Olive Garden, f'real

Out with B and the inlaws, we went to Olive Garden for lunch. I've never been, and though I've read all sorts of things about it (in sum: genius business, horrible food) and was a little curious. B's brother is a big fan, particularly for the unlimited soup-salad-bread stick deal.

 I was first impressed by how pleasant the dining room was, and the service was pretty great. There were some cheesy touches, sure, but over all chill. I noticed first thing ours, and all the other, tables were huge, which makes sense -- the plates are huge, the portions are huge, and if a table were to order apps, entrees deserts on top of the soups, salads, and bread, there wouldn't be an inch to spare.

Three of us four just ordered soup/salad, and I was kinda surprised how not good it was. The salad was mostly iceberg lettuce, with some red onion, tomato and peppericinis thrown in. Dressing was mild and generic Italian. And the olives -- for a place called "the Olive Garden", I'd think this would be a big deal, but they were extremely mild, almost flavorless black olives from a can, the kind of olives for people who hate olives.

The bread sticks were freshly baked, but tasted of retarder and softeners, and lots of salt and salty cheese and garlic salt. By the end of the meal when they cooled, they tasted 3 times gummier. I ordered a "Zuppa Toscana", which was a version of Farro & Sausage I've made many times with my students. Salty, oddly watered down, a cream base that kinda fought the potato and sausage, very mild flavored. I took a bite of B's cheese ravioli, which was kinda off -- like Chef Boyardee outta the can.

Looking over the menu, I couldn't believe some of the stuff on there -- deep fried, breaded lasagna?! And none of it was cheap, most entrees around $20. Olives for people who hate olives, Italian food for people who don't really like, well, food. Very odd. Still, I enjoyed it, as it was efficient, clean, spacious and they gave Edie crayons and a sheet to play with when we got there. I imagine if I ordered an entree, I would have blown my stomach at -- with two servings of salad and 3 bread sticks (and about half my soup, though that too was unlimited), it was enough to stop me from being hungry.


AM SNACK: 8:30am, iced green tea


BREAKFAST: 9:30am, good granola with organic dead milk, .75 bowl, hunger 4/5

LUNCH: 1:30pm, salad, soup, bread sticks, Andes chocolate mints, water, 1.25 bowl, hunger 4/5 

DINNER: 6:30pm, breaded shrimp, baked potato, water, 1.25 bowl, hunger 4/5
Had some potatoes laying around from knish making -- eating baked potato triggered two thoughts. One, this was a common side dish my mom would make, with a little butter and salt, and brought me back. The other thought was the taste of unadulterated potato --- in my potato knish, there is shortening, egg, salt, pepper and caramelized onion to alter and accentuate the consistency and flavor, while here there is little interfere. 



EVENING SNACK: 9pm, peanuts & chocolate chips, .25 bowl, hunger 4/5