| rev:text
| - It appears that Macaroni Grill suffers from what a lot of chain restaurants seem to be suffering from lately: familiarity. They start out fantastic, get a fan base, expand, and then decide to let things slide because they think people won't notice and will come again and again regardless.
The first insult came a few years ago when they got rid of what was my favorite dish (farfalle al sugo bianco). I asked a server about it the first time I noticed it missing from the menu. They weren't sure why either because it was a guest favorite. Huh. First sign of decline: you get rid of one of your most popular dishes that make people want to return.
I've noticed they've tried to mix up their menu from time to time, even trying specials/dishes that similar Italian restaurant chains are offering to try to get people to come in. Second sign of decline: trying to be like everyone else instead of standing out on your own merit.
We were offered a free sample of their house wine. It was good, but when we told our server that we didn't want to order a glass, she took our samples away before we could finish! Wow. No buyee, no drinkee.
We tried their fried zucchini appetizer to start. It was pretty bland. I realize that zucchini doesn't have a lot of flavor. But that's why you season it, to bring out its flavor. I guess Macaroni Grill doesn't realize that, though. Even the marinara dipping sauce tasted unseasoned. If you want fried zucchini done right, you have to go to Leroy Fox.
Thankfully, Macaroni Grill still makes delicious rosemary-flavored bread that they bring complimentary to the tables to dip in olive oil. I remember when they used to pour the olive oil into a dish for you; I guess that's out, too. Third sign of decline: no longer offering a service that you used to offer (and people remember).
Our dinners took FOREVER to come. And the restaurant wasn't even that busy. It was about 2/3 full at a maximum. Fourth sign of decline: your dinners take longer than they should to arrive and there's no manager walking around the floor apologizing for the delay or trying to help/speed things up.
I ordered their new Buffalo Chicken Parmesan as my entree. It said it came with calabrian peppers, celery, a gorgonzola cream sauce and capellini pasta, which I changed to farfalle (bowties). The chicken tasted decent, although not exceptional. The pasta and cream sauce was a disappointment. There were a couple of BIG chunks of crunchy celery in it (I would have sliced it thin if making this dish at home) and only 3 tiny slices of calabrian peppers (which wasn't nearly enough). I found one chunk of gorgonzola cheese, where I think all the flavor was, because the rest was just a plain cream sauce with no distinct gorgonzola flavor. If you want to know what a gorgonzola cream sauce should taste like, go to Hawthorne's Pizza for their sausage and gorgonzola pasta dish. It is out of this world.
Others in my dinner party were similarly disappointed with their entrees. My partner ordered the Brick Chicken to try to order on the healthy side. He said it was extremely greasy and not very flavorful. Mission unaccomplished. His daughter ordered the Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Salad which looked big and amazing when it was delivered, but later she wondered where the "greens" were that were promised in the description. It looked like they used cabbage instead. Seriously? This isn't coleslaw. It's a salad. They ran out and someone couldn't run over to the grocery store? Lame. Fifth sign of decline: running out of ingredients and substituting with something completely different, hoping the customer won't notice.
After waiting too long for our dinners, we then waited for too long to have our dishes cleared, boxes for leftovers, and the check. We were just ready to go.
Macaroni Grill used to be my go-to Italian restaurant. I can safely say that it is no longer even on our list of options for the future. I have to break up with them. It's not me, it's you.
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