Food tastes exceptionally delicious in the company of friends. And so brings about Olio's tagline, “Circle of Friends” – where guests enjoy the delicacies of Pacific Rim cuisine in a casual environment surrounded by their companions. Be it lunch, dinner or a simple cup of coffee, Olio provides a laidback setting to dine in comfort and converse with great company.

• The Vibe
  With every shuffle of footstep along the restaurant's wood-boarded floor, Olio resonates with bustling activity from the kitchen and murmurs of voices. Their kitchen is one of an open-concept, where steel meets wooden flooring and glass walls. Using these three elements, Olio is coated in somber shades of brown, ranging from wooden panels to custom-made chairs and fine upholstery. High-backed sofas wrap tall pillars, while a piece of glass wall separates the exterior and interior, as well as sets aside a semi-private dining area atop a raised platform. Blue lights similar to large raindrops hang down from the ceiling; cast a chic outlook unto Olio itself.
• The Food
  For starters, there is Farm Fresh Mushroom Soup ($5.50) made from scratch in the kitchen itself. Smooth and strong in mushroom flavour, it is not too creamy to properly enjoy the taste of mushrooms in one's mouth. Pair it off with Olio's Home-Made Foccacia Bread ($3). Lightly baked and fluffy yet exuding a fragrance of sundried-butter, the four pieces of bread are simply heavenly.

  A recent addition to the menu introduces a taste of Asia to Olio – the Thai Chicken Mango Salad ($13.50). Roasted chicken with fresh sliced mango, julienne wanton skin, drenched with sweet Thai chilli dressing and the fresh leaves of garden salad eaten together with accompanying ingredients delivers a relishing crunch to each bite. Other dishes to try on the menu include the Seared Cod Fish ($23) as well as the Seafood Risotto ($12). Tender pieces of codfish wrapped with strips of bacon come served on a dish together with buttery mashed potatoes. Whilst the bacon is chewy and tasty, the soft flesh of cod-fish is extremely fresh and silky smooth and it tastes just as scrumptious on its own. Those craving a heavier meal will find the seafood risotto delightful, for each grain is coated with cheese and tomato-based sauce. However, the mussels that came with it were a little disappointing in terms of their fresh quality.

  Desserts feature the Olio Style Brownie ($7.50) served with vanilla gelato atop a bubbling hot fudge. A spoonful of hard-crusted brownie, cold ice-cream and dark chocolate fudge are the very solution to a long hard day. Sinful yet utterly charming, this dessert is a satisfying end to any meal. Their drinks are worth a try too, with Olio Smoothie ($5.50) and Mango Smoothie ($5.50) delivering a fruity blend down the throat, while drinks like Lychee-a-Float ($6) are more refreshing and light to thoroughly quench one's thirst.

• The Service
  Efficient service keeps Olio's customers happy despite busy lunches and crowded dinners. With their staff moving about the restaurant, it is quick and easy to request their service as well as ensure guests are not neglected for long.

The SD Food Advisor's take on Olio
This busy café-like restaurant is a good spot for a casual gathering session, or a quick lunch in between work. Although their seafood may not be of top-notch, other items on the menu are worth a try, especially tea-time favourites and other recommended dishes. Nevertheless, such a strategic location in Suntec also allows both office workers as well as weary shoppers to grab a good coffee (or lunch) break almost anytime they wish to.