What is your favorite Italian restaurant?
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None of those - my favorite is Carino's.
Mine is a little hole in the wall in NJ.
I consider the above to be....Italian-esque.
I consider the above to be....Italian-esque.
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Plan the work. Work the plan.
Plan the work. Work the plan.
I have never found a big chain restaurant of any type to be my favorite. But then I live in a large multi cultural city where you can find small restaurants run by authentic people from the country the restaurant represents who are great cooks. The entire staff grew up eating and cooking the food they serve. They know it intimately. And even ingredients specific to the region can be found here easily.
None of those 5 are anything great. Maggiano's was ok, until they did away with my favorite dish (Bowtie Aglio). Olive Garden is a slight step up from Chef Boyardee. OG's quality has really gone down in the last 10 years, IMO.
Never heard of East Side Mario.
Never heard of East Side Mario.
I'm with Sandy. All my favorites are locally owned.
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
And I agree about Olive Garden altho it has been years. I would say a few more steps than one above Chef Boyrdee unless the Chef has improved since I was 8. The only other one I have ever eaten is a ms at Macaroni Grill I had high hopes for. Out of 8 clams in the dish 4 were unopened. The other dishes were as they say meh. I never heard of 2 and 5. Must be east coast places. I grew up in an Italian neighborhood in Brooklyn. Any hole in the wall is better than these.
I liken this list to some I often see about Mexican Food where the winner is Taco Bell. I moved from little Italy growing up to Big Mexico now here in Los Angeles.
I liken this list to some I often see about Mexican Food where the winner is Taco Bell. I moved from little Italy growing up to Big Mexico now here in Los Angeles.
Are all of those 5 restaurants shopped? I have never seen any of them where I live.
Sandy - I believe that Carrabba's is owned by the same group as Outback.
Sandy - I believe that Carrabba's is owned by the same group as Outback.
I have never heard of East Side Mario, but I have seen the other four all shopped at one time or other.
I went to the Olive Garden with a friend (not a shop) and it was just alright. Nothing to write home about.
Generally, if they are a chain and serve alcohol, they are shopped...even if the emphasis on the shop is largely on bar integrity/compliance.
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Plan the work. Work the plan.
Plan the work. Work the plan.
Actually, it depends what type of food you're looking for...
Pizza-Ultimate California Pizza, although if I'm on the road and looking for a delivery, I'll settle for Pizza Hut, simply because I know what I'll be getting.
Seafood-Angelo's
Pasta...I really haven't found any places that destroy pasta to the point of it being inedible.
At least those are my choices in northeastern, SC.
Pizza-Ultimate California Pizza, although if I'm on the road and looking for a delivery, I'll settle for Pizza Hut, simply because I know what I'll be getting.
Seafood-Angelo's
Pasta...I really haven't found any places that destroy pasta to the point of it being inedible.
At least those are my choices in northeastern, SC.
.
Have PV-500 & willing to travel.
"Answers are easy. It's asking the right questions which is hard." (The Fourth Doctor, The Face of Evil, 1977)
"Somedays you're the pigeon, somedays you're the statue.” J. Andrew Taylor
"I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn't learn something from him." Galileo Galilei
Have PV-500 & willing to travel.
"Answers are easy. It's asking the right questions which is hard." (The Fourth Doctor, The Face of Evil, 1977)
"Somedays you're the pigeon, somedays you're the statue.” J. Andrew Taylor
"I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn't learn something from him." Galileo Galilei
anything in nyc that isn't a chain
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There are no stupid questions, but there are a lot of inquisitive idiots
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When you try to please everybody, you end up pleasing nobody
There are no stupid questions, but there are a lot of inquisitive idiots
==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==
When you try to please everybody, you end up pleasing nobody
^^ Domino's has figured out a way to destroy pasta, to the point of it being inedible.
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Plan the work. Work the plan.
Plan the work. Work the plan.
Roman Cusina in Dallas.
My idea of an agreeable person is a person who agrees with me.
Benjamin Disraeli
Benjamin Disraeli
I shopped Maggiano's twice last year, good ambiance, food not so much. It was a reveal with the manager, if the server promoted certain things. It also involved taking a picture of the manager and server. It was fun!
