Food: Olivia Themes It Up For 2011 Summer Chef Series

Fun (with lots of cream and butter) is what you can expect at a few themed dinners coming to Olivia, one of South Austin's best-loved restaurants. As part of its 2011 Summer Chef Series, the culinary hotspot has dreamed up four decadent, high-design meals, each of which will be featured on a Monday evening sometime this summer.

Our top pick is the Escoffier Classics Dinner. That's happening on Monday, July 18, when the restaurant builds its menu, wines and live music around Auguste Escoffier's landmark cookbook, Le Guide Culinaire.

First published in 1903, Le Guide Culinaire houses 5,012 classic French recipes. Exactly which ones Olivia's master chefs will choose to prepare, well, that's an open question. But take a chance and make your reservations, stat, especially if you're the sort who enjoys gastronomic ecstasy.

Or, if you covet the era of George H.W. Bush (or just Dana Carvey,) Olivia's executive chef, James Holmes, describes another theme-night option:

• May 23: 1989 Dinner - an homage to the era of towering, architectural food. Expect ingredients piled high in the style of Alfred Portale, of NYC's Gotham Bar and Grill. There'll be other elements of 1989 too - in fact, Chef Francisco has already grown a pony-tail for the event.

Chef Holmes told us, "You'll definitely see chicken and tuna on the menu, and probably a noodle nest. And, the dessert will be over-the-top." Yup. Raspberry Swirl Chevre Cheese Cake with Fried Brownies and Towering Sugar Glass. Gadzooks! If you're not feeling like a skyscraper of a meal, you might try these instead. Again, a quote from Chef Holmes:

• June 13: Foie Gras Dinner - It's not for everyone, but truth is, foie gras is just about my favorite food. You may already have tried our foie-gras cookie-dough ice-cream...you know we're gonna dream up some fun variations for this.

• August 22: Pan-Asian Flavor! - Asian flavor? At Olivia? Look, [Olivia's] Chef Andrew Francisco grew up in Malaysia, and loves playing with Asian spices. We thought we'd indulge him. We're excited about pairing his food (and kidding aside - we've tasted some of his Asian cooking at family meal, and it's awesome) with some great wines from Alsace.

Chef Holmes also made a solemn oath about Olivia's August meal. "I promise you: when you take fresh produce from my garden and local beef, lamb and chicken, and flavor it with some of Chef Andrew's Asian flair, it will be nothing like a trip to any Chinese Restaurant."

It might also be slightly harder on the pocketbook. The price of these meals ranges from $89 (1989 Dinner) to $150 (Foie Gras Dinner, vino included). You can make reservations - which are a must - by calling or e-mailing Olivia. Judging by the yum factor, spots will go fast.

Olivia is located at 2043 S. Lamar. Hours are Monday-Thursday from 5:30-10:00; Friday and Saturday from 11:00-2:00 and 5:30-11:00; Sunday 10:30-2:30 and 5:30-9:00. Phone is 512.804.2700. E-mail is james (at) olivia-austin.com.