An Olive Oil Immersion in Mendoza
Verolio in Mendoza offers a menu focused on olive oil, with speedy serÂvice and a modÂern atmosÂphere. The restauÂrant serves a variÂety of dishes, includÂing olive oil tastÂings and tartines, paired with local wines.
Exploring Mendoza’s olive oils is no small feat, but checkÂing out the menu at Verolio is a good start. In an area of the world known for laid-back and often downÂright slow serÂvice, Verolio’s cheerÂful and speedy servers seem out of place, not that we’re comÂplainÂing. We seated ourÂselves in the casual café and were greeted within a few secÂonds.
Repurposed antiques and clean-lined wooden tables and chairs invite dinÂers, and the stark white walls and conÂtemÂpoÂrary accents reflect the moderÂnity of the adjoinÂing Hotel Internacional. Photos of olives and the olive oil process, antiques olive pit strainÂers repurÂposed as found art and the selecÂtion of local olive oils and olive oil prodÂucts for sale get the point across: at Verolio, olive oil is the main focus.
We started with the olive oil tastÂing, 30 pesos for three olive oils from Mendoza, fresh olive oil mayÂonÂnaise, black and green tapeÂnades, oil cured dried olives, a mix of green and ripe brined olives, crunchy breadÂsticks, caramelized onion bread seared with olive oil, and soft white bread – all local of course.
Our server led us through descripÂtions the olive oils with tastÂing notes and the olives’ native regions. The mayÂonÂnaise tangy and incredÂiÂble, the olives fruity and fresh, the breads heavÂenly, and the whole 30 peso ($8) packÂage included a glass of house wine. We chose the Familia Zuccardi sparkler, which did not disÂapÂpoint.
Our olive oils:
Eliá Arbequina – Manzanilla oil from northÂern Mendoza, this oil is one of Eliá’s lightÂest styles with butÂtery flaÂvors.
Melanario – Nevadillo oil with strong flaÂvors of green apple and raw almond.
Marla Ravida – Full-flaÂvored blend of franÂtoio and arauco oils, perÂfect for wood-grilled Argentinean steaks.
On another visit, we tried a few more menu items, and received the same speedy serÂvice.
The leek, fontina, and balÂsamic roasted almond tarÂtine with honey, enticed with aroÂmatic melted leeks and cream overÂflowÂing onto the plate. The server topped our tarÂtine and accomÂpaÂnyÂing mesclun salad with Nevadillo olive oil as she delivÂered the dish. The tart shell, which may or may not have been very lightly sweetÂened with the aforeÂmenÂtioned honey (read on), broke perÂfectly under our forks, crunchy on the outÂside and silky on the inside. Gently caramelized leek with fontina rocked our world, espeÂcially with Gerónimo Chardonnay, Mendoza, a lightly oaked bouÂtique botÂtle with a happy dose of tropÂiÂcal notes for only 40 pesos ($10). The only thing missÂing was the balÂsamic roasted almonds (and posÂsiÂbly the honey) where were the almonds? Not so disÂmayed, the tart was deliÂcious withÂout them.
We ordered some snacks from the small-plates menu: a fiambre y queso (cured local meats and cheeses) with preÂserved vegÂetaÂbles, a warm eggÂplant tapa with olive oil cured cherry tomaÂtoes, and a goat cheese and arugula pizzette.
The meats and cheeses were freshly cut, good qualÂity and an interÂestÂing spread of sevÂeral selecÂtions.
The eggÂplant with cherry tomaÂtoes turned out to be thin, chewy slices of breaded eggÂplant with the same pepÂpers from the fiambre y queso board. The pizzettes, served on the same plate as the eggÂplant, were flatÂbreads with melted goat cheese, fraÂgrant, mature arugula leaves and more cool shredÂded cheese. Too cheesy, espeÂcially after the spread we’d already conÂsumed. These dishes too, were topped with a drizÂzle of local olive oil upon delivÂery.
Verolio is an excelÂlent place to get started samÂpling Mendoza’s olive oils alongÂside some deliÂcious dishes and great local wines.
Verolio
Sarmiento 720
Ciudad de Mendoza
Tel: 0261 – 4255600
reservas@hinternacional.com.ar
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