Olive garden: The Denny's of Italian food.

flintstone · « **Reply #40 on:** 28 Jul 2010, 01:51 am »

I think most people have their fave-5 restaurants (Italian, Mexican, Steak house, Chinese, home cooking....ect)..........but that doesn't mean you feel like driving to them when your hungry, and out on the road for other reasons.

Outback, Olive Garden, and their type are more than fine with me in a pinch. To be honest, we rarely eat out in the summer....we cook out almost every day

I've never been to a Denny's.

Dave

HAL · « **Reply #41 on:** 28 Jul 2010, 02:15 am »

The closest Italian restaurant is 30+ miles away.

All the other local Italian restaurants went out of business well before they opened an OG locally.

Ours is new and very good so far. The chianti braised short ribs and mushroom risoto are my favorite. I have got to say the bread sticks are not good.

Construct · « **Reply #42 on:** 28 Jul 2010, 04:08 am »

I have been to Denny's that truly showed some issues. Ever go on a Sunday? Forget it. It's full of the after-church crowds. I went into one, and if you were a single customer---you got ignored. They would serve the groups, and single diners might as well walk out. Denny's is essentially a greasy spoon. There are some things that are pretty good in a basic way--that is if you really have to have everything fried.

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #43 on:** 28 Jul 2010, 04:41 am »

I gotta drive 60 miles for some authentico. Er, that's LOOK for some authentico. And why bother. I live in Houston, pretty near, what do we know. Actually, I know of one (ya can't keep a good man down). So, the ole Garden of Olive- they're everywhere- has a dish or two I look forward to eating again. And they're not pretentious about their pricing unless you're lookin to spend. It's like Outback. Their shrimp on blackbread from the appetizer menu is pretty tasty. And the bartenders ain't bad. But you gotta sit at the bar. They learn fast.

SlushPuppy · « **Reply #44 on:** 28 Jul 2010, 05:15 am »

Jim, where are you located in Houston? We haven't there yet, but I've heard nothing but good stories from Vincent's: http://www.ninos-vincents.com/vincent.html

We're down in League City. My wife and I have been talking going there for a while, but never made it.

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #45 on:** 28 Jul 2010, 05:40 am »

Quote from: SlushPuppy on 28 Jul 2010, 05:15 am

Jim, where are you located in Houston? We haven't been here yet, but I've heard nothing but good stories from Vincent's: http://www.ninos-vincents.com/vincent.html

We're down in League City. My wife and I have been talking about it for a while, but never made it there.

Hey, Slush. Damn, son, I didn't know we are homies. Can't let that go to waste. The joint I'm talkin about is on West Dallas, near downtown. Sorry, but I can't remember the name. You'll have to let me show you. You know about Houston Audio Society? Wanna come to Spring on Saturday for a mini meet? Smoke grass? I'm kiddin. Shoot me a PM and meet a couple guys.

Construct · « **Reply #46 on:** 29 Jul 2010, 04:47 am »

Thursday, July 29 I am going out to a real mom and pop Italian place. It will be interesting to contrast. Even our local coffee shop makes more convincing Zuppa Toscano than OG. Primarily because it doesn't come out of a bag.

Construct · « **Reply #47 on:** 31 Jul 2010, 05:55 pm »

I went to said mom and pop place. The angel hair dish I had was roughly 3 times the volume of OG. It was all fresh ingredients, including the minestrone. Topped it off with some cheesecake factory turamisu drizzled in chocolate. In all, it was about the same price as OG, but on a scale of 20 times to infinity+1 better tasting.

Some quick eye-fone pics:

Stu Pitt · « **Reply #48 on:** 11 Aug 2010, 03:31 am »

I've lived in NY State my entire life, except the last 2 weeks in Stamford, CT, which is pretty close. I've lived in Buffalo, Albany, and Westchester County. I've always had mom and pop restaurants that had authentic ethnic food.

I bartended in a mom and pop Italian restaurant while in college. Every now and then an idiot would complain that 'This isn't real Italian!' That's when the owner's mother who barely spoke English and/or the head chef who spoke less English would come out and ask what was wrong with the food (They were Italians). People would shut up after that.

