William G.
Yelp
When you see that 5 stars, you should know that I'm not much of a cook. Even so, I give this place the top marks, completely for the experience. I wandered in off the street with my parents, having no idea what to expect. We were entertained for a solid 90 minutes. Now I would keep this place in mind as a 5th date spot for a woman who is into cooking.
From a relatively unassuming exterior, you wander into this place, one of the charming looking houses-cum-stores on Canton St. To be fair, the exterior does say exactly what you will find inside, but you may be surprised if you've not heard of this sort of store. In the front room, one finds a staggering number of olive oils. Arranged from mild to strong, you can taste each and every one. Be sure to just do a drop, and the proper way is to slurp the olive oil. Make the noise and impress your date with your knowledge.
Next is the vinaigrette room. Again, you are treated to a huge selection, of which you may sample any number. Personally, I favor the fruity ones, and could not resist purchasing a couple of bottles. Again, I don't cook much, but I wanted to support this place, and they were SO good. I won't attempt to sway you one way or another on which are the best, but DO try a few flavors on the ice cream the staff provides!
So that explains the name. Olive oil and Vinaigrette. In addition, they have a small sort of gourmet food room, in which we also made several selections. We got some great pasta, and again got to sample a few things. Definitely a great spot for an impulse purchase at the end of all the samplings.
I confess once more to not being a chef, so I can't speak with authority on the pricing. For a product with this level of presentation and quality, I can only say that I cannot imagine these prices as high. Considering the experience you can have here as you're having a charming stroll down Canton St, I say you shouldn't leave without a bottle or two for home. Just walk in the door, and these ladies will show you the ropes if you're clueless (like me). They were so fun and knowledgeable, I had to pull one aside and thank her for giving my parents and I such a good time!