13/20
Italian$$$$
It's the noise that first hits at this attractive riverside venue - all those clean lines,glass walls and hard edges. Weekdays see Oliveto packed with suits from nearby businesses;weekends,locals enjoying lunch,dinner or rite-of-passage functions. A wood-fired oven pumps out good,thin-crusted pizza,as well as charred baby octopus served on crostini and a jumble of shredded bitter leaves and red onion for a chilli-packed entree special. Wood-fired scampi is sweet and redolent of garlic,though as an entree small for the price ($33). Spatchcock is scorched to tenderness and served with radicchio and an intense,vincotto-spiked jus. A special of good house-made tagliatelle with a capretto ragu and chilli was not so special;while the pasta was perfectly al dente,the ragu lacked depth,unctuousness and any hint of chilli. But a raspberry souffle served with a fruity raspberry sorbetto is a feather-light triumph of sweetness and tartness.