Dates & Olives

A fresh take on mediterranean cuisine, Dates & Olives, in a somewhat off-the-beaten path stretch of Chestnut Hill Ave. between Cleveland Circle and Brighton Center, serves vibrant and crisp fare. With a smaller menu, the options to try most of the menu are pretty easy. As with many fast food restaurants today, the "build your own meal" option has risen in popularity with its flexibility and convenience. With either chicken, beef, falafel fritters or grilled vegetables, chose your dish style with a rice bowl, salad bowl, or pita. Each dish comes with four sides. The beef is cubed small, grilled with Turkish spices. The falafel fritters are delightful with the perfect crunch to mush ratio. The sides each cleanse the palate in their own ways, each showcasing a unique voice. The hummus is thick with huge notes of lemon. The eggplant dip, a la baba ghanoush, is pureed chunky with tomatoes, onions, mint, garlic, and pomegranate molasses. Red cabbage slaw and carrot raisin salad both provide crunch and texture contrast to the dish. The red cabbage is blended with olive oil and the carrot raisin is sweet and complex with the juxtaposition of the crunchy carrot and plump yellow raisin. A lovely new addition to the area and will look forward to tasting the many iterations of these bright dishes.