Check out our Olive Garden experience!
Sometimes, you just gotta ditch the dishes and head out for a classic Italian-American family feast. That’s exactly what we did this past weekend with a trip to our local Olive Garden. It was just right before we saw the advance screening of Kung Fu Panda 4. Let me tell you, it was a lunchtime adventure filled with cheesy goodness, endless breadsticks, and enough laughter to rival a sitcom.
It was our first time here but the minute we walked in, the familiar scent of garlic and herbs hit us, instantly putting everyone in a good mood. The Never Ending Soup, Salad, and Breadstick is for ₱795 but if you order an Entrée, you already get the Never Ending Soup, Salad, and Breadstick. So we decided to order three entrées and an appetizer that Twinkle would like so she can share just share it with us. After all, she doesn’t like the soup and salad.
The soups came first and the photo above is of the Chicken and Gnocchi, which I ordered and Ykaie’s Pasta E Fagioli. The Chicken and Gnocchi is a creamy soup with roasted chicken, italian dumplings, and spinach while the Pasta E Fagioli isa tomato-based soup with pasta, white beans, and ground beef.
The salad was LOVE! Well, maybe it was because of the ranch dressing but gosh, it was really good. The never-ending stream of warm, buttery breadsticks was a constant companion throughout the meal. Twinkle, bless her heart, declared them the best invention ever, while ate Ykaie wanted to order a lot so we can stockpile a few for later.. LOL (don’t judge, we’ve all been there!).
The appetizer that we ordered was the Calamari (₱495). It came in crispy sticks instead of rings and was served with marinara sauce and spicy ranch. Our server, a friendly young woman named Sarah, patiently navigated the usual pre-ordering chaos. My husband, a creature of habit, went straight for his beloved Shrimp Scampi, while I wrestled with the decision between Chicken Parm and Baked Ziti. In the end, the siren call of cheesy chicken won.
Pasta for Days
Yep, I got the Chicken Parmigiana (₱695) — with it’s big slab of crunchy breaded chicken topped with their homemade marinara and a side of spaghetti. To tell you honestly, the solo serving is quite big and can already be for sharing.
Ykaie got the Five Cheese Ziti Al Forno (₱675) — and you guessed it. It was overflowing creamy and cheesy! And husbands Shrimp Scampi (₱795) surprisingly came with angel hair pasta.
As the entrees arrived, the conversation flowed. We caught up on everyone’s week, from my Ykaie’s latest school project to Daddydoodledoo’s never-ending kwento about his officemates to Twinkle’s new favorite toys. The food, of course, was delicious. The cheesy chicken parm, the perfectly seasoned scampi, and the cheesy, creamy goodness of the five cheese ziti all hit the spot.
Of course, no Olive Garden experience is complete without dessert. My husband who loves donuts of all shapes and sizes, said he wanted to try the Warm Italian Doughnuts. So we shared a plate of their Zeppoli (₱395), soft, warm, made to order doughnuts tosed in vanilla sugar and dipped in chocolate sauce. It was the perfect ending to a perfect family lunch.
Walking out of Olive Garden, our bellies were full, our hearts were happy, and we were armed with enough leftovers to fuel an army (well, maybe a small family army). It wasn’t just about the food, though. It was about the shared experience, the laughter, and the simple joy of spending time with the people you love.
Until next time, Olive Garden!
