The New Restaurant Buzz Word is: “The Olive Press”
This article is copied from Main Street Magazine
Vol. 1
Street Light Feature
By Tilly Rivers
While most new restaurants of eight months are still
experiencing growing pains; “The Olive Press” in
Oakville is enjoying growing “success.”
Each night of the week this most talked about eatery is
packed with smiling faces.
So what makes “The Olive Press” so successful in so
short of a time?
It could be that the two owners, Constaine and Steven Diacos
were raised in a restaurant as their mother created magical Italian dishes
for the eating establishment their parents once owned, or maybe it is
because
they have a personal challenge to push their limits and make their restaurant
even more successful.
Is it the proud claim of homemade? From the soups to the signature dishes-
that the ingredients are fresh, and that they give their customers excellent value
for their money.
Is this the secret?
Personally I have come to believe that their success is because, “The Olive Press”
has the key essence of what great food is all about, and certainly the reflection of
the owners.
It has “passion!”
In a recent interview with the Diacos brothers I asked them what they think is the secret
to their success?- Steven states; “that while the building is a restaurant, and a business, we
treat our guests as if they were family. Our staff and management team believe in the intimate
‘warmth’ of a family dining experience, filled with equal parts great food, and a relaxed fun
environment.”
When asked about their experience in the restaurant industry they explained how their father
had owned restaurants starting in 1974. “We were constantly at work with him, first because we
thought it was fun, and because our father wanted to teach us the value of a dollar.” They said
“Later on we helped develop and improve his operation.”
“Our Kitchen Manager originally worked for our father, when he sold his business and retired she
decided instead of staying with the new management she would join us in our venture, she sold her house
and moved to Oakville for us. She has worked side by side with us, and we could not be happier,
she is part of our family!”
The Food Network has opened a new world for consumers, and it seems that everyone has become a foodie-,
no longer settling for average, what insider tips could the Diacos brothers give Main Street Magazine readers
on choosing a good restaurant?
“People should ask their server about the quality of ingredients. Even higher end restaurants are guilty of using
highly processed and manufactured foods. Ask your server if the chicken they use is fresh or frozen? Are dips, soups
and sauces made in house? Are the mash potatoes made on premises, or instant?” They responded.
“Yes, today’s customers are more educated when it comes to food and in turn more sophisticated; as a result they should
not worry about offending anyone by asking these questions. If you are promised homemade and fresh, you should be getting
home made and fresh.”
“In the early nineties” Steven said “a Chef Salad was popular, usually made with iceberg lettuce, processed ham
a hardboiled egg and French dressing. Today the same casual market customers want a spinach and goat cheese salad,
with roasted walnuts and fig. Even the casual customer is now eating food that 10-15 years ago would have been considered
fine dining.”
My final question was regarding the wine list. For me, a meal needs to be savored with a great wine.
This is my ‘passion.” Who prepared your wine list? What is your personal favorite? I asked.
“We prepared the wine list based on value, picking quality wines that people know while still keeping it interesting
by bringing in some licensee only picks. Of course we kept most of the wines Italian.
A personal favorite would be I Perazzi, it’s a licensee only wine from Mario Batali (celebrity chef)
vineyard in Italy. It’s a fantastic wine at a great price.”
If you want to experience “The Olive Press” they are located at
2322 Dundas Street West in Oakville.
905-827-4241 / http://www.olivepress.ca/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Have you been to The Olive Press and have a story to share? Contact editor@mainstreetmagzine dot net. Select comments will be posted on the website.
While most new restaurants of eight months are still
experiencing growing pains; “The Olive Press” in
Oakville is enjoying growing “success.”
Each night of the week this most talked about eatery is
packed with smiling faces.
So what makes “The Olive Press” so successful in so
short of a time?
It could be that the two owners, Constaine and Steven Diacos
were raised in a restaurant as their mother created magical Italian dishes
for the eating establishment their parents once owned, or maybe it is
because
they have a personal challenge to push their limits and make their restaurant
even more successful.
Is it the proud claim of homemade? From the soups to the signature dishes-
that the ingredients are fresh, and that they give their customers excellent value
for their money.
Is this the secret?
Personally I have come to believe that their success is because, “The Olive Press”
has the key essence of what great food is all about, and certainly the reflection of
the owners.
It has “passion!”
In a recent interview with the Diacos brothers I asked them what they think is the secret
to their success?- Steven states; “that while the building is a restaurant, and a business, we
treat our guests as if they were family. Our staff and management team believe in the intimate
‘warmth’ of a family dining experience, filled with equal parts great food, and a relaxed fun
environment.”
When asked about their experience in the restaurant industry they explained how their father
had owned restaurants starting in 1974. “We were constantly at work with him, first because we
thought it was fun, and because our father wanted to teach us the value of a dollar.” They said
“Later on we helped develop and improve his operation.”
“Our Kitchen Manager originally worked for our father, when he sold his business and retired she
decided instead of staying with the new management she would join us in our venture, she sold her house
and moved to Oakville for us. She has worked side by side with us, and we could not be happier,
she is part of our family!”
The Food Network has opened a new world for consumers, and it seems that everyone has become a foodie-,
no longer settling for average, what insider tips could the Diacos brothers give Main Street Magazine readers
on choosing a good restaurant?
“People should ask their server about the quality of ingredients. Even higher end restaurants are guilty of using
highly processed and manufactured foods. Ask your server if the chicken they use is fresh or frozen? Are dips, soups
and sauces made in house? Are the mash potatoes made on premises, or instant?” They responded.
“Yes, today’s customers are more educated when it comes to food and in turn more sophisticated; as a result they should
not worry about offending anyone by asking these questions. If you are promised homemade and fresh, you should be getting
home made and fresh.”
“In the early nineties” Steven said “a Chef Salad was popular, usually made with iceberg lettuce, processed ham
a hardboiled egg and French dressing. Today the same casual market customers want a spinach and goat cheese salad,
with roasted walnuts and fig. Even the casual customer is now eating food that 10-15 years ago would have been considered
fine dining.”
My final question was regarding the wine list. For me, a meal needs to be savored with a great wine.
This is my ‘passion.” Who prepared your wine list? What is your personal favorite? I asked.
“We prepared the wine list based on value, picking quality wines that people know while still keeping it interesting
by bringing in some licensee only picks. Of course we kept most of the wines Italian.
A personal favorite would be I Perazzi, it’s a licensee only wine from Mario Batali (celebrity chef)
vineyard in Italy. It’s a fantastic wine at a great price.”
If you want to experience “The Olive Press” they are located at
2322 Dundas Street West in Oakville.
905-827-4241 / http://www.olivepress.ca/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Have you been to The Olive Press and have a story to share? Contact editor@mainstreetmagzine dot net. Select comments will be posted on the website.
