The Olive Garden

[swag]

and other chain restaurants get sneered at by the New York Times.

[TrogL]

1. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS AN OLIVE GARDEN

Olive trees grow in groves or orchards. They favour highly acidic soil where nothing else will grow ie. the rest of the garden.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

2. Outback Steak House, A.K.A. "This steak has whip marks where the jockey's been hitting it"

Hat tip to Rodney Dangerfield...

:toast:

BUT...

Dear GOD, I attended a Chamber of Commerce lunch about a year ago at Outback and the steak was the toughest, stringiest peace of "meat" I've had in a long time. It's a STEAKHOUSE, dammit! They cannot serve a decent steak, and it is a STEAKHOUSE!

:eyes:

[noonwitch]

3. I like the Olive Garden, especially for lunch

Unlimited soup, salad and breadsticks!

The zuppa toscana is good. It's not the best italian restaurant in town, but it is passable and affordable.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

4. I like zuppa toscana, too

Sure, if you want to go to the very best Italian place in town, chances are there is some place better than the Olive Garden.

But if you want something adequate for a decent price, you can't do harm with Olive Garden.

[PVnRT]

5. What was "sneering" about those reviews?

If anyone gets any "sneering" from those, they have some very thin skin.

[jakefrep]

6. Just imagine the flamewar if Olive Garden opened an OTB parlor.

[applegrove]

7. I ate at East "Side Mario's. Does that count? They have breadsticks!!!