In a bittersweet moment for Macon restaurant goers, the long-awaited return of Ginger Stir Fry was cut short by the restaurant being bought out by new owners. Ginger is officially closed, and taking its place is Oliver’s Corner Bistro.
In the heart of downtown, the same avenue with established favorites like Ocmulgee Brewpub and Bearfoot Tavern, Oliver’s attempts to distinguish itself from its competitors with an affordable and casual upscale dining experience.
The Good
The Sandwiches
Photographer Peter Garcia ordered the Reuben sandwich. For only $10, this sandwich and side dinner packs in as much value as possible.
“[It was] leaps and bounds better than an average Reuben. It was warm, it had a nice mixture of flavors with the sauerkraut, and the meat was really high quality,” Garcia said.
As a side, Garcia ordered the mac n’ cheese, which was made with a smoky Gouda cheese sauce. Garcia reported that the only reason he was able to finish the mac n’ cheese after eating such a huge sandwich was because the flavor of the cheese sauce was so incredible.
The Questionable
The Ravioli
Freshman Emily Bartlett ordered the Nightly Ravioli Special, which was stuffed with shrimp that night. The plate of ravioli was smaller than expected. It had only five shells total, and although the pasta was of excellent quality, the portion size was lacking.
“It needed to be about twice that size,” Bartlett said.
The Appetizers and Dessert
We ordered the sweet frites as an appetizer, which was a plate of sweet potato fries topped with a blue cheese cream cheese and balsamic vinegar. Although the flavor was interesting, paying $7 for what was essentially fancy sweet potato fries felt like too much.
For dessert, we tried the chocolate cake, as a simple chocolate cake is often a good indicator of the overall quality of a restaurant. The cake was certainly above average, but was not mindblowing. Still, not a crumb of cake was left, so I would say it was a nice ending to the meal.
The Bad
The Service
Oliver’s is a brand new restaurant, so although I thought the service was bad, keep in mind that service is easier to improve upon than bad food.
I ordered immediately after Garcia, and I tried to order the Risotto. I was surprised when the server asked me what side I wanted, but nonetheless, I ordered the orzo salad.
When I got my food, I realized the reason I got a side is because she also put me down for a Reuben instead of Risotto. This could have easily been prevented by the server making sure she got the order correct.
Honestly, I was disappointed to find that Ginger was closing indefinitely. That said, I must give Oliver’s credit where credit is due.
The sandwiches and sides are superb quality for their price; they might even be one of the best value deals in Macon. I cannot say the same for the evening entrees, at least in the case of the ravioli.
My experience at Oliver’s wasn’t perfect; nonetheless but I had some fantastic food that evening, and I expect that with the direction it is headed, Oliver’s will only get better.
Rating:
Will 4/5
Peter 4/5
