The bread is a warm, crusty loaf accompanied by a no-nonsense dagger and aioli that could wreak havoc in Transylvania. The patio is a leafy sanctuary of mismatched chairs and multi-coloured fairy lights. My glass of house white is cold, dry, and served through the mouth of a porcelain penguin. This is La Olla, an unpretentious, somewhat unexpected newcomer on the Palermo Soho dining scene.
Montevidean couple Sebastian Echeverria and Patricia Settin opened La Olla last November with the intention of stirring the pot. “There’s a lot of minimalism in Palermo, a lot of small, expensive food. We wanted to do the exact opposite: abundant, rich, homemade and cheap,” says Patricia.
It was Patricia who designed the large, approachable interior, which ranges from laudably kitschy (paper tablecloths with crayons, wooden crates full of fluorescent plastic vegetables, a funky pink chandelier) to dorm-room gimmicky (framed Jimi Hendrix and Breakfast at Tiffany’s posters, a Coca Cola fridge, geometric wallpaper, ad nauseum).
The best seats are on the patio, where Saturday nights mean live guitar music, and the rest of the restaurant can be observed through glass walls. The menus, made from record covers like The Wall and Revolver, are bold, bright and tongue-in-cheek. Headings like “Ollitas y Abuelitas” (Little Pots and Little Grandmothers), “No eres gorda” (You’re Not Fat) and “Bebidas fuertes y espirituosos” (Strong and Spiritual Drinks) give way to what Sebastian describes as “homemade food with a touch of gourmet”.
Sitting beside us, four elderly Argentines laughingly go in for seconds of their delicious-smelling calamari appetiser, which teases us as we sip wine from our penguin. Behind them, two attractive young porteñas dig in to a late merienda of café con leche and apple pie.
I start with a salad of mixed greens, avocado and cherry tomato, which is copious, fresh and delicious, poor vinaigrette distribution aside. Next comes a large wooden breadboard upon which a chicken limb, browned to perfection, plus clay pots of rich mashed squash, crispy fries and another tiny salad are artfully arranged.
I also try bites of the scrumptious empanada, the decadent and wholesome gnocchi “mal de amor” with four-cheese sauce and the lasagne “de la nonna”, which is respectable if lacking in (physical) depth. We finish with two shots of honey-sweetened grappa (not usually my thing, but wow maybe it should be). Incredibly for Palermo Soho, a feast for two comes to about $80.
The glitches (minor grievances like no toilet paper in the ladies’ loo or an air conditioner dripping on my shoulder) are owing to inexperience, and must be taken in stride; it’s all part of the charm. I love the playfulness, the imagination and the innocence of La Olla. Sebastian and Patricia have created something that this neighbourhood was desperately lacking: no snooty airs or inflated prices, just comfort food and buena onda. So leave your diamonds at home and round up your friends for a long evening of grandmotherly cooking and spiritual beverages sipped from penguins.
La Olla is in Palermo on Thames 1514.
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