"The Olive Branch is a small cafe in Wivenhoe that specialises in serving authentic vegan Syrian food. I went there last week for the first time on a beautiful sunny day for lunch. The place was nearly full when I arrived, and although the tables and chairs were close to each other, they were well-placed so I didn’t feel overlooked. I was served by two staff members during my time at The Olive Branch, and both of them were really hospitable and attentive. I really wanted to have a truly authentic experience, so I ordered their own special minty lemonade for £3. The drink arrived very quickly and looked quite attractive. Although the drink was quite bitter, it was cold and refreshing on such a hot day. The ice used was cloudy and small and looked homemade, which made the drink look cheap and less appealing, but in these hard financial times, I do not blame them. I decided to go for their ‘Double Olive Branch Platter’ for food which cost me and my partner £18. The menu did not have what was included on the platter, but the staff member tried his best to explain and used words such as ‘hummus’, ‘falafel’, and ‘olives’, and I was sold. The platter did not take long at all and definitely had the wow factor. It looked beautiful and fresh, showing a variety of different colours and textures. The platter was served with a basket of warm pita bread, which the staff kindly topped up towards the end of our meal to “mop up”. The hummus and falafels were excellent, I only wish there was more! There was only one small section of hummus with cucumber and one falafel each. There were several other foods, one that looked similar to hummus but had a slimy texture and exquisite taste (I did not enjoy this at all), a couple broad bean dishes that were fairly bland, olives that were coated in a very strong oil, a baby aubergine stuffed with peppers, and a vine leaf that was quite tasty. There was a nice mixed salad in the centre of the platter. I also ordered a slice of their chocolate cake, which cost £4.50. This was probably the most disappointing dish, as the cake was quite dry and looked as if it was a birthday cake bought from Tesco. If you are going to charge £4.50 a slice, then you would expect something homemade and fresh, especially as there is a coffee shop in close proximity that sells homemade vegan chocolate cake that is cheaper and in my experience, a lot nicer. Overall, it definitely felt like an authentic experience, but I would not order the platter or the cake again. However, if you are feeling adventurous, or want to try some new unusual foods, then I would suggest trying the platter. The staff there were amazing, the prices were reasonable (except the cake where I felt a little robbed) and the scenery was pleasant. I definitely recommend their hummus and falafel."
