Jun 22 2009
Macaroni Grill or Olive Garden:Make Your Choice
Last night, I had the pleasure of dining with my Father at the Macaroni Grill, and aside from the fact I stepped on a sharp wood chip that went through my shoe and into the sole of my foot, I had a wonderful experience.
I had the Mama’s Trio that included Chicken Cannelloni, Lasagna, and Parmesan and my Father had a delightful Spinach Salad with Scallops with a bit of a pepper kick.It was truly wonderful, however I was still missing my favorite dish that was discontinued. Not because it wasn’t a quality menu item, but because consumers are afraid of trying something new or Unorthodox.
The dish was a Chicken breast pounded flat, dredged in Italian breadcrumbs, and sauteed to perfection. They garnished the chicken with arugula and a balsamic demiglace, along with a side of potato gnocci. Mmm! Oh Macaroni Grill, would please bring this back!
I can’t say enough about The Macaroni grill. They have qualified chefs working in the back, they are always consistent, and the service has always been wonderful. I’m a big fan and I know Italian, so this place is my choice for one of the best casual Italian dining restaurants.
As for Olive Garden, Bill Maher took a slam on his recent HBO special saying does anyone even eat at Olive Garden. They had the audacity to pull advertisement from Letterman because of ridiculous confrontation between Sarah Palins daughter Willow and Letterman. They personally thought it would make them look bad in the eyes of consumers. They already do!
The only reason why Olive Garden is still around is because so many people have no taste, and as long as those people continue dining there, they will shoot towards this particular demographic.
If you only knew what was going on in that kitchen, you might be able to make the same exact entrees with some frozen ravioli from Walmart. Yes, most of the pasta and sauces there are frozen. Yuck! Besides the breadsticks and salad, I’m not a fan and I’m not impressed.
Olive Garden never really took on the roll of an upscale Italian eatery; however, they still try to increase their wine menu and play around with their frozen meals to present a facade to the public. It hasn’t worked. The cheap decor, along with the ancient looking building and crappy service is enough for me to stay far away from this place.
So, if you’re willing to admit it, which one of these Italian Eateries do you frequent and why? Tell me what your favorite dishes were and what you would change.
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The Macaroni Grill is indeed pretty good, but I think Carrabbas is pretty much the same and also decent. But a head above both of them are Bucca di Beppo and Maggianno’s. Soooo good but so expensive.