A Lot of Good Reasons
Pan d’Olive ticks a lot of boxes for me. It’s not far from where I live. It has a spacious parking lot and a bar area the size of a tennis court. (Well, maybe not quite that big. 🙂
I’m especially partial to the cozy row of private booths that line the dining room wall. The service is quick and friendly, as you’d expect from a restaurant that pays attention to details. And . . . it’s open on Mondays!
Arancini. The popular Sicilian rice balls are stuffed with risotto, gorgonzola, potatoes, and ground beef and sit fetchingly in a small pond of marinara sauce.
Start with Lunch
The Two Entrée Lunch Special for $13.95 is well worth the noonday trip. This is a real deal! You get a half portion of two different dishes, plus drink.
Lucy got the cannelloni/salad combo and I opted for the tilapia and arancino balls. As a bonus the fish dish included a helping of zucchini. Too often side dishes can be underwhelming. But the squash—like Goldilocks’s porridge—was “just right.”
Baked Cannelloni with Béchamel and Bolognese Sauce
Pan d’Olive’s website notes that they “celebrate Mediterranean cuisine with a California twist”—whatever that means. Still, it’s good to know, that you can appease your longing for Mediterranean fare without the price of a plane ticket.
The restaurant logo says the place offers “a bite of Mediterranean,” which makes its location in Dogtown all the more fitting.
Grilled Tilapia with Tomato Tapenade
Caesar Salad
The Hazelnut Tiramisu is made in house and a perfect shared finale.
Pan d’Olive: 1603 McCausland Ave; Open: Lunch Mon-Fri 11a-2p with Two-Course Lunch Special: plus drink, $13.95. Happy Hour: Mon-Fri 4p-7p; Dinner: Mon-Sat until closing.
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