I love to bash Olive Garden thread

HOSPITALIANO!

My Sicilian grandmother is rolling over in her grave.

:cry:

I still have wonderful memories of helping Gramma Dora roll out and cut the noodles, then we'd dry them by hanging them on plastic coat hangers all over the kitchen. Good times.

mikey_the_rat

Millions of them. They scared me.

My Sicilian GGM's name was Philomena.

You are on the list to be contacted shortly, which is great!

Thanks for the update.

mikey_the_rat

(class-action Masonite lawsuit)

mikey_the_rat

mikey_the_rat

Midlothian thing.

:bounce:

:woohoo:

You don't love me anymore.

:cry:

I'm going to the Olive Garden. I like their salad and their shrimp and asparagus risotto. (Yes, I know some people will vomit when they read this.)

hehehehehhehehehehe

:P

*fawning over DS1 so his feelings don't get hurt about all the wimminfolk and their

love for Briarius*


:P

Or is someone starting that rumor so I don't crash the real one?

and, the wedding reception is at the Pizza Hut.

Times Square isn't within cycling distance of my Lair

It's just another Mafia thing, I tell ya!

First of all, I was spoiled. Although I am not Italian (that I know of... ) I used to work in the kitchen of this amazing Northern Italian family restaurant where everything was made from scratch, and done well with good ingredients. YUM! The mom would chase my (then) skinny ass around the kitchen screaming in her broken English, "Donnie! Ya gotta eat something! You're too skinny!" and the dad smoked and drank oil-thick coffee while working. Did I mention the food was amazing? We had some Sicilian and the occasional quasi-fusion (ie: made up) dish, but mostly everything was very traditional and fresh.

After that, I worked in a traditional Italian artisan bakery for about 6 years and just could not bring myself to eat crappy "Italian" fast food any more, especially since I had learned how to make a lot of it myself and would just have Italian night at home.

Fast forward a few years, and in a moment of desperation I worked at an Olive Garden for 5 moths while between jobs because it was so close and paid better than the other options. OMFG, how I hated that place. And seeing how many things were canned and assembled on site from their kitchens in "Italy" (ie: Orlando, FL) just drove me nuts. Plus they were stingy and charged you for everything you ate (unless you ate stuff in the back without them noticing) instead of feeding you well. And did I mention they f'ing SUCK?

Bah! A pox on the OG!

or really a trattoria and I find the best meals I ever have eaten. In Palermo I ordered Pasta Norma, not knowing what it contained besides pasta. It was eggplant and delicious. No one spoke English in that place but it didn't matter. Even in Rome I managed to find a place where no one spoke English and my friend and I got one of the best meals of the trip. After dinner they brought around warm, fresh chestnuts. We asked for "il conto" after 2 hours. You don't get the check until you ask for it in Italy.

I am missing my trip to Italy this year due to multiple surgeries, but am booked for Milan and the Ligurian Coast (the Italian Riviera) in May. Can't wait for the "risotto Milanese."

yes, my Italian is limited to food items and about 3 or 4 phrases (always know how to ask hoe much something is and where the bathroom is no matter what! ;) ), but I loved Italy.

And honestly, that is the only way to vacation anywhere - stumbling into restaurants semi-randomly, following your nose, etc. I love little hole-in-the-wall mom & pop joints, am an adventurous eater, and cringe when I have to go on vacation with my family who insist on going to places like Bahama Breeze™® and the OG no matter what city we're in.

Some have fewer hotel meals so I stick with those. Then I don't attend the hotel meals and strike out with a couple of friends on tour with me. I don't care if I have already "paid" for them, they can't make me eat them!

Found a tiny restaurant in Venice on some little rio maybe 10 minutes walk from San Marco where no one spoke a word of English. It was called Da Mario. The woman who ran the place cooked a very limited menu that changed every day, there were about four starters, pastas and entrees that you could order from. If you wanted wine, you were brought a large bottle and allowed to drink as much or as little as you wanted from it.

Il conto was remarkably cheap, considering it was Venice, and the food to die for.

had amazing food in Italy. I never ate a bad meal there. Now Olive Garden? Totally different story. And anyone who considers them "REAL ITALIAN" should be shot.

I'm awarding you a Golden Gelato!

although I am hesitant to ask what a golden gelato is.... sounds dirty.

;)

It's an award I just made up... although something dirty would be better. Maybe it's when someone pours gelato all over you during sex.

I actually love the sound of that!

:)

IBTL?

but it's definitely not the best Italian restaurant, not even close. I call it "the McDonald's of Italian restaurants."

nt

Hospitaliano? Jesus effing christ did I not need another made up word bouncing around in my head. Last night I made the mistake of watching Rachel Ray, and it was her 30 minute meal episode of entréetizers (things normally served as appetizers but in an entrée form).

:crazy:

A combination of stew and stoup. I kid you not!

HOSPITALIANO!!!

That looks too much like a well-known Yiddish term for me to want to order it.

:wow:

:scared:

Okay, I'm lying. However, my very Irish Mom makes WAY BETTER marinara sauce than OG.

I know real Italians and Olive Garden is a sham. Keep yer chin up, LostinVa. This, too, shall pass. Eventually, a real Italian owned and operated restaurant will come along and make Olive Garden the laughing stock we already know it is. :hug:

But while I don't like McDonald's, I do think the Olive Garden has good food.