Whoa, slow down Ms. Euro. I’m only a dumb American. So what’s so hilarious about this line?
Sangria is Spanish. Its name comes from “sangre”, Spanish for “blood”.
While many bits of Italy belonged or were occupied by the Spanish (more specifically by the Aragonese) at different times, the one that was “ours” longer was Dos Sicilias, i.e., Napoli and Sicily. Which is about as far from Tuscany as you can go in Italy without jumping to Greece.
OK, thanks (I knew about sangria actually but I didn’t know about Spanish occupation of Napoli/Sicily) but I’m still dumb. What is the connection, or supposed connection between Olive Garden and Tuscany?
Post #3. Here, have some coffee…
And Dos Sicilias wasn’t occupied, it was inherited. The Kingdom of Dos Sicilias happened to have the same King as the Kingdom of Aragon; after a couple generations went by they just started saying Aragon-Dos Sicilias. This is assumed by many to be one of the reasons so many people from Napoli went to the Americas in Argentina, my own great-great-great-grandparents were on the way there when they stopped in Barcelona. It also contributed a lot to the mixing of Spanish and Italian cooking (or at least to our shameless acquisition of theirs).
Ah, thanks darling. You know, it is past 5 AM here…
(hehe, she thinks it was because I’m tired)
Actually, I betcha they do send their “chefs” there. Really, I believe it.
Problem being, their “chefs” are the folks holed up in a corporate kitchen somewhere, chained to their stoves figuring out how to make dishes that are easy to prefab, easy to slap a psuedo-authentic name on, easy to nuke and cheap to prepare. That’s what the “chefs” are doing, after all that training.
The folks pushing plates at the chains aren’t chefs, that’s all. They’re “cuisine-preparation experts” or some such silly shit, and all they do is take box A and nuke it and slap it on a plate.
I think I went to an Olive Garden once. Highly unimpressive.
There are plenty of Italian restaurants in our area without having to go to a chain, and they’d have to go a long way to beat Joe’s Pizza Place.
They’d have a long way to go to beat Domino’s Pizza. :rolleyes:
Who knew Italian Food needed a Special Olympics…?
But, Fear Not…! Now you can get All of that unique Olive Garden taste, right from your Grocer’s Freezer…! Simply buy a package of any freezer-burned ‘Lean Cuisine’ and micro-wave it until it has cold-spots to taste…
Meh, the Olive Garden isn’t that bad. It’s nowhere near as good as Bravos, but I still like it on occassion.
I wouldn’t choose it, but I don’t hate it enough to protest when Grandma wants to go there (and she always does). I love the salad, though I could do with about six more black olives.
The only really awful thing I’ve tried there was the pasta with Alfredo sauce. Beyond bland.
I’ve never been to Olive Garden, and now I’m glad. I had no idea it was that bad!
Aw - I LIKE their Fettucini Alfredo. Actually, I think that’s the only thing I’ve ever eaten there come to think of it. And their salad dressing is to die for! I always ask for a big side of it to add.
But you can have my olives. 
Fazolis breadsticks are a million times better than Olive Garden’s. Plus they bring them right to your table fresh from the oven.
I do enjoy Olive Garden, but the one near me is always waaaaay crowded- figure an hour wait and no reservations.
Well the problem is that you really can’t compare Olive Garden to an authentic Italian restaurant… If you take Olive Garden on it’s own merit, a reasonably priced, quick casual meal with cocaine-embedded breadsticks it’s not half bad. The portion sizes are huge (probably a bad thing) for the price and some of the dishes are pretty good IMO, but then again of course I could say the McDonalds Filet-O-Fish is crap compared to a real seafood dinner but at the same time I like Filet-O-Fish sandwiches and I’m going to go get 2 for $3 later today… Was that a run-on or what?!
Am I the only person who doesn’t like Olive Garden’s bread sticks? They’re just too damn salty for me.
Ditto on BrandonR’s comments.
I’m 100% Italian, born and raised in an Italian neighborhood and I have met some folks at Olive Garden after work. It’s okay. I enjoyed it, actually, for what it is.
I get home made Italian food to this day, some very authentic to regions of Italy when my mom makes it, and some very authentic to my neighborhood in Philadelphia when my wife makes it! 
Yet, I could sit down at Olive Garden and enjoy some of the food. I ain’t crazy about them shoving this ‘authentic Italian’ thing down my throat, but I also understand those ads are meant to convey a feeling…or hit some ‘emotion’, which is big with Ad campaigns now.
We all call it cheesey (no pun intended), but those stupid Ads work. Well, at least the Ad companies think so.
I’ll call you next time Grandma comes to town.
Hey, my 14 year old is now requesting Olive Garden instead of Old Country Buffet (I will never, ever forgive his grandmother for introducing him to that place!) when it’s his turn for a restaurant pick. I’m SO okay with that, even if I wouldn’t choose it myself.
Soup (pasta e fagioli, please!) Salad and Crack - I mean Breadsticks - for Mom, and he and the baby can split an entree and still go home with a doggy bag. Ends up being cheaper than OCB, too!
I haven’t been in quite a while, but I’ve got nothing against the place. Last time I got that unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks thing for lunch; I rather enjoyed it. I realize that the soup is dumped out of a plastic bag, but so what? If I’m happy with the taste, that’s all I ask.
Reading these boards, I get the feeling I’m one of the few people who actually likes the gargantuan portions currently in vogue at American restaurants. I rarely if ever finish my dinner, and usually have my entire lunch for the next day in the styrofoam box when I leave; I consider that a big plus!
Please, if you are going to choose a chain Italian place choose Macaroni Grill. Yummy Dill bread and they actually cook your meal. Or if you are in the NorthEast go for Bertucci’s. (Yummy rolls and raw dough so the kids can play).