Olive Garden, Framingham

[bex77]

You know when you watch TV, and there are commercials for restaurants that aren't around here, and it drives you slightly nuts? I'm not a big believer in chain restaurants, but I have a weak spot for Olive Garden. About once a year, I can't stand it anymore and I search out the closest Olive Garden and make a pilgrimage. I had thought the closest one was in Leominster, which is about an hour West of here. Well, when I went out to Framingham on Wednesday for the book reading, I found out that there's an Olive Garden at Shopper's World. Half an hour from here.

http://www.olivegarden.com/menus/dinner/

So tonight I talked N. and a couple of friends into indulging my urge for Italian chain food, and drove out to Framingham in the mist.


We had to wait about 30 minutes...not bad on a Saturday night. So we hung out at the bar. They had lemoncello drinks which involved vodka and frozen brains. I drooled over the menu and tried to decided what to order.

We started in on the salad that's included....that huge bowl of good stuff like fresh lettuce, black olives, crunchy croutons, tomatoes, onions...yum.

We shared the lasagna fritta appetizer - lasagna pasta breaded with parmesan, then fried and served with alfredo sauce, marinara sauce and more cheese. It was good but not something I'd pine for. They have a very tantalizing selection of appetizers, but with the salad and breadsticks included, I can skip them.

I had their Zuppa Tuscana - spicy sausage soup, russet potatoes and cavalo greens in a light creamy broth. So awesome. I dipped a hot breadstick into it.

For the entree, I chose the "endless pasta" option. You pick a pasta, a sauce and meatballs or sausage. The pasta is $8.95! I got the orrichette, meat sauce and sausage. In theory you can order more, the same or different, but the portions are huge. N. had the mixed grill - a huge platter of grilled marinated steak and chicken, with grilled veggies and potatoes.

I was very full, but the white chocolate raspberry cheesecake called to me. And so did the chocolate gelato. The brilliant waiter offered to bring a little of each, so we shared them. Still didn't finish, so I think I could live without those, too. But the cheesecake was divine.

The bill for four people - salad, breadsticks, soups, entrees, desserts - was $80. Amazing.


It was definitely worth the drive!

Comments

[kalliejenn2.livejournal.com]

we love that olive garden! ...although one time when we came out, there was *one* wet noodle on the trunk of jon's car....it was very *odd*

[beezy17.livejournal.com]

you know you can still come out to the wilds of leominster and visit us (and go to olive garden) any time you want

[ron_newman]

I would never have recommended doing this. A friend and I once stopped at an Olive Garden on the way to a Pawtucket Red Sox game because we didn't have time for Federal Hill. It was one of the worst meals we ever had. Sounds like your experience was a lot better, though!

[scholargipsy.livejournal.com]

I'm with you: a post-funeral Olive Garden meal was the worst Italian food of my life, and not because it was a somber occasion. Each to her own taste, as the old woman said while kissing the cow.

[trinalin.livejournal.com]

Mmmm, I like when they have the Endless Pasta Bowls. But only when they offer butterfly pasta (farfalle) and Alfredo sauce. Alfredo sauce works perfectly with butterfly pasta. Yum!

[spwebdesign.livejournal.com]

I remember I ate at that Olive Garden about four years ago, after an expensive trip to the bed place, and enjoyed it very much.