Actually, I like the all you can eat soup and salad at Olive Garden--their Pasta e Fagioli is not too bad (although I have had better), and the breadsticks are tasty. Living where I do (just south of the area of Chicagoland with the highest ratio of Italian restaurants), I can get much better entrees elsewhere.
Well, a gathering is brie, mellow song stylings; shindig, dip, less mellow song stylings, perhaps a large amount of malt beverage, and hootenanny, well, it's chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny.
Oz ,'Beneath You'
Natter 37: Oddly Enough, We've Had This Conversation Before.
Off-topic discussion. Wanna talk about corsets, duct tape, or physics? This is the place. Detailed discussion of any current-season TV must be whitefonted.
Kathy A - Jul 19, 2005 10:37:15 am PDT #1177 of 10002
We're very stretchy. - Connie Neil
lori - Jul 19, 2005 10:40:40 am PDT #1178 of 10002
Flip-flop flap at the White House. [link]
Matt the Bruins fan - Jul 19, 2005 10:46:16 am PDT #1179 of 10002
"I remember when they eventually introduced that drug kingpin who murdered people and smuggled drugs inside snakes and I was like 'Finally. A normal person.'” —RahvinDragand
Olive Garden in Memphis has much better salads and bread than any of the real Italian restaurants. But you really notice the lack of authenticity in the pasta sauces and seafood—one step above Chef Boyardee.
The Fantanas are the only reason I don't complain about commercials every time I go to the theater.
Fred Pete - Jul 19, 2005 10:46:56 am PDT #1180 of 10002
Ann, that's a ferret.
I'm with those who rather enjoy Olive Garden but won't call it genuine Italian food.
It's a step up from my childhood experience with "Italian" food, which ran from Chef Boy-Ar-Dee to frozen pizza to homemade spaghetti and lasagna (with cottage cheese instead of ricotta).
Gudanov - Jul 19, 2005 10:48:13 am PDT #1181 of 10002
Coding and Sleeping
Let the shunning begin.
I don't think there's anything shameful about that. It's been many years since I've eaten at Olive Garden, but I don't remember the food being all that bad.
§ ita § - Jul 19, 2005 10:49:02 am PDT #1182 of 10002
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
If it was between (and I think it is) talking through commercials rather than slide shows and paying more for the ticket -- I'm going with commercials every time. They're not that hard to ignore (except for the Fantanas -- they're evil) even when I don't have someone to talk to.
-t - Jul 19, 2005 10:49:23 am PDT #1183 of 10002
I am a woman of various inclinations and only some of the time are they to burn everything down in frustration
I've only been to an Olive Garden once, it inspired no strong feelings in me either way.
Kathy A - Jul 19, 2005 10:50:10 am PDT #1184 of 10002
We're very stretchy. - Connie Neil
Fred's "Italian" experience is mine, only with Chinese food. Growing up, there was not a Chinese restaurant anywhere within 30 miles, so I was brought up thinking that my dad's homemade version of chop suey (which, sorry Dad, is disgusting!) was Chinese cuisine. I wasn't introduced to what most Americans consider Chinese food until college, when I fell in love with it. I still don't order Chop Suey to this day, though.
Tom Scola - Jul 19, 2005 10:51:17 am PDT #1185 of 10002
Mr. Scola’s wardrobe by Botany 500
Chop Suey was invented in America.
DavidS - Jul 19, 2005 10:52:21 am PDT #1186 of 10002
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
I still don't order Chop Suey to this day, though.
Nobody orders chop suey, Kathy.