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The Olive Garden - Page 2

post #51 of 356
1/15/05 at 1:24am
Quote:
Originally Posted by AimForTheHead86
The Olive Garden is only attempting what all other businesses attempt to do: and that's bend you over and dick you. They don't care if their food sucks. You gave 'em your money, you've been dicked. Next!
They also ask you if you want some wine immediately before they even ask you if you want some water.
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post #52 of 356
1/15/05 at 2:56am
My wife's family was in town last year and they wanted a big night out at the Olive Garden. We got there and the wait was almost an hour. You know why? Because it was fucking prom night. I'm looking at all the kids in tuxes and dresses and thinking "If that dweeb gets laid tonight then I spent WAY too much money at my prom."
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post #53 of 356
1/15/05 at 3:21am
Yeah, the wine. I enjoyed some "Hospitaliano"TM once a few years back, in a little cluster of suburban salt licks off highway 394 in Mpls., and I must have downed a whole bottle of red before the breadsticks even hit the table. Everything tastes better when you're drunk.
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post #54 of 356
1/15/05 at 3:32am
They had the second best tiramisu I've ever had in a chain restaurant. And I"ve had me some tiramisu in some chain restaurants.

Zio's is pretty good, but I think they are a Southern thing, They are owned by Ken Shelby, owner of Ken's Pizza, Mazio's Pizza and Pizzettis. Mostly in Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas.. around this area I think. For people who don't know Italian food, it's pretty good.

And keep in mind Devin, not everybody lives within two blocks of the a great Italian restaurant. I'm not sure if you're aware that New York is not the only populated state in the nation. Most of us don't have a lot of options.
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post #55 of 356
1/15/05 at 4:39am
Their tiramisu, the same as Zio's, comes frozen from the outlet mall in Gainsville, TX...It used to come from the outlet mall in Stroud, OK, but that got wiped out by the May 3rd tornado.
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post #56 of 356
1/15/05 at 4:50am
Here in LA we've also got Marcaroni Grill, great stuff.
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post #57 of 356
1/15/05 at 5:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by CTDeLude
Here in LA we've also got Marcaroni Grill, great stuff.

Haven't been there in ages, but thanks to that place, I hardly ever eat butter anymore. Whenever there's bread on the table, we eat it with olive oil and ground black pepper.
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post #58 of 356
1/15/05 at 6:00am
There are two restaurant foods I go out for most often. Seafood and steak. I'm usually too lazy to make seafood, including sushi, and most of the chain restaurants (Outback, Texas Roadhouse, Timberline) cook a pretty good steak (my grill isn't useful in the cold weather months). I get bored with other restaurant food pretty quickly and would rather cook something myself. If I'm near a good Thai restaurant, I will go there.
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post #59 of 356
1/15/05 at 6:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by billzæbub
If I'm near a good Thai restaurant, I will go there.
Tulsa has Lanna Thai. The best I've ever had.
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post #60 of 356
1/15/05 at 6:36am
Once on a flight coming back from Japan I was seated next to a young woman (and her goddamn screaming baby for 10 hours!!) who was married to a serviceman stationed in Japan and so had been there for some time. She said she was really looking forward to eating great Italian food again. I first thought "Huh???", as Japan is full of great Italian restaurants, although perhaps not near the Army base. Then came the kicker - the "real Italian food" she was gleefully anticipating eating was the freakin' Olive Garden!!!

I nearly fell out of my chair. I guess when you're used to military grub anything tastes good.


But more importantly than Olive Garden, stop eating Pizza Hut, Domino's, Papa John's, etc.!! Support real pizzerias. There are so few left these days.
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post #61 of 356
1/15/05 at 7:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kid Ego
Tulsa has Lanna Thai. The best I've ever had.
In Lawrence it is The Thai House. I'm sure there is better Thai somewhere, but I'm not sure there needs to be.
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post #62 of 356
1/15/05 at 10:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Desslar
But more importantly than Olive Garden, stop eating Pizza Hut, Domino's, Papa John's, etc.!! Support real pizzerias. There are so few left these days.
This figures in with what Mamotoro says, though. It all has a lot to do with where you live. Here in Milwaukee, those chain pizza places are among the very few that don't A) make a super thin, crisp pizza crust that gets cut into squares even if the pie is round, or B) make a chicago style stuffed pizza. So, if you're in the mood for anything in the middle, it's make your own or go to Papa John's. I friggin' wish there were a decent place that served greasy, cheesy, wedge-shaped New York-style slices here, but I've been looking for about 20 years, and I haven't found one yet.

