenos, artichokes, marinated olives, spinach and lots of mozzarella, this pizza didn’t need any addition of spice or herbs on top. Every single slice tasted great by itself. The thin crust is a must-mention. Freshly baked, crisp and ultra-slim (if I had to describe in the language of mobile phones), the crust is one of the best we tasted.
Next I was served the Pan seared Steak of Grana Padano and Cottage Cheese. Grana Padano is one of the world’s first hard cheese originating from Italy. Served on cooked Caponata which was a salad made with fried eggplants ( Silician Aubergines, to be precise ) and celery with olives, and vinegar, it thoroughly looked like a gourmet dish. The presentation was class-apart with a Pistachio tuille on top. A mix flavor of sweet and sour jumbled in my mouth when I took the first bite. But the dish of the day for me was the Linguini Granulata. Not mentioned in the menu, this was Anuj’s own version of spaghetti served with lemongrass, garlic and pepper. So fresh, soothing and perfect for summers, the Chef won our heart with this one!
Maneesh tried the “Twice cooked Pork Belly served with pork and brown rice hash”. I could see his love-affair with the pork belly from the way he was taking each bite and enjoying it with smiles. “Juicy and cooked to perfection” was what he said when I asked him how it was. Served along with sautéed green beans, carrot and honey mustard glaze, this dish were filling in itself for the portion they served.
Next, the Vanilla Panacotta came right on and there was no way we were going to send it back though we were so full. We remembered the saying “There’s always a room for dessert” as this crème pudding looked so divine, it truly enthralled us. Creativity put to the best, Chef Anuj poured some sweet orange and spicy pink peppercorn (green peppercorns actually ) sauce on top of it, and we had to finish it till done. 
The service can be improved as the server takes some time to notice you if you want something and some more time to get the order to your table. (Maybe the staff is less and the tables more!) But I would ignore it anyday, for the quality of food they serve. We give it a 4/5 (majorly for the “feel-good” ambience and the vanilla panacotta )
Address: 1^st floor, Cyber Hub, DLF Cyber City, GurgaonPh no: 0124- 6518803Meal for two – 1200-1500 ( approx )