Tapas and wine bar Olive Room Meeting Pointe opens in Port Washington
The grilled octopus at The Olive Room Meeting Pointe on Port Washington's Main Street. Credit: Newsday/Marie Elena Martinez
The Olive Room Meeting Pointe, a cozy Mediterranean spot that feels ripe for both date night or a family meal, has opened in Port Washington, featuring a vast menu full of dishes from the many countries surrounding the iconic southern European sea. Late last year, Daniel Pedisich and Bruno Oliviera, partners in the Croatian-inspired Vinoteka 46 in Huntington, moved into the former Wild Honey space in Port Washington with a similar tapas and wine concept.
“Croatia doesn’t have its own national food identity," Pedisich explained. "It pulls from Greece to the south, Italy to the west, even Austria and Hungary to the north.”
To that end, Italian pastas like gnocchi with a creamy pesto ($16) and squid ink pasta ($32) share menu space with Middle Eastern classics like hummus laden with feta, olives, tomatoes and roasted red peppers ($20), lamb meatballs with whipped feta and pickled cucumbers ($17), and falafel bites ($16). Spanish cod croquettes ($17), Croatian ćevapi ($17), or beef-lamb-pork sausage, as well as an exquisite grilled octopus ($28) further explore the Mediterranean region.
With small plates and large, flatbreads like the Adriatic fig and prosciutto ($18), an inherently Greek salad called the Meeting Pointe, plus charcuterie and cheese boards built to spec, the options are vast. Bring your children; there’s even a kids’ menu.
Pedisich, a former importer of Croatian wine in the U.S., and co-owner Tony Vidakovic know their way around the many bottles showcased on their global list. Particularly enjoyable was the 2021 Voštinić — Klasnić Ŝkrlet, a dry, light white, from Moslavina, a micro-region near Zagreb, Croatia's capital, sold by the glass in 3-ounce ($7.50) and 6-ounce ($14) pours, as well as by the bottle ($50).
The Olive Room Meeting Pointe, 172 Main St., Port Washington. Open 5-10 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 5-11 p.m. Friday, 4-11 p.m. Saturday and 5-9 p.m. Sunday; 516-734-5612, theoliveroommp.com
A global freelancer who has checked her suitcase to raise her young daughter on her native Long Island, Marie Elena will always make time for good mezcal, even better tacos and killer conversation. Preferably, in a corner bar seat. She can be found on Instagram at @mariesworldeats.