On the other hand, there are a fair number of reasonably good, affordable, privately owned Italian places here, and the fucking Olive Garden still wins local magazine and newspaper annual readers' polls for best Italian food. This disappointing fact is so widely acknowledged here that the Onion (in its more local days) once basically just reprinted an article about the results of one of these polls and plopped it in amongst the regular articles. The truth was funnier than any joke they could make about it.
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post #63 of 356
1/15/05 at 12:00pm
Square cuts are the only way to go on thin crust, Dave. Papa John's is just poopy.
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post #64 of 356
1/15/05 at 1:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by devincf
Stop eating there. It's not good food. That goes for you, Jason@starwars.net.

The rest of you, I'll punch you in the face if you tell me you eat there with any regularity. If you're Italian I'll excommunicate you from the race.
What can I say man, it's good. I like to order cherry cokes there. The servers get pissed because they have to actually make it when you order it. They don't say it, but you can see it in their eyes. I like it when they get extra super pissed and put too much cherry flavor in it. Then while my girlfriend and I are walking to car I puke a blend of spicy meatball and cherry flavor all over my shoes and some of it spatters on my girlfriend’s feet. I guess its better then drinking piss. Anyways, as far as Italian food goes, it’s pretty shitty. But I think it’s probably one of the better chain restaurants out there.

My best friend has been fired from the Olive Garden, Marios, and Macaroni Grill. He just got a new job at an Italian resturant called Maggianos. It's probably the best Italian resturant ever. My buddy isn't Italian, yet he always feels a need to be a server at on. Makes you think.
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post #65 of 356
1/15/05 at 1:50pm
Macaroni Grill's pretty good for chain food.
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post #66 of 356
1/15/05 at 1:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rath/Brendan
Macaroni Grill's pretty good for chain food.
Yeah, it's not bad. At the Olive Garden I like to eat Chicken Vino Bianco. They had something similar at Macaroni Grill but it wasn't as good. It's more fun at the Macaroni Grill though because you can draw obscene things on the table.
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post #67 of 356
1/15/05 at 2:57pm
Okay, now Maggiano's is good. A country mile (and more) ahead of The Olive Garden.

And the rise of Domino's may have single-handedly destroyed the classic pizza parlors. Fuck them, Papa-John's, Pizza Hutt, Little Cesaers (good Lord, what shit) and all the other fake pizza joints. Nothing but hatred here.

Smokey Bones? Bah. Generic BBQ. Try Corky's (from Memphis). Unfortunately, we only have one of those in the ATL right now.

Is it true that there are no good, authentic Mexican joints in NYC? That sucks, if so. But at least you guys have all of the Chinese, Italian, etc you can want.
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post #68 of 356
1/15/05 at 3:36pm
Olive Garden doesn't hold a candle to Carrabba's if you looking for good Italian ristorante chains.

But, I prefer the "Mom & Pop" places myself, just because the food is prepared with more consideration and tastes SO much better.
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post #69 of 356
1/15/05 at 3:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Carl Cunningham
Okay, now Maggiano's is good.
Seconded. Ever been to Fratelli di Napoli ? One in near Perimeter and one in Buckhead. Great eye-talian food. I liked Macaroni Grill, but they closed the one I used to frequent in Roswell.

Olive Garden is a step above SpaghettiOs.
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post #70 of 356
1/15/05 at 3:57pm
The best way to get good Italian food is to eat at an Italian person's house. My best friend's dad has a secret family recipe for penne that is to die for.
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post #71 of 356
1/15/05 at 4:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jennifer
The best way to get good Italian food is to eat at an Italian person's house.
Stereotypes like that convinced me to tell people I'm Jewish.
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post #72 of 356
1/15/05 at 4:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob Rocco
Stereotypes like that convinced me to tell people I'm Jewish.
Hey now, I didn't say that all Italian people can cook or that they cook Italian food all the time. You know I'm right, though. The best Italian meals are homecooked.
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post #73 of 356
1/15/05 at 4:40pm
I've been to the OG 3 times since I moved to the US, all for family birthday gatherings and it has sucked every time. The food ain't great & the service is beyond awful. I know there were 8 of us there the last time but is it really that hard to get everyone's food out at the same time? Shit, some had finished before others had started ! Utter fucking crap ! I'll take Carrabbas every time. Good food & they look after you there, the way it should be.

I'm no fan of Red Lobster either but that's mainly 'cos I don't like seafood. I can't even stand the smell of it. Fortunately that place doesn't get picked for get-togethers too often.
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post #74 of 356
1/15/05 at 5:19pm
I've only been to Olive Garden twice (not by choice). The first time I got some pasta, i think Fettucini with grease sauce, and the next time I just got the never ending soup, salad and breadsticks, which was ok.

