My family's favorite restaurant!
Written: Jan 28 '01 (Updated Jan 28 '01)
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Pros: My Favorite! Perfect Chicken Marsala, warm atmosphere, service as good as anywhere. Fair prices.
Cons: Long wait for a table - this place is always packed!
The Bottom Line: Delicious food!!! GREAT PLACE for a first date, birthday dinner, or dinner with friends! Be prepared to wait.
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| persephonegirl's Full Review: Carrabba's Italian Grill |
I absolutely LOVE Carrabba's! I've never been disappointed with the food or service, but I've learned to deal with the long wait for a table. One big "plus" - Carrabba's has a few tricks to keep the kids busy so the adults can enjoy their meal.
The Food - Savor every bite!
First, let's talk food! I usually order the bruschette appetizer if we're waiting at the bar for a table, and it looks like we'll be there for a while. It's six pieces of garlic toast (three topped with fontina cheese and mushrooms; three with mozzarella, tomato and pesto). These go fast, especially in a group of three or more. The problem is, they're filling and you get free bread when you get the table, anyway.
As for entrees - I love the Chicken Marsala. The menu describes it as "Fire-roasted chicken breast topped with mushrooms and prosciutto in Florio Marsala wine sauce." I describe it as Heaven on a plate. It comes with a salad. This is the kind of entree I keep eating after I'm full! My tastebuds never get tired of it. The Chicken Brian is also delicious. My mother loves the Mezzaluna ravioli.
For dessert, I like the Dessert Rosa ("butter cake topped with pastry cream, bananas, strawberries, pineapple and whipped cream") and the Tiramisu' (lady fingers dipped in rum and espresso, layered with mascarpone and chocolate shavings). There's plenty to share. Make sure you save room!
Carrabba's offers large portions at a fair price. You can save half of your entree for the next day's lunch, if you can stop yourself from cleaning your plate. The servers are usually charming people who bring your food while it's hot, keep your glasses full, and even sing for anyone celebrating a birthday.
For the kids
Carrabba's knows that if the kids are happy, the adults are happy. The children can play with a handful pizza dough, a free activity book and crayons, and watch the chefs do their thing at the fire ovens. The kid's menu has favorites such as spaghetti and meatballs, chicken fingers, and pizza. Plus, their drinks come in cute plastic cups they can take home. My 5 year old nephew has always behaved well at Carrabba's because he's entertained.
"The Only Con - The Wait"
Carrabba's is not some little-out-of-the-way-place-where-nobody-goes. This place is PACKED almost any night of the week. The best bet is to get there by 5:00 p.m.
The staff tries hard to make the wait at painless as possible for their guests. When you give your name to the host or hostess, you get a pager that lights up when your table is ready. So, you can wait outside on the benches, or at one of the many small tables by the front door, or at the bar. You can order appetizers and drinks before your table is ready. If you have children in your party, they'll each get their activity book, crayons, and pizza dough to play with during the wait.
If you can find a seat at the bar, or at one of the tables or booths in the bar area, you can order your whole meal and eat there instead of waiting for a table. I usually get my pager, find an empty stool at the bar, and keep my eyes on the booths so I can pounce when the first one is available. They are as cozy as any in the main dining area, if you don't mind the smokers at the bar.
The Bottom Line
I've never had a bad night at Carrabba's. The food is delectable, the prices are fair, the portions are large, the service is as good as any, and the kids stay entertained. Plus, Carrabba's gift certificates are a great gift (one I love to get!). Come early or be prepared to wait about 45-60 minutes.
Enjoy!
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: Yes
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations Try the bruschette as an appetizer, can't miss on the entrees, save room for dessert!
Best Suited For: Friends
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Epinions.com ID:
persephonegirl
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Location: Tampa, FL
Reviews written: 5
Trusted by: 4 members
About Me:
Software Requirements Analyst
B.A. in English/Technical Writing from UCF
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