In my extensive travels, I've found that the further from the Northeast you get, the more bland ethnic food gets. This makes me wonder...

Do people in the Mid West really believe that The Olive Garden is good Italian food? Do they think Domino's Brooklyn pizza is really Brooklyn pizza?

The Italian food and pizza I've had outside of the NE was always awful. Its not a preference thing, its a watered down, dripping sauce on pizza thing.

Anyone from the Mid West who's spent time in the Northeast and has had ethnic food here care to comment?

BTW, the worst pizza has to be in Southern California. People who know better (NY Italians who opened a restuarant out there) blame it on the water.

Also, I've got no problem with Denny's breakfast. Moons Over My Hammy is a great sandwich. I wouldn't order anything beside breakfast there though. At least Denny's doesn't pretend to be something its not. No 'Tuscan Culinary School' or whatever the hell OG made up.

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #49 on:** 11 Aug 2010, 04:02 am »

Quote from: Stu Pitt on 11 Aug 2010, 03:31 am

In my extensive travels, I've found that the further from the Northeast you get, the more bland ethnic food gets. This makes me wonder...

Do people in the Mid West really believe that The Olive Garden is good Italian food? Do they think Domino's Brooklyn pizza is really Brooklyn pizza?

The Italian food and pizza I've had outside of the NE was always awful. Its not a preference thing, its a watered down, dripping sauce on pizza thing.

Also, I've got no problem with Denny's breakfast. Moons Over My Hammy is a great sandwich. I wouldn't order anything beside breakfast there though. At least Denny's doesn't pretend to be something its not. No 'Tuscan Culinary School' or whatever the hell OG made up.

With Chicago a notable exception...much of the MidWest it's pretty devoid of most ethnicities outside of Northern European stock. So, genuine ethnic food served by natives or ancestors of various sorts is missing and Olive Garden and other chains fill in, as such, as best they can.

I can assure you here in San Francisco, with a Little Italy (off Columbus Avenue, of all places of course

) and proximity to many local areas growing tomatoes, garlic, and not far from many (often organic) dairy farms....the Italian food is quite good (save the pizza, which isn't up to par next to the great fare I'm used to growing up in Long Island and Philadelphia)

btw, pizza in Italy is as different as can be from most of the pizza in the US....so what you love isn't so much Italian, but really Italian-American pizza (and food).

The Greek food largely sucks here, tho (not much of a community here for that) and I miss 24 hour diners

John

Construct · « **Reply #50 on:** 11 Aug 2010, 04:26 am »

I tried "Mexican" and "Tex mex" in New England and it was horribly watered down. It lacked everything The Southwest made good. Incidentally...BBQ isn't good in the NW either---it's a southern thing.

CSI · « **Reply #51 on:** 11 Aug 2010, 04:52 am »

Quote from: Construct on 11 Aug 2010, 04:26 am

I tried "Mexican" and "Tex mex" in New England and it was horribly watered down. It lacked everything The Southwest made good. Incidentally...BBQ isn't good in the NW either---it's a southern thing.

I was born in Southern CA and lived here most of my life. The first time I went to a Mexican Restaurant in the NE (in Maine) I thought my taste buds had suddenly died. It looked like Mexican food but tasted like a New England boiled dinner. Yuk.

Stu is right about the pizza in my home turf. Some are less bad than others but none are really worthy of what you get in Chicago, NY, or most any other major eastern city I've visited. We do have some good and unique eats out here. Try sour dough bread, freshly baked, next time you are in San Francisco. For some reason (having to do with the starter I'm told) it doesn't travel well so you need to indulge in the City by the Bay. Oh, and my home county of San Diego has been officially crowned the craft brew capital of the entire planet.

Construct · « **Reply #52 on:** 11 Aug 2010, 04:59 am »

Quote from: CSI on 11 Aug 2010, 04:52 am

. Try sour dough bread, freshly baked, next time you are in San Francisco. For some reason (having to do with the starter I'm told) it doesn't travel well so you need to indulge in the City by the Bay. Oh, and my home county of San Diego has been officially crowned the craft brew capital of the entire planet.