Just got back from Carmen's mexican, good guacamole and a good, massive fajita burrito. They had a small section for american foods, like steak tips and hamburgers. I was kinda disappointed that they offered them until my brother pointed out that they titled the selections "Food for gringos."
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post #75 of 356
1/15/05 at 6:05pm
I started a thread a while back about Red Robin and obviously offended someone. but whatever.

As for Olive Garden. Its the only place that can give me immediate diarrhea. I try to avoid it at all costs. I have better odds eating at Taco Bell.
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post #76 of 356
1/15/05 at 7:19pm
I don't mind the Olive Garden, although Lo Sole Mio kicks its and every other Italian restaurant I've ever been to's asses. Awesome bread with a chunky Tomato Basil dipping sauce = yum.

As for Red Lobster, I like it. Then again, I live in Omaha, Nebraska aka "The absolute farthest you can get from a large body of water in the US". If you're not a fan of steak, mexican or chinese in Omaha, you're fucked (although we do have a few good Greek places).
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post #77 of 356
1/15/05 at 7:34pm
Quote:
Olive Garden doesn't hold a candle to Carrabba's if you looking for good Italian ristorante chains.
Out of all the Italian chains, Carrabba's is the best. The food and service is way beyond Olive (the McDonald's of Italian food) Garden.
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post #78 of 356
1/15/05 at 9:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Carl Cunningham
Smokey Bones? Bah. Generic BBQ. Try Corky's (from Memphis).
A-fucking-men! I have a friend that works for FedEx, who's hub is in Menphis. Every year for the Super Bowl we order some and have it sent overnite. Good stuff.
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post #79 of 356
1/15/05 at 10:16pm
I just wish I could find a good Indian restaraunt around here. I love cooking the stuff (doing one now ) but it'd be nice to be able to go out & get a good curry sometimes. Hell, I was spoiled back in England, we had one of the best curry houses around in my town.

Dammit. Now I'm drooling !
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post #80 of 356
1/16/05 at 2:20am
Carrabba's for the win. One of 'em opened a couple miles down the road last year and I've never looked back. It's owned by the same company that operates Outback Steakhouse.

Absolute best Italian I've ever had was in Little Italy in Boston. A mom and pop joint. Chicken Marsala to die for.
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post #81 of 356
1/16/05 at 3:26am
Carrabba's Pollo Rosa Maria is fan-freakin'-tastic. I get it almost every time I go there, and it's always my choice for my birthday meal. Love it! I've only been to the Macaroni Grill twice, but if memory serves, I really enjoyed myself there.
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post #82 of 356
1/16/05 at 3:36am
Quote:
Originally Posted by SuxorCorp™
A-fucking-men! I have a friend that works for FedEx, who's hub is in Menphis. Every year for the Super Bowl we order some and have it sent overnite. Good stuff.
Can I get an invite? I'll bring some KC BBQ, and a mountain of cole slaw.
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post #83 of 356
1/16/05 at 5:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by moovyphreak
Olive Garden doesn't hold a candle to Carrabba's if you looking for good Italian ristorante chains.

.
Sounds great, as long as there's no connection with the douchebag who sings in Dashboard Confessional.
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post #84 of 356
1/16/05 at 6:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Master Shake
Then again, I live in Omaha, Nebraska aka "The absolute farthest you can get from a large body of water in the US". If you're not a fan of steak, mexican or chinese in Omaha, you're fucked (although we do have a few good Greek places).
You also have Runza Huts. Or, do you? It's been a while. Do they have those places anywhere but Omaha?
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post #85 of 356
1/16/05 at 2:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason@Star-Wars.net
He just got a new job at an Italian resturant called Maggianos. It's probably the best Italian resturant ever.
I'm really hoping you mean "the best Italian chain restaurant ever." Because, while even that might not be true, it's at least not incredibly, insanely not true.

And, Guttenberg, I know squares are the best way to cut the crispy and super thin-crust pizza... the problem is that the super thin-crust is just okay. In Milwaukee, there's no middle-ground between thick, stuffed Chicago style and super-thin crust except in the chains. No East Coast-style greasy, cheesy wedges to speak of.
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post #86 of 356
1/16/05 at 2:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Saint Huck
You also have Runza Huts. Or, do you? It's been a while. Do they have those places anywhere but Omaha?
Yeah, there's Runzas. I only go there for the best fast-food fries in existance, though.
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post #87 of 356
1/16/05 at 4:48pm
Thread Starter 
If you live in an area that only has chain food, MOVE. Don't try to pretend that it's OK.
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post #88 of 356
1/16/05 at 4:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by devincf
If you live in an area that only has chain food, MOVE. Don't try to pretend that it's OK.
That really is some good advice. Rent a truck right now & get going, and no stopping at McDonalds for lunch.
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post #89 of 356
1/16/05 at 5:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob Rocco
Seconded. Ever been to Fratelli di Napoli ? One in near Perimeter and one in Buckhead. Great eye-talian food. I liked Macaroni Grill, but they closed the one I used to frequent in Roswell.

