Towards the end of the last year, my friends thought that we weren't hanging out enough. It's true, we weren't. So they started Tuesday night get-togethers. Every Tuesday, we'll pick a bar to drink, eat, and hang out for a couple of hours. Whoever can make it will attend. If you're busy, it's okay. There's always next week. So this is Tuesday Nights on Tasty Eating where you will find bars that serve food and how we like them.
On this recent Tuesday Night, we headed out to: Olive Garden
On the last Tuesday of 2011, we all decided to make it fun...well more fun that usual. So we decided to have an ugly sweater party at Olive Garden. We all talked smack about who would have the ugliest sweater. Some of us went with some sequined holiday sweaters with my own being a holiday vest. However, the winner of the ugliest sweater went to our dear friend who wore an entire ugly outfit from head to toe. Hippie peace loving fleece pants, ugly holiday t-shirt, psychedelic fleece jacket, and ugly headband to finish it off. She really went all out and was clearly the winner.
After we settled the contest, we turned to the food. We ordered, then chatted while eating their garlic bread sticks and salad (not pictured). The garlic bread sticks came warm which we appreciated. The garlic, however, was mainly from the powder on the outside and not from real garlic. The bread itself is unusually soft and airy. I wonder how they get it that way. The salad was typical and wasn't anything special.
We also ordered some fried calamari ($11) that came with parmesan peppercorn and marinara sauces. This wasn't very good. The calamari was rubbery and tasted off. It certainly wasn't fresh.
The last appetizer was the Smoked mozzarella fonduta ($11) made with its namesake cheese, provolone, parmesan, and romano. It's oven baked until melted and served with bread. Although this was all cheese, I didn't enjoy this. The dish was very oily and didn't adhere wee to the accompanying bread. I wouldn't order this again. In fact, I wouldn't order any of the appetizers again.
And then the entrees rolled out. There was the stuffed chicken marsala ($20) which was claimed to be better than thought. The serving was huge with two pieces of cheese stuffed chicken breast stacked on some cheese mashed potatoes and topped with mushroom cream sauce.
A couple of other people had the Cappelini di Mare ($22) that came with shrimp, mussels, and clams served with marinara sauce over pasta. I didn't hear much about this dish so I can't say how it was.
A few other people had the Spaghetti with Meatballs ($17). Those that ordered this finished it. I guess it was good then.
I had the Ravioli di Portabello ($16) that came with a smoked cheese and sun dried tomato sauce. The texture of the pasta was very gummy and soft. I really didn't need teeth to bite into it. The smoke cheese sauce was heavy and gelatinized quickly after it cooled. As I ate it, it settled into my stomach and a heavy brick. I definitely didn't finish it and felt really uncomfortable after.
The other dishes that were ordered was the Lasagna ($17) and the Tour of Italy which was the lasagna, chicken parmigiana, and fettuccine alfredo. The lasagna was also a gut bomb like my ravioli. The Tour of Italy was even more so. The plate was huge and each pasta could feed one person. But the dish was finished. I was impressed. I mean REALLY impressed. It was a lot of food.
We all opted out of dessert due to our fullness. But they gave us a nice glass of mini minty chocolate as we paid our bill.
As suspected, I didn't enjoy my meal at the Olive Garden. I felt that most of the food was cheese laden to cover up mistakes in cooking execution such as the mushy texture of the pasta. However, I can see why some people may like this place. They serve very big portions for reasonable prices and the flavors are very easy tolerate.
The Olive Garden
696 Avenue Of The Americas
New York, NY 10010
(212) 255-1240
olivegarden.com
i have a feeling you guys did not look out of place with your ugly sweaters at the restaurant. hahaha
ReplyDeleteI LOVE that you blogged this, but I wish there were pictures of the sweaters (no faces necessary!). Hahahahha. Or at least post the photo of your holiday vest that you sent me. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
ReplyDeleteI used to really enjoy the canneloni there. Not sure they still have it on the menu. I was 18 or 19 and you know, just starting to eat at restaurants with waiters (aside from Asian ones which are super cheap and a staple of going to HS near Chinatown) with friends... and I'd never seen canneloni on a menu before. In fact, I still don't see it very often... ah, memories. :)
Never had Olive Garden before and would not go out of my way to eat there either.
ReplyDeleteMore ugly clothes parties!