Elite Tasting: Olive Garden

Eek it’s taken me so long to finally review this amazing YEE! A huge thank you to Katie B. for organising this event and Olive Garden for hosting us. Before this event, I never even knew there was an Olive Garden in this Burbank plaza, so I learned a lot this evening ;) We were treated generously to ELEVEN courses as well as what seemed like unlimited drinks, and we got goodie bags to take home on top of that! The servers were all so great, always a smile on their faces, but I have to give a special shoutout to Bonnie because she was especially awesome :)
I love that they provided us with a Menu Tasting Checklist. It was their way of getting our feedback on the dishes, but I found it quite helpful as well. Here is a slightly better written version of what I gave them:
1. Crispy Risotto Bites
– These tasted good, but the coating was too hard. It was quite difficult to pierce with a fork.
2. Artichoke Fritti
– I can say this is literally the only time in my life that I have enjoyed an artichoke dish. Frying really does make everything better!
3. Polenta Shrimp alla Greca
– Delicious but WAY. TOO. SALTY. Which is saying a lot because I love salty food.
4. Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad Topper
– I loved the variety in the salad and the dressing was good too. Our table really liked this salad.
5. Smashed Chicken Meatball Sandwich
– This had a nice kick to it; the meatballs go well with the marinara sauce.
6. Bucatini with Diavolo Sauce and Sausage Meatballs
– The pasta was way too overcooked and I also found the dish to be slightly too spicy for me as well.
7. Garlic Rosemary Chicken (Lighter Italian Fare — under 575 calories)
– This was my favourite! SO GOOD. The chicken was well cooked and the garlic was delicious. And of course I love mashed potatoes so I enjoyed that immensely: D (We may have asked for another helping of this one…)
8. Lasagna Fresca (seasonal)
– I love lasagna but not vegetables. And this particular lasagna had too many veggies in it for me…
9. Chicken Abruzzi (Lighter Italian Fare — under 575 calories)
– I found this to be bland and mediocre.
10. Pappardelle Pescatore
– This was just okay.
11. Vanilla Panna Cotta with Strawberries
– Delicious with the strawberry syrup
I also enjoyed several drinks:
– Raspberry Lemonade
– Strawberry-​Limoncello Martini: Smirnoff Citrus Vodka, Caravella Limoncello and strawberries
– Moscato
All three drinks were delicious, especially the martini. The moscato was a lovely way to finish the meal.
Any leftovers that we had got boxed up and placed in bags with our names on them! There was also a raffle for gift cards… and I won one! YAY I never win things! And then to make it even better they gave EVERYONE a gift card on the way out. So I was the proud owner of TWO Olive Garden gift cards… and a «I (heart) Pasta» tshirt! My food baby definitely grew a whole lot this evening, but it was worth it… and I couldn’t have been in better company! Shout-​outs to Tara C, Shanon Y, Queenie I, Linda W, and Richard L for being lovely table-​mates! Writing this review makes me crave Olive Garden… must come back here soon to use my gift cards! :)

This was my first Elite Event, and I must say. I had so much fun and was very impressed! Thanks Katie B. for being such an awesome community manager. The goodies were awesome! This event just stuffed me beyond belief and sent me home with a very useful gift card for later on.
I loved our starters! The crispy risotto bites and polenta were just melt in your mouth. The dipping sauce with the artichoke fritti would just be delicious by itself, yum. The kale topper definitely gave some substance to the usual bland Olive Garden salad, you actually felt good eating it (get the dressing on the side). The entrée that really hit it off for me was the lasagna fresca, finally a good vegetable lasagna! I was super bummed when I couldn’t find it on the menu a few weeks later :(the paparedelle pescTore was delish too. The pasta was cooked just right al dente and the seafood didn’t have an overpowering fishy taste youd expect. The garlic mashed potatoes were yummy too. The vanilla Pana cotta was omg yum, it was so creamy and I was so full I had to take it home.
On top of the 11 dishes we tried, two drinks and coffee were also provided. The servers and atmosphere were amazing, it’s was a royal feast!