Olive Garden is a step above SpaghettiOs.
I went to Fratelli di Napoli several years ago with my family for a birthday dinner, but never went back because of the distance from my mother's house. It's been so long since I went, I don't remember whether or not the food was any good.

I've also been to Maggiano's several times in the past few years and it is very good. Any place that puts a slice of mozzarella on top of their fried mozzerella gets a "thumbs up" from me. And I remember their portions were gargantuan.

I've never been to Romano's Macaroni Grill in the Atlanta area, but I have been to one in Greenville (closest where I am now living.) It was good, but I recently went to the Carrabba's up here and was very pleased with my meal.

Rob, if you ever wander down inside the Perimeter, I would recommend you try Sotto Sotto and Fritti near Inman Park. They are located adjacent each other on North Highland just around the corner from Dad's Garage Improv. Both are pricy, but the food and service are well worth the visit.
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post #90 of 356
1/17/05 at 2:01am
Quote:
Olive Garden is a step above SpaghettiOs
Bullshit. Once you factor in price, Spaghetti O's easily beats out the OG.
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post #91 of 356
1/17/05 at 2:14am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Momotaro
They had the second best tiramisu I've ever had in a chain restaurant. And I"ve had me some tiramisu in some chain restaurants.

Zio's is pretty good, but I think they are a Southern thing, They are owned by Ken Shelby, owner of Ken's Pizza, Mazio's Pizza and Pizzettis. Mostly in Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas.. around this area I think. For people who don't know Italian food, it's pretty good.

And keep in mind Devin, not everybody lives within two blocks of the a great Italian restaurant. I'm not sure if you're aware that New York is not the only populated state in the nation. Most of us don't have a lot of options.

Zio's is like eating sex.

Ditto the Red Lobster love. Cheese biscuits and the shrimp scampe are perfection.
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post #92 of 356
1/17/05 at 2:20am
Quote:
Originally Posted by devincf
If you live in an area that only has chain food, MOVE. Don't try to pretend that it's OK.

Enough with the stupid shit.
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post #93 of 356
1/17/05 at 3:03am
I actually was at The Olive Garden once while The Matrix Revolutions was playing in the bar area. It was a lot like that Sports Bar in Diego that had Tango & Cash on, only I was with better company.

While I prefer The Marcaroni Grill, I can eat at OG. However I look forward to when Devin begins to bash...I dunno, The Green Burrito...
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post #94 of 356
1/17/05 at 3:11am
Devin wouldn't bash the Green Burrito would he? I mean, he does have a soul, like the rest of us, right?
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post #95 of 356
1/17/05 at 3:14am
Guess it depends on whether Don Ruben invited him to the grand opening or not.
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post #96 of 356
1/17/05 at 3:24am
Quote:
Originally Posted by General Zod
Enough with the stupid shit.

Heh, melodramatic isn't it?
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post #97 of 356
1/17/05 at 11:06am
Actually, CT, he makes a good point. Not everyone has the option of moving to a new town just because their choices in Italian eateries is poor. Either because of jobs, family responsibilities, or maybe just because some of us are not elitiest assholes, moving isn't always an option.
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post #98 of 356
1/17/05 at 11:13am
Stay home and cook then. I hardly think the concept of wanting to eat properly is elitist. Darwinist possibly, at a stretch.

Ethnic "chain" restaurants tend to give the concept of 'food' a bad name. MSG manufactureres however, love them and love them to love you to love them.
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post #99 of 356
1/17/05 at 11:30am
I'm afraid you misunderstood me, Strax. I was not refering to eating at certain places elitist, but rather the expectation of having us to move to where home-grown Italians fix us some ragu. Devin is of the opinion that everybody outside New York are stupid pieces of shit apparently for having different thoughts on certain eateries and personally I think he is wrong in that judgement. Granted, Olive Garden may not seem good eats to him, but it's decent food in my stomach. I believe it has a good taste, it hasn't killed me yet, and their lemon cream cake kicks nine kinds of ass.

But that is just my opinion...
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post #100 of 356
1/17/05 at 11:37am
Red, White, and Blue has some pretty decent BBQ for chain food. There's this little place near me that makes amazing pulled pork sandwiches, though.
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