Italian Franchise Schmanshise
Trip Start
Jul 10, 2007
1
20
32
Trip End
Ongoing
Chicago,
Illinois,
United States
Monday, September 17, 2007
The first time an unlimited salad bowl and bread sticks crossed my vocabulary, the Olive Garden signature kicker, we were in Orlando on our once a year pilgrimage to Disney, with one more visiting relative. The food I recall, was unremarkable, basic and rudimentary and somewhat forgettable, while a second trip, during a visit to friends in Massachussetts, years later, received a resounding two thumbs up from us, by delivering one of the best pork loin dishes we have ever had. The salad, soup and bread sticks remained in the former category and one I would gladly forego for another bite of pork marinated in extra-virgin olive oil and rosemary, served with potatoes and bell peppers. Were the portobello ravioli, stuffed with mushroom and sauced with sundried tomato as good as Jose Luis'..I think not, but for a slow/fast food restaurant they were passable.
Our introduction to Maggiano's Little Italy was in 2000, just 6 weeks after I had gastric bypass surgery, allowing me to eat, literally 5 strands (you read that right) of pasta- no bread, no salad, no wine, no dessert, as my stomache's size, that of a baby pea would have balked to anything more. I do recall the oohhs and aahhs of the other 7 dinner guests as they shared their massive appetizers and bountiful bites of calamari, mozzarella and pizza followed by a carb loading meal that included platters of capellini, fettucine and farfalle with a variety of sauces and toppings, and baskets laden with bread, to be shared by all at the table, except for me.
My consolation that night, albeit small, was that they were all running the Chicago Marathon the next day, while I would be safely and warmly ensconced at the hotel wilst sipping a cup of coffee and a morsel of croissant. After 7 years I am now ready to give Maggiano's another try, having heard there is an outpost in Tampa, and able to eat a tad more than a smidgen of pasta, so as with dim sum, we will need to roust some friends and point our car East on I- 275 for a Sunday night dinner.
We discovered Carrabas upon our move to St. Petersburg, passing their 4th Street location dozens of times before making the leap to their parking lot, shared with the Sunken Gardens attraction and through their front door. Sitting at the bar, Jose Luis decided on the simple meat Lasagna, and I ordered their Rigatoni with Chicken , sundried tomato and mushrooms. The ubiquitous olive oil and herbs were poured on a plate with sliced white bread (nothing compares to our home made focaccia and crusty loaf, so often I'd rather pass on the bread, than fill up with a bland, soft white loaf of air ). The caesar surprised us with its crispy, fresh romaine and flavorful dressing, while the soup of the day - a sausage and lentil seemed somewhat watered down. Our next visit placed us at a table with an attentive waiter, the same pasta for me, but a Pork Chop special for Jose Luis, that he declared as heavenly, moist and so full of flavor that it vyed for competition with the OG's aforementione Pork dish. My sundried tomatoes were surprisingly missing in action, no matter how intensely I searched through the pasta, mushrooms and chicken, which stood up well on their own and surprisingly tasted even better the next day. A third visit brought the same consistent quality, atmosphere and value but we were thrown for a loop when our server arrived at the table sporting a pair of purple rubber gloves, while handling our drinks and bread, and we spent half an hour supposing why.
Had she nicked herself while slicing the bread? (yuck) Did she have eczema? (extra yuck)or was it a new fashion statement? Telling us she had an allergy to shellfish, we did a double take, followed by a dumbfounded expression, a flutter of our eyes and we realized that in order to be an Equal Opportunity Employer, Carrabas, had to be bending backwards to accommodate such an odd affliction. I mean let's get real, this is a restaurant and a major staple on the menu is shellfish, and honestly it was somewhat of a turn off and disconcerting, being served by a wait person with purple gloves, although a conversation piece for not only our table but the surrounding dining guests as well. I also never received the discount associated with their Happy Hour 2 for one glasses of house wine
Our encounter with Buca di Beppo was also in Chicago, and the restaurant's family style servings were our co-diners exact cup of tea, enjoying the opportunity to order, share and eat a variety of dishes and not feel guilty. One of their most touted appetizers is their artery clogging Trio which features fried shrimp, fried mozzarella and fried calamari (you get the picture), but I for one prefer their 1893 salad overflowing with romaine, iceberg, pepperoni, cucumber, tomato, red onion, pepperoncini and more- this is a meal in itself. Although the restaurant features over 2 dozen pastas including the ubiquitous cannelloni, manicotti, lasagna, stuffed shells, meatballs and tortelloni, it was their vegetarian pasta with a bounty of vegetables that stood out for its simplicity and flavor. We shared a platter of chicken saltimbocca and veal parmigiana and for good measure a side of green beans and escarole, all served in oversized bowls and plates, and reminding me of participating in a traditional leisurely Italian Sunday Dinner. Buca di Beppo has realized that Super sized portions appealed only to parties of 6 or more and have since started accommodating the sole diner or couple by offering individuallly sized dishes, a more mainstream approach. Although there is no Buca in Tampa, the next time you are in Naples, Miami, Orlando or Ft. Lauderdale, it is worth a side trip, just make sure that you have the entire family with you or call us, as it will offer you the chance to try a handful of dishes, that might just transport you to Italy, without leaving the ground.
