Olive Garden: A Real Taste of American Fiction

As I’ve never been to the States, I only encountered Olive Garden through constant references to it made in the books I read and movies/TV shows I watch - of course, the main take away from those references would be that it's known for its unlimited breadsticks!

NEVER-ENDING GARDEN SALAD AND BREADSTICKS

Naturally, I was pretty excited to try it out ever since The Bistro Group brought it over to the Philippines. Finally, something that was simply part of fiction would turn in to reality! During my first visit, Olive Garden Philippines only had one branch – its flagship MOA branch; however, it has since branched out to Glorietta (and hopefully more branches).

NEVER-ENDING SOUP: CHICKEN AND GNOCCHI

Most of its main dishes would already be bundled with their famous breadsticks and a choice between the Never-Ending Garden Salad and Never-Ending Soup so it’s best to strategize which main dishes to order to be able to maximize the experience (personally, I pair a carbo-filled main dish with a non-carbo filled main dish for every 2 adults).

HIBISCUS BUTTERFLY PEA TEA (P195)

If you’re extra hungry or if you opted for the carb-free main dishes, the Never-Ending Soup would be a good choice as they allow you to change your soup option for every refill. Choices would include the Zuppa Toscana, Minestrone, Pasta e Fagioli and Chicken and Gnocchi. However, for those who wish for a more balanced meal, the Never-Ending Garden Salad promises a fresh selection of greens tossed in a zesty vinaigrette. Their beverage selection is also interesting so make sure to not miss out on any of its photogenic glasses!

SHRIMP FRITTO MISTO

Unfortunately, the breadsticks were quite underwhelming – it’s okay – but definitely, nothing noteworthy (I’d actually choose Texas Roadhouse’s complimentary bread over Olive Garden’s breadsticks any day - and I'm not even a fan of that). However, this may be why they offer a selection of dips for you to pair the breadsticks with. As these dips are a paid add-on selection, I opted to spend my money on their appetizers instead.

CALAMARI (P395/P645)

Its Shrimp Fritto Misto and Calamari both boast of seafood (and vegetables) coated in a light herbed-filled batter that promises to deliver on crunch in every bite! During my first visit, plump shrimps were served in the Fritto Misto; however, during my second visit, there were significantly more zucchini, bell pepper and eggplant fritters in the plate than there were shrimps. Nonetheless – the vegetable fritters themselves were equally a delight to eat. Alternate dipping them in the ranch sauce and marinara sauce that they come with. Truly, a must-have every time you dine in Olive Garden!

SHRIMP SCAMPI (P695)

The Shrimp Scampi is an oil-based angel hair pasta with a good amount of fresh plump shrimps and some asparagus, tomatoes and bell peppers tossed in to lend the dish more textures and more vibrant colors. I loved that this dish had a spicy kick to it – but it was in need of a little bit more seasoning.

GRILLED CHICKEN MARGHERITA (P645)

We paired the Scampi with the Grilled Chicken Margherita which featured really juicy grilled chicken lusciously topped with melted mozzarella cheese and bright red cherry tomatoes. This was paired with parmesan-crusted zucchini slices which were an absolute delight to eat!

TRUFFLE AND HONEY MUSHROOM (P910)

The Truffle and Honey Mushroom pizza was a revelation – I was surprised just how good it was! The crust was freshly baked, and the toppings were top-tier. Its toppings look sparse but if you bite into it, you’d definitely understand why less is more – its cheesy base alone tasted amazing. One thing’s for sure, I was more delighted with the pizza here than in a mano! To even add more value for money, an order of their pizza also comes with a never-ending soup/salad for one person!

HERB-GRILLED SALMON (P1200)

The Herb-Grilled Salmon is a nice lighter option to pair with your heftier carb-filled mains as the perfectly-cooked salmon in its herbed-filled glory is simply paired with the parmesan-crusted zucchini that I just can’t get enough of! Zest it with some lemon juice and it’s melt-in-your-mouth buttery wonder!

6 OZ SIRLOIN (P1450)

I was actually looking forward to the 6 oz Sirloin the most; however, it proved to be the most disappointing dish that I've tried in my two visits to Olive Garden. Despite requesting for the steak to be cooked medium, it was terribly tough and bland. It was a literal struggle to slice through the meat and to chew on it! The only silver lining was that we were able to try Olive Garden’s Fettucine Alfredo which the steak came with, which featured al dente fettucine noodles beautifully clothed in a flavorful and rich cream sauce.

CHICKEN PARMIGIANA (P695/P895)

The dish that surprised me the most would be Olive Garden’s Chicken Parmigiana. I’m really not a fan of chicken parmigiana; however, the perfect balance of savory and tangy of its tomato sauce, layered over really juicy chicken which boast of golden-brown crisp skin, and topped with melted cheese – was simply too good to resist.

Olive Garden

Dates of Visit: October 22, 2022 and December 24, 2022 with Wilson Chua, Lily Chua, Jared Chua and Jem Chua