I went to Olive Garden last night for the first time in forever..wow it was bad

[LookBehindYou]

Guess I'm the odd one, I enjoy the occasional Olive Garden and Applebees. At Olive Garden I love some Zuppa Toscana, Alfredo, and Breadsticks. Tastes great to me. I guess ignorance is bliss when you know no better!

 

[Atomic Playboy]

When I met my wife, she was a big fan of the Olive Garden. She grew up eating at chain restaurants, so things like Claim Jumper were her idea of fancy. It's odd, because her father owned a restaurant and she knows how to cook amazing meals; generally the only reason someone would find Olive Garden appealing is pure ignorance of what good cuisine can look (and taste) like. Fortunately she's reformed and is appropriately embarrassed at her former Olive-Garden-liking self. Unfortunately, it also makes her a more expensive date. But at least we eat well.

Seriously, an "Italian" restaurant that doesn't salt the pasta water? That's like a fried chicken joint that doesn't use oil.

 

[Demo24]

I use to love it as a kid, but these days no thanks. Went to one a couple months ago and it was edible, but otherwise unremarkable. Worth it I guess if traveling and need a consistent meal, otherwise I'll pass.

 

[TheSlamma]

Guess I'm the odd one, I enjoy the occasional Olive Garden and Applebees. At Olive Garden I love some Zuppa Toscana, Alfredo, and Breadsticks. Tastes great to me. I guess ignorance is bliss when you know no better!

That can be said about a lot of things.

Most people like Ryobi, B&D or Dewalt tools
Tons of people used to buy Packard Bell computers and think they were good
Lots of people think Bose sound good

Problem is once you have had or know how to make better.. well

 

[MetalMat]

When I met my wife, she was a big fan of the Olive Garden. She grew up eating at chain restaurants, so things like Claim Jumper were her idea of fancy. It's odd, because her father owned a restaurant and she knows how to cook amazing meals; generally the only reason someone would find Olive Garden appealing is pure ignorance of what good cuisine can look (and taste) like. Fortunately she's reformed and is appropriately embarrassed at her former Olive-Garden-liking self. Unfortunately, it also makes her a more expensive date. But at least we eat well.

Seriously, an "Italian" restaurant that doesn't salt the pasta water? That's like a fried chicken joint that doesn't use oil.

Olive Garden really does not salt the water? That is strange.....

 

[Atomic Playboy]

Olive Garden really does not salt the water? That is strange.....

"Shockingly, Olive Garden no longer salts the water it uses to boil the pasta, merely to get a longer warranty on its pots."

 

[SMOGZINN]

Soup and Salad every time. It's cheap and fills you up. Get the Zuppa Toscana. I made my wife learn the recipe for it. It is now in an almost weekly rotation of our foodstuffs. Hers is 100x better than Olive Garden's. If you've never had Zuppa Toscana, you haven't lived.

You have the right of it. I don't suppose I could convince you to post (or PM me) your wife's recipe? I would like me some homemade Zuppa Toscana too!

 

[JEDIYoda]

. . that buy all their stuff from Sysco . . . .

your point........

 

[GasX]

OG serves microwaved frozen food....

 

[KeithTalent]

Meh, I kind of liked it for what it was the last time I was there. Fast food Italian, did not expect anything more.

Italian food in general is vastly overrated, so I think the disparity between the good stuff and this fast food junk is not as vast as many want you to believe.

KT

 

[mcurphy]

You have the right of it. I don't suppose I could convince you to post (or PM me) your wife's recipe? I would like me some homemade Zuppa Toscana too!

There's several websites that post variations of the recipe. I have tried it myself, and it is very easy to make. The basic ingredients are:

Chicken Broth
Heavy Cream
Italian Sausage
Bacon
Potatos
Onions
Kale
Red Pepper Flakes or Ground Cayenne for heat.

The Kale is awesome in this recipe, and I would not recommend substituting Spinach or Chard as some recipe sites may suggest,

 

[Atomic Playboy]

Italian food in general is vastly overrated, so I think the disparity between the good stuff and this fast food junk is not as vast as many want you to believe.

KT

I feel like you've never had proper Italian food with fresh pasta made from scratch. Because there's a world of difference between Olive Garden and good Italian that can't be covered up with salty cream sauce.

 

[Genx87]

I have never liked Olive Garden. Even before my food snobbiness grew over the past decade never liked the place. My ex-wife loved it. But she is from Fargo and in Nodak Olive Garden is some fine Italian dinning. So we had to hit that shit-heap 4-6 times a year. I would say a solid 80% of the time we had terrible service. Yes, one time they tried to charge my ex a full meal for taking a bite of my salad that came with my meal. And food was worse. Anyways I had a near blowout ordeal about a decade ago from their alfredo sauce. Haven't been back since. And when I looked around there are plenty of Italian places within the twin cities that are much better tasting, actually make their own pasta, and dont microwave or boil pre-made meals. The best part is many of them are the same price or lower than Olive Garden.

