My brother requested dinner at Oliveto in Oakland for his birthday gift. My husband and I gladly complied with his request. We had heard good things about Oliveto. Well, it was a disaster. Everything was OK until halfway through the meal our waitress decided not to serve us anymore. She stopped coming to our table altogether. We had to literally get up and ask for service from various waiters. It was a birthday party — there were four of us and the bill was huge. I didn’t want to make a scene as I was pretending (for my brother’s sake) to be satisfied. The next day I called the restaurant to complain. They didn’t care at all about what happened to us. They made excuses — she had a bad night, etc., etc. Anytime I read a review like yours about Oliveto I scratch my head. You gave them 4 stars for service. We couldn’t even get a cup of coffee without a hassle. But they didn’t forget the bill!
— Rosemary Belssner, San Ramon
Terrible value
I read your review on Oliveto. I have to say that I just don’t get what you and many other food writers see in this restaurant. I have traveled the United States and Europe extensively and eaten at some of the finest restaurants and Oliveto isn’t one of them. After hearing all the rants and raves from food writers, I first took my wife there for her 40th birthday some years ago. I couldn’t believe how ordinary it was except for the value — small portions, high price. I figured we all just ordered the wrong things (we went with another couple) or it was just an off night. Because of all of the hype I have returned several times for both lunch and dinner. I just don’t get it. The food is just OK and the value is terrible. The rating you gave (which as I understand it is supposed to be for value) is way, way off. As I read reviews from other customers, clearly I am not the only one who feels this way.
— Dale L. Richardson, Lafayette
Returning soon
Undaunted by your past review of Sergio’s Trattoria in San Ramon, my husband and I and two other couples went there for dinner. The restaurant was tastefully decorated with some nice Italian pictures and artwork. Most of the tables were occupied and we found the noise level to be quite low. All of us found menu items that we liked and we were very pleased with our food choices. The Caesar salad was delicious and others were happy with the minestrone soup. My choice of Salmon Picatta was wonderful and I liked the addition of whipped yams to the meal. The rib-eye steak was another winner and our friends raved about their Cannelloni Alle Marcella. We thought that the complimentary chocolate pudding and muscat wine were a nice finish to a lovely evening. The service was great and Sergio oversaw our table the entire night. All the members of our group agree that we will return to this restaurant very soon.
— Linda Borrelli, Danville
At least 4 forks
My family and I love Asian food. We are especially fond of Vietnamese cuisine. We enjoy Da Lat in Walnut Creek and are absolutely in love with Unicorn in Berkeley. Both these restaurants were finds through recommendations from your weekly column. So, I see the review of Sai’s 3 in Livermore with 4 forks. My husband and I venture out there. We thought the food was very good, however it seemed to lean more toward Chinese cuisine than Vietnamese. Then we read your review of Little Saigon in Concord with 3 forks. We venture over there and ordered the crab (very pricey) and several other dishes. We totally enjoyed Little Saigon. Excellent Vietnamese food! We definitely plan on returning. I disagree with your rating — Little Saigon should have received at least 4 forks, maybe 5! The service was great and the atmosphere was very pleasant. A great place to enjoy Vietnamese food.
— Rochelle Nelson, San Ramon
Dreamy-creamy
I enjoyed your recent review of Oliveto. I’ve only been there a few times for special occasions, but I loved the food, the ambience, the service and the wines. I still remember their vitello tonnato (dreamy-creamy, exactly what I’d imagined it to taste like from reading about it in Italian cookbooks) as well as the totally low-key way the server filleted a whole fish at the table as a normal matter of course! I only wish I could go more often, but there is always the siren call of new and other places to try!
— Denise Crozier
The Times welcomes letters from diners and restaurant representatives about reviews we have recently run. E-mail us at nboer@cctimes.com or fax us at 925-943-8265. Please include your name and the town you live in.
