Chef and wine director offer intimate classes on pasta making and wine selection
Restaurant Olivia
290 S. Downing St., Denver
(303) 999 - 0395
info@oliviadenver.com
By Jay McKinney
Italy has an undisputed reputation for quality food and wine. Foodies who visit the country can easily fall in love with the flavors, and long for the taste of homemade pasta and a local Nebbiolo after they’ve returned home. Thankfully, Restaurant Olivia, located near Denver’s Washington Park, has Italian cuisine cravings covered.
Not only does the restaurant deliver an outstanding dining experience with carefully crafted dishes from Chef Ty Leon, but the restaurant also hosts private classes for visitors who wish to enhance their knowledge of Italian wines or learn the tricks of making homemade pasta. Their willingness to teach guests is unusual in the competitive restaurant industry, and it shows how passionate the team at Restaurant Olivia is about Italian food.
While a good sauce will always be paramount, those who have experienced homemade pasta understand there’s a big difference compared to the dried, store-bought pasta. According to co-owner Heather Morrison, it's the softness and the way in which it holds the sauce that is most noticeable.
“If you have something really simple like spaghetti with cacio e pepe, the sauce almost just works its way into the pasta and the pasta holds the sauce so well,” Morrison says. “It’s just more soft, tender and flavorful. It’s special.”
The pasta-making classes are based on availability and their intimate size (10 people) have made them an ideal activity for bonding. While the restaurant has hosted only a handful of gatherings, Morrison says that a family celebrating their grandmother’s 90th birthday had just as much fun as the office that booked one as a company outing. Regardless of the occasion, who doesn’t want to get their hands a little dirty and enjoy some delicious homemade pasta at the end? So far, the class has taught attendees how to make hand-cut tagliatelle, farfalle and garganelli pasta.
“Everybody loves pasta, but I don’t think they always know how much they love fresh homemade pasta,” Morrison says. “I think it’s part of what makes this place special. The cuisine is something that everybody has experience with so it’s not intimidating, it’s just a little elevated.”
For those who want to enhance their knowledge of Italian wine, consider booking Piedmont’s Hidden Gems: Apericena and Wine Class, hosted by Scott Thomas, the restaurant’s wine director. Thomas has an affinity for Italy and an arsenal of wines with native grape varieties that are rarely found on typical wine lists.
From the food and wine to the outstanding service and classes, Restaurant Olivia should be added to the list of top tier Italian restaurants in Denver. Reserve a class or a table and enjoy a mouthwatering meal that captures the flavors of Italy.
Jay McKinney grew up in Sedalia and graduated from the Metropolitan State University of Denver with a bachelor’s degree in communications. During his free time, he enjoys playing golf, shooting pool and hiking throughout Colorado and neighboring Utah.
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