Yeah, I bet they really teach the chefs at the Olive Garden how to cook authentic Italian food in Italy. I really believe that one.
I think this belongs in Great Debates. 
Stranger
You mean at their Culinary Institute in Tuscany? Yeah, probably not.
(This post not a reflection on the quality … or lack thereof … of OG food).
I think it’s yummy no matter where they learned how to microwave it.
I can’t believe all of you scoffing at this. Of course they send hundreds of chefs to their Culinary Institute every year. It’s just that their “Culinary Institute” is actually a “Corporate Retreat” and the “chefs” are a bunch of people in marketing.
Shut up!
They took away my Olive Garden. They’re all gone in Ontario. O cruel fates, how sinister to tempt me with your luscious breadsticks and and savory garlic potatoes only to rip them from my bosom just when I was hooked?
Come back, Olive Garden! Come back!
Whoopie, never ending bread sticks and salad. Just like the old country!
If you’re dropping garlic potatoes on your bosom, perhaps consider tucking a napkin into your shirt.
I heard something once that can help you become more at peace with this stuff.
People often question whether certain American interpretations of ethnic cuisine is “authentic”. The implication in this thread is that the Olive Garden is somehow lesser if it doesn’t conform to actual Italian cooking techniques. The problem with this thinking is that Italian cooking is extremely regional based. The cuisine in Venice bears little similarity to that in Rome. The concept of an unified Italy itself is a rather recent invention.
The American version of Italian food is as valid as any other. What we normally think of as pizza was invented in the U.S. as were many other dishes that everyone would identify as 100% Italian. With imported ethic cuisine that has been modified and fit to the new environment, you don’t have to compare it back to the food in the country of origin. Even recipes for so-called traditional dishes aren’t usually stable even in the old country over long periods of time.
Where this is going is you should just judge American-Italian, Mexican, Chinese and other ethic foods as their own sub-cuisine and accept them for their own merits rather than judging them on how well they match up with food from the originating country because both are evolving all the time.
No no no. The problem with OG isn’t that it’s inauthentic. The problem is that OG sucks.
Stranger, I simply don’t see any debate. 
Well, yeah, that’s a given. But they have breadsticks. I mean, where else can you get breadsticks?
The debate? Resolved: The United States should implement a long-term, comprehensive plan to enhance the public availability of breadsticks.
Stranger
Og not suck.
Og SMASH!
Of course you know there is another place that has breadsticks, Fazoli’s!
They offer free breadsticks with most any meal, and bring them around to your table so you don’t ever have to get up.
Brendon
I used to go to Olive Garden a lot, but then they dropped Caneloni al Forno from the menu and now I can’t find anything good there apart from the non-minestrone soups.
The problem is that they lack ANY cooking technique. I have had servers tell me point blank that I couldn’t get an ingredient withheld (I don’t like mushrooms) because “it comes already packaged like that.”
Mmmmm… prefab.
I had places like that. The only thing worse is when they confirm that, yes the ingredients are seperate and it’s not pre-packaged, they still won’t leave one out because “The computer won’t let us.” :mad:
I think the Olive Garden is great for what it is. It isn’t even american-italian food, it’s american italian-fast-food. But if you keep asking to get wine samples, they will just bring you five samples and leave. Then you pick the cheapest one. Then you want to try something else, this time a white. They bring you five more samples. I’m usually in a pretty good mood when I leave the Olive Garden. And just before you leave, you ask for more breadsticks and a doggy bag. Also, I recomend getting desert to go.
I love Olive Garden! Bomb breadsticks, and sangria by the pitcher. Really folks, you can’t set your expectations too high, you’ll only be disappointed.
Sangria? Must be in Napoli, their Tuscan cooking school
I’m just damned impressed by their ability to make a fortune in my hometown which is covered in high quality Italian family restaurants. Apparently breadsticks equals success…They must put crack in them cause they are super tasty.