The Olive Garden is an Italian themed sit-down restaurant that serves a wide array of Italian foods. It has always been one of my favorite restaurants, but I never actually analyzed it. This was the perfect opportunity to do so.
I entered the building alone, on a Saturday night. I wondered how well they would prioritize a crippled loner when the place was bustling with families. The families would provide for more income, so if I became angry due to a long wait, I would not be important. Even so, the wait was no more than 10 minutes. The hostess was extremely polite, taking me to my table, and slowing down to accommodate my condition. She even pulled up my chair.
The waiter told me his name and immediately asked me if I would like a drink, which was brought to me promptly. Before ordering, complementary bread sticks are always brought to the table. They are perfectly crisp and present a deliciously salty taste, if for no other reason then to make you drink like you never drank before.
The staff remained extraordinarily patient with me, considering I went through two bowls of bread sticks and three drinks before I even ordered the food. I expected the staff to be annoyed with my seemingly unreasonable demands. To my surprise they met my demanding behavior with stellar attentiveness and impressive patience.
For an appetizer I ordered the chicken grilled flat bread. The chicken is grilled to perfection and the red peppers add quite the desirable amount of spiciness. The mozzarella cheese and garlic mix bring out such an amazing flavor that it is no wonder they call it an appetizer. The smoked mozzarella fonduta is a must for any lover of cheese and bread. The Tuscan bread is served with a profusion of Italian cheeses, making it the perfect dish for cheese lovers to sample. This can also help any customer decide on his or her main course, considering cheese plays a large role in the taste of any entree.
For those who prefer soup and salad, the Olive Garden does not disappoint. The garden fresh salad comes with all kinds of organic delights and the croûtons are crisp to perfection. There exists a wide variety of different dressings, and of course they offer ranch dressing for the more simple customers, like myself. One of the greatest features of this salad is that any customer is allowed unlimited refills, so there is no end to the organic goodness in which one can indulge. In addition, the chicken and gnocchi soup is thick with cream and dumplings. I am yet to meet any human being who does not enjoy chicken and some good dumplings, but spinach is always a touchy subject. Keep in mind that the chicken gnocchi soup contains spinach, and even though I despise spinach, it is skillfully mixed into the soup to keep it all creamy and tasty.
I finally ordered the chicken Alfredo pizza, a dish that I have only seen offered at Olive Garden. I was impressed with how quickly the food arrived despite the large amount of people there. The waiter offered to put Parmesan cheese on the pizza, and lets you tell him when to stop, providing me with some amount of control and customization. I was so surprised with how strikingly similar the pizza on my table looked when compared to the menu picture. I even placed it next to a few items and sauces and took a picture at the same angle to make an accurate comparison. The pizza appeared to have leaped off the menu and onto my platter.
Observe the similarities
The pizza oozed with unparalleled Alfredo sauce and the chicken surged with tenderness. The cheese served to accent the already delectable taste of the innards and crust of the pizza. The combined taste of eating this pizza with bread sticks could satisfy the most pessimistic of customers.
However, if you are not into pizza and you are more interested in beef and pork, there is also a wide selection of meat dishes, and they manage to keep their Italian flavor. I have never been a big fan or pork, but the pork Milanese appears to have been designed to temporarily change my mind. Any lover of bread and meat combos will find happiness in the breadcrumbs mixed with juicy pork. When I said the Italian flavor still existed, I was not kidding. Cheese-filled tortellini pasta fills all the vacant spaces of the plate. To get the full effect of tasting the dish, one should take the pork, bread crumbs, and pasta and eat them all together for a combination of well-blending flavors.
If one would prefer a more beefy option, one can choose the steak toscano. This 14 ounce steak, served with herbs, olive oil, tuscan potatoes and bell peppers make this dish appear solely designed to satisfy the largest of appetites. Anyone who plans on choosing this dish should be wary of having an appetizer before hand if you expect to finish it. Although quite expensive, reaching the astounding price of $22, you will know where the extra money traveled. You might even save money when you take into account the fact that no more food will be necessary to keep you fat and happy.
Before leaving, I was unable to finish my pizza and the third bowl of bread sticks brought to me. I asked for a to-go box and they were more than obliged to provide one. They even went the extra mile and brought me a plastic cup, filled with the Dr. Pepper that I ordered for a drink.
The ambiance of the restaurant is simply amazing. The furniture and architecture give off a warm and cozy vibe. All the staff are dressed in uniform black-and-white clothes for that clean, semi-formal look. Their attentive behavior and articulate and tactile manner make you feel as if you are eating at a fancy, expensive restaurant, and the taste of the food only succeeds to further such an assumption.
The Olive Garden is a chain restaurant, but I have not seen one in Georgia. I am sure everyone has seen one somewhere though so it should not be hard to find one. Expect to pay around ten to fifteen dollars per meal, but it is well worth it.
Overall, the food is amazing and the service spectacular. The architecture will make you feel comfortable with its warm colors and spacious design. This is all accentuated by the kindness of the staff, and the taste of the food. I am allergic to tomatoes, so I cannot recommend many of the foods served here. But even with my allergies narrowing down all of my possible choices, I can comfortably recommend the fettuccine Alfredo, and the chicken Alfredo as must haves. As you may have already noticed, cheese, chicken, and pasta are evident in almost every dish. Every time I have eaten at the Olive Garden I have been met with the same satisfying service and comfort. So even if you are forced to wait for thirty minutes due to a busy night, you will find the experience to be well worth it. Tip your waitress.
4 Stars!
No comments:
Post a Comment