The same can be said of all the chain restaurants. We went to Buca di Beppo last fall. First time in a decade and couldnt believe it when they served us a microwaved meal. The effing breading was coming off and had heat spots. I never liked that place neither. Mainly because their claim to fame is the portion size. But it seemed like everytime we would go there with a group. I would pay 40 bucks for a slice of pizza and a meatball. Anyways I was surprised at the lack of quality in their food. I looked them up and sure enough, bought out by Planet Hollywood in 08 lol.

 

[Zee]

the comparison to frozen food is more apt in that the taste of frozen dinners have improved in a lot of brands. You cant blame OG for tastings like its ingredients.

 

[Nograts]

You have the right of it. I don't suppose I could convince you to post (or PM me) your wife's recipe? I would like me some homemade Zuppa Toscana too!

You're like the 3rd person to PM/Ask me about this so I'm just gonna leave this here

1 lb sausage*
1 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes**
1 onion chopped
1 tbs minced garlic
5x 13.75oz chicken broth (68.75oz = 8 1/2 cup)***
1 cup HEAVY whipping cream
6 russett potatoes
1/4 bunch kale

1. Cook sausage and pepper flakes on medium high 10-15 minutes until crumbly, drain.

2. cook onions & garlic about 5 minutes, until soft.

3. pour broth into large pot, add garlic & onions. Boil. Add potatoes. Boil until potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add cream and sausage. Heat through. Add kale, let sit for 1-2 minutes and serve.

*We use johnsonville HOT sausage typically but you can use mild

** If we use HOT sausage, we omit pepper flakes. If we use MILD, we ADD it.

***You can use canned broth, cartons, or lately my wife has been making her own broth with bullion cubes.

Make sure you use HEAVY whipping cream, do NOT use half and half.

If at first you don't succeed, try again. Took about 3 batches before it turned out right when she started making it years ago. We add a bit more kale than this, and we don't add too much heat since we have small kids. Tailor to your taste.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

I haven't eaten at Olive Garden since the mid 90s, and based on the reviews here, I think I'll keep it that way.

 

[KeithTalent]

I feel like you've never had proper Italian food with fresh pasta made from scratch. Because there's a world of difference between Olive Garden and good Italian that can't be covered up with salty cream sauce.

I have, many times and I stand by my statement.

KT

 

[KlokWyze]

We don't go there often because, well, New Jersey. But my daughter worked at one for a year, so we went a couple of times. I mean, it can be ok. The food is engineered to taste decent like all those Rubyappledaybees places. But it isn't anything to write home about.

The food is engineered? WTF do you mean?

Olive Garden.....lol. It's truly astonishing that people actually like going there. You can't even pay me to eat that shit. I guess the pizza can't be THAT bad, but there's no way I would eat a pasta dish. D:

 

[JMapleton]

Olive Garden is for old people. The food is salty and disgusting.

I'm not a chain snob but OG, Applebees, Chilis, and these other lower middle class chains are beyond disgusting. I would literally rather have fast food than that crap.

 

[Genx87]

The food is engineered? WTF do you mean?

Olive Garden.....lol. It's truly astonishing that people actually like going there. You can't even pay me to eat that shit. I guess the pizza can't be THAT bad, but there's no way I would eat a pasta dish. D:

Engineered via massive influx of salts. But clearly not in the most important area, the water used for boiling pasta lol

This is such a classic corporate bean counter driven policy. Some nerd in accounting that cant cook food thought it made sense to stop salting the pasta water in an Italian restaurant to save a few bucks on pots lmao.

 

[mrjminer]

Their pasta was not that great the last time I had it, but that was 10 years ago.

Ever since then I've gotten that Zuppa Toscana soup, and it is pretty good. The only soup I like more is (I think) from Bennigan's. Some sort of ultimate potato soup.

 

[KMFJD]

There's an Italian grocery store up the road from me, that I've mentioned a few times. Food from their hot counter is fantastic.

Here's today's menu.
Homemade All Natural Soups of the Day:
- Italian Wedding Soup with mini all beef meatballs, chicken, spinach and mini pastina pasta
- Beet and Carrot Soup (vegetarian)
Buffalo Style Breaded Chicken Wings in a medium bbq sauce
- Slightly Spicy Sausage Potato Pepper Medley : homemade pork Italian sausages with fennel in a medley of sweet peppers and roasted potatoes
- Oven Roasted Stuffed Pork Loin
- Fregola Pasta : roasted pasta with a five medley , olives, cherry tomatoes and veggies in a light olive oil sauce (vegetarian)
- Broccoli Polenta : slow cooked corn meal dish with broccoli and cheese (vegetarian)
- Pasta with Grilled Chicken and Sautéed mushrooms in a light extra virgin olive oil white wine sauce with fresh tomatoes
- Spinach and Ricotta Rotolato Pasta : ricotta cheese and spinach swirled within pasta and served ;in a homemade creamy rosée sauce (vegetarian)

That Rotolato is one of my all time favourites. So good. I'm hungry now.

Everything there is under $10.

Angelo's Bakery by any chance?

 

[slayer202]

I find it very depressing that those chain restaurants are usually packed

 

[Shlong]

I used to like the Tour of Italy there. The soups and breadsticks seemed pretty good. Haven't been there in a while.

 

[ghost recon88]

Anyone remember back when they had the Roman's Feast?