Need Input: Olive Garden Restaurant

[Susan]

Hello Fellow CLers~

I am going to Olive Garden tomorrow night (can't wait!!!) and am wondering if anyone has any recommendations for me. I have been drooling over their web site just now. I haven't been there in a year or more so I am open to any ideas!

Anxiously awaiting your opionions...

Thanks,
Susan

[andreajackson]

They have several low-fat items on their menu. the Chicken Gardino(sp.) is excellent!

[foszakacs]

I love the salad!
It comes with every entree and they bring you more if you'd like

[KristaMB]

It's not very exciting but I love the capellini pomodoro (SP?). I get it every time I go. Their minestrone soup is good, too. Enjoy!

[Linda]

Ask for your salad lightly dressed or dressing on the side. Some of the servers will drench it in oil. But it really is best tossed with a little dressing. The breadsticks have to be killers, they're coated in grease. I really think they do a good job with the low fat pastas.

[Beth]

Originally posted by KristaMB:
It's not very exciting but I love the capellini pomodoro (SP?). I get it every time I go. Their minestrone soup is good, too. Enjoy!

My favorites too. I like the soup AND salad though. I don't know if they still do that for lunch.

[56grapeape]

2 items!

Chicken Scampi and bread sticks! MMMMMMM!!!!
I have this EVERYTIME we go (about 1 once a yr, lol) Salad is good too, as much as you can eat, with bread sticks! Their alfredo sauce to dip them is is A+ too!!! I love the Olive Garden!!! (TGIF's Jack Daniels dinners are #2!) hehe

ENJOY!!!

rachelle ~:0)

Originally posted by Susan:
Hello Fellow CLers~

I am going to Olive Garden tomorrow night (can't wait!!!) and am wondering if anyone has any recommendations for me. I have been drooling over their web site just now. I haven't been there in a year or more so I am open to any ideas!

Anxiously awaiting your opionions...

Thanks,
Susan

[Zinnia]

Hey you guys!! No fair! There isn't one in Alaska, but they continue to show their mouthwatering commercials constantly on TV which is even more torture. The closest I can get is going to their recipes at www.copycat.com (http://www.copycat.com) and making them at home, which is good-but I wanna go there! Oh well..Just keep rubbin' it in http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif (lol!)
http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif Zinnia

[helene]

I tried your site
www.copycat.com (http://www.copycat.com)
and it did not work

Can you give me the right address because I would love to get their recipes

Helene

[Susan]

Here it is: http://www.copykat.com

[Danielle]

LOVE Olive Garden. We don't go there often because my husband is not a huge pasta fan, but when he gets a craving for seafood alfredo, that's where we go. I love the seafood alfredo as well, but I don't feel guilty ordering it since we hardly ever go there. I also agree about the alfredo dipping sauce for the breadsticks...yum (do you see a pattern forming here? http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif)! I usually get the Zuppa Tuscana instead of the salad, which is a spicy sausage and potato soup. And for dessert (if I'm still hungry), it's tiramusu, of course!

[HARRYET]

FAT aside, i love their chicken parmesan, as do my kids, so most times we share one order between us, the portions are so large we are able to do that, but not for long my son is passing me up!

[SandyDee]

I agree that the Zuppa Tuscana is wonderful, I get that with the salad and bread sticks for lunch every once in awhile. When dieting I go regularly for the salad and bread sticks. I have the waiter go light on the salad dressing. Very satisfying and not at all bad for you. I visited their website a while back and was pleasantly surprised to see the nutritional values of some of the foods I love. I admit that their entire menu is not light but they have some good choices. I also want to put my vote in for TGIF's Jack Daniels meals. They have such incredible flavor. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[HARRYET]

o.k. so i'm out shopping with the kids and my SO calls me and says "lets meet at the Olive Garden for dinner", well I don't complain, no dishes tonight. So I tried the chicken scampi that 56grapeape recommended and it was very good! only problem is I think I may be offensive in the morning! GARLIC BREATH http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[Susan]

Thank you all for your recommendations! Here's what I got (I splurged! I hardly ate anything else all day before going.):
a few toasted ravioli (delicious!)
Zuppa Tuscana (excellent! spicy!)
salad & bread sticks (yum!)
CHICKEN VINO BIANCO - Pan-seared chicken breasts with mushrooms, tomatoes, onions and garlic in a white wine butter sauce over linguine. (description from their web site---This was very light and very tasty! I brought most of it home for my hubby though.)

And last but not least...Raspberry-swirled white chocolate cheesecake for dessert (shared this one-SUPERB!)

Can't wait for next time!

~~Susan~~