Touch on Taste - Olivia’s

We stumbled on Olivia’s, 3015 Baltimore Pike, Gettysburg, quite by accident recently when we were antiquing in the area. The restaurant describes itself as having “Authentic Mediterranean Cuisine” and has been voted "Best of the Best" Readers’ Choice Awards, Hanover Evening Sun, four consecutive times as well as being recommended by The Washington Post.

The menu is extensive and mid-priced with the most expensive entrée listed at $21.99 and included a choice of garden salad, Greek salad or soup. There is an extensive menu of sandwiches including specialty sandwiches such as gyro, souvlaki, salmon BLT, veggie pita and a delicious Maryland-style crab cake. The restaurant has an adequate wine list featuring some Greek wines, a large list of imported beer as well as special beer on tap. It is a casual, family friendly, no-smoking restaurant, with smoking permitted at the bar. In the summer, al fresco dining is available. We enjoyed the live music, featured Saturday nights.

We had a difficult time deciding on dinner choices from the extensive menu as well as a list of special offerings - seafood, Greek specialties, Italian and steak choices as well as an array of appetizers and desserts. We started with the Grecian Crab dip which was served hot with homemade bread and could have easily served four. Did I mention the portions were large? Almost everyone, including us, went home with a "doggie bag." I chose Veal St. Michael which consisted of two large medallions of veal served with scallops and crab meat sautéed in white wine and served with mozzarella cheese and cream sauce. The warm, homemade bread topped with thinly sliced almonds was delicious as was the Greek salad.

My dining partner had Aloha Sea Fare, which was a combination of shrimp, scallops and tilapia infused with Hawaiian flavors served with a pineapple, mango, coconut and orange glazed chutney placed on a bed of rice. The servings of dessert were as large as the main course. I had homemade baklava and my dining partner had double chocolate cheese cake. Both were wonderful.

Olivia’s, about 40 miles south of Harrisburg off Route 15, has a children’s menu and serves lunch daily 11:00am - 3:00pm. With dinner served 3:00 - 10:30pm. They are closed Mondays and reservations are recommended by calling Olivia’s at 717-359-9357.