Yes, The SF sourdough is used to make bread bowls on Fishermans wharf. Chowder in a bread bowl is GREAT!! There is a strain of "lactobacillus San Francisco" that give the bread the flavor. MMMM

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #53 on:** 11 Aug 2010, 05:43 am »

Quote from: TheChairGuy on 11 Aug 2010, 04:02 am

With Chicago a notable exception...much of the MidWest it's pretty devoid of most ethnicities outside of Northern European stock. So, genuine ethnic food served by natives or ancestors of various sorts is missing and Olive Garden and other chains fill in, as such, as best they can.

I can assure you here in San Francisco, with a Little Italy (off Columbus Avenue, of all places of course ) and proximity to many local areas growing tomatoes, garlic, and not far from many (often organic) dairy farms....the Italian food is quite good (save the pizza, which isn't up to par next to the great fare I'm used to growing up in Long Island and Philadelphia)

btw, pizza in Italy is as different as can be from most of the pizza in the US....so what you love isn't so much Italian, but really Italian-American pizza (and food).

The Greek food largely sucks here, tho (not much of a community here for that) and I miss 24 hour diners

John

I lived in Japanese town way back, above a Japanese restaurant. Liked the inexpensive yellowtail and eel dishes. Round the corner on Post was a Chinese joint with 65 cent (I guess I shouldn't be surprised there is not a cent key on my keyboard) plate of chow mein. It would feed two. Been to most all of the Italian restaurants in North Beach. Thanks for the flashback.

srb · « **Reply #54 on:** 11 Aug 2010, 06:22 am »

Quote from: jimdgoulding on 11 Aug 2010, 05:43 am

Round the corner on Post was a Chinese joint with 65 cent (I guess I shouldn't be surprised there is not a cent key on my keyboard) plate of chow mein.

You mean 65¢? You need a new keyboard!

Just kidding. Alt+0162 in Windows or Option+4 on the Mac (even easier to remember - 4 is also the $ key)

Steve

some young guy · « **Reply #55 on:** 11 Aug 2010, 03:02 pm »

Real Italian food in San Francisco? I worked here for a few years... http://www.acquerello.com/ It's the real deal. If you're in the area, I highly recomend it.

rollo · « **Reply #56 on:** 11 Aug 2010, 03:24 pm »

Why even bother with those places. The worst ingredients genetically altered meat and veggies, MSG, nitrates and so on.
If ya want real Italian food I can and will give you all the recepies one needs to make any dish. It is so easy all you have to do is try. Just ask. Bon Appetite !

charles

bummrush · « **Reply #57 on:** 11 Aug 2010, 03:27 pm »

Do people in the Mid West really believe that The Olive Garden is good Italian food? Do they think Domino's Brooklyn pizza is really Brooklyn pizza?
Uh NO and here's the best part of the so called new dominos pizza they have actually succeeded in making a pizza that is even worse then what it replaced,that my friends is beautiful

CELT in AR · « **Reply #58 on:** 11 Aug 2010, 03:30 pm »

Quote from: bummrush on 11 Aug 2010, 03:27 pm

Do people in the Mid West really believe that The Olive Garden is good Italian food? Do they think Domino's Brooklyn pizza is really Brooklyn pizza? Uh NO and here's the best part of the so called new dominos pizza they have actually succeeded in making a pizza that is even worse then what it replaced,that my friends is beautiful

+1

Construct · « **Reply #59 on:** 11 Aug 2010, 03:31 pm »

Quote from: rollo on 11 Aug 2010, 03:24 pm

Why even bother with those places. The worst ingredients genetically altered meat and veggies, MSG, nitrates and so on.
If ya want real Italian food I can and will give you all the recepies one needs to make any dish. It is so easy all you have to do is try. Just ask. Bon Appetite !

charles

I made some scratch quattro formaggio raviolis a while back. That and an alfredo. I have to quit being so lazy and make the stuff. I admit: I do not own a pasta maker and I should.