Carrabba's was shopped along with Outback about 3 years ago - simple report.
Macaroni Grill has been shopped by two different msc this year.
Olive Gardens was shopped this year when they rolled out their new menu.
Never heard of East Side Mario.
Carrabba's was shopped along with Outback about 3 years ago - simple report.
Macaroni Grill has been shopped by two different msc this year.
Olive Gardens was shopped this year when they rolled out their new menu.
Never heard of East Side Mario.
Not my circus - Not my monkeys @(*.*)@
~Polish Proverb~
~Polish Proverb~
cubbiecat Wrote:
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> Macaroni Grill has been shopped by two different
> msc this year.
:perks up:
Hrm, haven't seen those. Macaroni Grill is my favorite of the big Italian chains.
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> Macaroni Grill has been shopped by two different
> msc this year.
:perks up:
Hrm, haven't seen those. Macaroni Grill is my favorite of the big Italian chains.
There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind
At the moment only demons come to mind
As a full-blooded Italian, I would have to say any of my aunts' houses or my older sister's. (My mother has passed.)
We have a decent Italian restaurant in my small town, but it's none of the ones listed.
We have a decent Italian restaurant in my small town, but it's none of the ones listed.
Time to build a bigger bridge.
Local fav's are two tiny little places with very good to terrific food: Salvatore's and Bizzarro. Chains? Meh.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/25/2014 04:57AM by bestofbothworlds.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/25/2014 04:57AM by bestofbothworlds.
East Side Mario's used to have some locations in Massachusetts about 20 years ago. I just checked their website, and it seems like all their locations are now in Canada.
My favorite Italian place to eat is my parents' house on a Sunday afternoon. But I don't think MF shops my mom. 
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“I'm the one that's got to die when it's time for me to die, so let me live my life the way I want to.”
~ Jimi Hendrix
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.” ~ Mark Twain
“To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.” ~ J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
“I'm the one that's got to die when it's time for me to die, so let me live my life the way I want to.”
~ Jimi Hendrix
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.” ~ Mark Twain
“To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.” ~ J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
S2L you need to edit your post for an ICA violation!
There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind
At the moment only demons come to mind
@ bgriffin ~ Read the OP.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“I'm the one that's got to die when it's time for me to die, so let me live my life the way I want to.”
~ Jimi Hendrix
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.” ~ Mark Twain
“To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.” ~ J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
“I'm the one that's got to die when it's time for me to die, so let me live my life the way I want to.”
~ Jimi Hendrix
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.” ~ Mark Twain
“To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.” ~ J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
:wonders who turned S2L joke detector off:
There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind
At the moment only demons come to mind
Trattoria Romana, Boca Raton Florida..
bgriffin Wrote:
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> :wonders who turned S2L joke detector off:
Hey, back off. You were being a big grumble bunny the other day with your whole hotel thread.
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> :wonders who turned S2L joke detector off:
Hey, back off. You were being a big grumble bunny the other day with your whole hotel thread.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“I'm the one that's got to die when it's time for me to die, so let me live my life the way I want to.”
~ Jimi Hendrix
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.” ~ Mark Twain
“To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.” ~ J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
“I'm the one that's got to die when it's time for me to die, so let me live my life the way I want to.”
~ Jimi Hendrix
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.” ~ Mark Twain
“To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.” ~ J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
S2L, I will happily shop your mom's cooking and write a 2 hour report. How did you get that tongue emoticon? Too cute!
Not my circus - Not my monkeys @(*.*)@
~Polish Proverb~
~Polish Proverb~
Cubbiecat, you get Sunday dinner for free and without a report. And I get a home cooked meal at your house, right? Ha, ha, ha!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“I'm the one that's got to die when it's time for me to die, so let me live my life the way I want to.”
~ Jimi Hendrix
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.” ~ Mark Twain
“To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.” ~ J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
“I'm the one that's got to die when it's time for me to die, so let me live my life the way I want to.”
~ Jimi Hendrix
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.” ~ Mark Twain
“To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.” ~ J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
I do enjoy Carraba's from the above list. However, living in a place that has a wealth of wonderful restaurants, Italian and otherwise, chains barely make the cut if you talk about favorites.
Happily shopping Rhode Island and nearby Massachusetts and Connecticut
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