We were in the area around dinner time and decided to get a bite to eat. We walked down E. Campbell Ave. and first looked at the menu at Cypress Bistro & Café and although it looked okay, we noticed that there was only one occupied table in the whole restaurant…not a good sign. We walked across the street to check out the menu at Olio and walked in! It was not totally packed but only had 3-4 unoccupied tables so it looked like a better bet.
We ordered Mussels, Chorizo and Potatoes to split for our first course. It was a larger portion than we expected and I could have made a meal of that one dish. It was perfectly prepared, the mussels were sweet and tender and the chorizo spices were softened with a touch of cream in the broth and made hearty with the addition of the chorizo flavored potatoes. Although it’s advertised as a “Mediterranean” restaurant, it is really a Spanish restaurant….I asked! 
They had paella on the menu, but we weren’t that hungry so I ordered a small Beet Salad that was delish’ and Fried Calamari dish that wasn’t so good. Fried calamari is very difficult to prepare. Getting the calamari so it’s tender with a crispy crust and not tough, greasy or soggy is a remarkable skill. While the crust was crispy, the calamari was tough. Too bad :( 
Bill had a very well prepared Caesar Salad that comes with anchovies (we usually have to ask for it so it was great to find a salad that actually comes with the anchovies). It rivals the Caesar salad at Osteria Restaurant in Palo Alto…and that’s saying something because we LOVE their Caesar!
The Mushroom Soup that he ordered was so-so. That’s because Bill compares all mushroom soups to the one that David Kinch used to make all the time at Sent Sovi in Saratoga and he can't get anymore. Boo hoo! Because we liked the mussel dish so well, we think it’s worth a return visit and we’ll only order the Spanish dishes on the menu! The server was very helpful and provided very helpful information on portions and what to order.Where are YOU eating these days in the South Bay/Peninsula area? Please educate those of us who don’t go out very often. I find that we tend to go to our favorites rather than take a chance on a place we’ve never tried before. Websites like Yelp and Chowhound often give conflicting reviews AND, I don’t know what the reviewer's culinary preferences are, how sophisticated they are about different cuisines, etc. But I know YOU, so please chime in with your local favorites!
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