Olive That! Tasting Bar

Foodies, may your powerful palettes lead you to this cornucopia of fine oil and vinegar, the foundation of both cooking and terrible food snobbery. Quaff, taste and sample the flavour as you would a wine.
I pass by this place on Unionville main at least once a week, and I’ve been squinting at the signage for months as I drive by in the dusk. Well, this week was it, I was going, darn it. I expected a store filled with oil, sure, but did I expect sampling? Gimme that oil nectar straight, babeh. No regrets!
ATMOSPHERE
Is that a house? Yes. Some of the shops on Unionville main are old homes. It is small from the outside, almost like a bungalow, but the inside is surprisingly spacious. It was a beautiful day and it was sunny and light inside, minimal and professional, a nice boutique feel without feeling snooty. Check out the artistically arranged oil on the shelves near the cash but zoom to the back where large silver tanks (canteens perhaps) with little spouts are lined up with little wee cups and little pieces of bread. For what you say? For quaffing oil, that’s what.
PRODUCT
Fine oils and a large variety of vinegars, ranging from straight oils to ones infused with flavours such as garlic, Persian lime, coffee, and blood orange.
Each mini tankard has the name, tasting notes and location of the oil. Like wine, the taste of the oil varies on the palette and varies greatly depending on location and process. I tried four different types of olive oil and three nut oils.
The olive oils were fascinatingly diverse in taste, despite all being extra virgin olive oil. For example, one had a buttery start and a bitter finish, while a lighter tasting one had a smoother start and a grassy, spicy finish. One never has the opportunity to taste so many oils at the same time, it is a magnificent chance to get a sense of how oil really tastes in your food.
I bought an almond oil and extra virgin nocellara extra virgin olive oil, small sizes. The bottles are cute and present very well. Excellent gifts for foodies and non-​drinkers! The small olive oil went for just under $ 11 and the almond for slightly more at $ 13 for 200 ml. The price is comparable for premium oils at Loblaws and easily worth it for the tasting experience.
I also bought an oil spout for $ 5 for the top of the bottle and it is just fantastic. It pours a steady, light drizzle, doesn’t spill, and closes itself when vertical. Great for putting on your cooking olive oil bottle next to the stove for quick, mess-​free use.
SERVICE
My ‘server’ or oil barista (or pusher-​to-​be) was wonderful. Knowledgeable and sweet, she paid attention to my needs, was helpful without upselling, and had a great sense of humour. Lovely and genuine. Couldn’t ask for more.
LOCATION
Unionville main street, main drag. As any good Markhamite knows, it is a block of historic buildings, specialty shops, restos and bars where tourists and locals go to see and be seen. Olive That is located near the south end of the strip between the Firehall and the Dragon Bistro. Watch for the signage, because you might not read it clearly while driving and avoiding rubbernecking pedestrians.
OVERALL
A great product at an affordable price, delivering a unique and exciting experience. If you are a foodie, highly recommended. I am waiting for them to set up a salad bar inside so I can take up permanent residence.

Olive it is a fairly new business on Main St Unionville but they have another location in Whitby that has been successful for some time.
The store in question on Main St has fantastic staff, they are personable, genuinely nice, friendly people and they love to talk about the product. They will gladly have you taste each and every oil and vinegar they carry, but you most likely won’t need to because they make great suggestions based on what flavours you like.
The best part is the product. The vinegar and oil flavours are super rich and indulgent, and can turn any dish or just simple salad greens into something extraordinary. I highly recommend the Wild Mushroom and Sage olive oil and the Espresso vinegar. They are both great in salads, but just add little of the Wild Mushroom and Thyme olive oil to your pan before frying an omelet, or in a risotto, sit back and enjoy the compliments. And then of course shoot me a thank you email for elevating you to gourmet chef status overnight. Also for those interested, I have an awesome homemade Espresso BBQ Sauce recipe that uses the Espresso Vinegar to create the smokiest, deepest and richest BBQ flavour you’ll ever taste. So what are you waiting for? Go buy some!