OMG so much food I’m about to pass out!
Thanks to Katie B. and Burbank Olive Garden for hosting this awesome YEE. We sampled 11 courses of Olive Garden’s new menu of items all under 575 calories.
This is the first time I’ve had an 11 course meal and let me tell you by the 6^th course I was already so full that I was afraid I’d fall face first into my 7^th course from food coma.
We were treated to the following items for our special tasting:
Crispy Risotto Bites
Artichoke Fritti
Polenta Shrimp alla Grece
Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad Topper
Smashed Chicken Meatball Sandwich
Bucatini with Diovolo Sauce and Sausage Meatballs
Garlic Rosemary Chicken
Lasagna Fresca (seasonal)
Chicken Abruzzi
Pappardelle Pescatore
Vanilla Panna Cotta with Strawberries
My favorites of the night were the Garlic Rosemary Chicken and Vanilla Panna Cotta with Strawberries. The chicken was tender and flavorful. It was so good I even got leftovers to take home! Even though I was stuffed beyond belief I couldn’t say no to dessert and once the Panna Cotta came out, I took a bite I was in heaven! That was one was most decadent desserts I’ve ever had! It was light and the sweetness was not overpowering. It tasted like a really light flan with strawberry jam.
During the meal Olive Garden even raffled off gift cards, but at the end they still gave everyone with a $ 25 gift card and a I Love Pasta tshirt to take home. Talk about being spoiled! Thanks again for this incredible dinner and I can’t wait to use my gift card to go back!

This was my second Elite event, I was really excited since it was really close by and I hadn’t been to one since a showing of Frozen at the El Capitan.
We were greeted by many managers from different branches of Olive Gardens from the area, and throughout the night they periodically came around to our groups asking what we thought of the 11 dishes that we were served. 11 dishes! Holy crap! I’m glad I didn’t really eat that day. We also got some drink tickets as well for alcoholic beverages, no one at my table really drank so we made other people’s night.
So the servers were also extra nice, and we got to talking with our server, always having friendly banter with them, as you should, they’re people, too… Duh??? We got some drinks, talked a bit, then one of the managers announces that we’re to begin.
Dish #1: Appetizer– Crispy Risotto Bites
Basically carbs, wrapped in carbs, fried in oil, and served on a bed of marinara sauce. Risotto had no real flavor in it, but if it did it was destroyed by the frying. But it was super crispy and the marinara sauce was a nice touch. But if you’re already destroying their free breadsticks, you may not want to add onto your carboloading with this. **MIGHT GET**
Dish #2: Appetizer– Artichoke Fritti
Basically the same thing as the first, but instead of a batter, it looked dredged then fried. Unfortunately either the artichoke retained a massive amount of oil, or the hearts just turned to mush. On top of it, they were pretty bitter… Not pleasant at all. **WOULD NOT GET**
Dish #3: Appetizer?- Polenta Shrimp A La Greca (Greek Shrimp on Polenta)
This one was really nice, presented beautifully and very flavorful, but the name was a bit too much, and everyone at the table agreed it was the only downside. Kind of confusing for Mr and Mrs. Smith, maybe… But the polenta was good enough on its own, and the shrimp was nicely flavored and not overcooked. **WOULD GET**
Dish #4: Lunch– Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad Topper
A nice mix of different greens, mozzarella, croutons, and a light dressing. However the dressing wasn’t mixed very well and fell right to the bottom without coating much of the salad above. Kale was the main ingredient in the salad, and while not a huge fan of it, the other components of the salad were very complimentary, but the red onions added an extra bitterness that I wasn’t a fan of since the kale was there. **MIGHT GET**
Dish #5: Lunch– Mashed Chicken Meatball Sandwich
This sandwich was cut into four piece and put on their side on a bed of marinara sauce then topped with Arugula. It looked super appetizing and upon furth inspection it had pesto red peppers, mozzarella, and a garlic olive oil spread on the bread. Everything about this was really nice, the chicken was seasoned nicely and still juicy, the marinara made for a great dipping sauce, and the overall flavors were very complimentary. The only negative is that there was too much oil in the bread which I could feel in my stomach afterwards. I mentioned this to the manager and he seemed to understand. But it was still a great sandiwch. **WOULD GET**
Dish #6: Dinner– Bucatini with Diavolo Sauce and Sausage Meatball
Shaped pasta with a super hot red sauce, peppers as garnish and two sausage meatballs. This one was Hellish goodness, it had the right amount of spice for those who could take it, not too hot but still enough to make you want a bit of water/​milk to cool down. The meatball was super juicy and complimented the overall dish. We didn’t have enough meatballs on the plate to give everyone a whole one, so I tried to ask the manager for another meatball just to have by myself, and he happily got me one. Mmmmmmm **WOULD ONLY GET WHEN NOT HOT OUT***
Dish #7: Dinner– Garlic Rosemary Chicken
Butterflied chicken breast on a bed of mashed potatoes, spinach and gravy, topped with whole cloves of roasted garlic. The chicken was cut a bit thin so it was rather on the dry side. Kind of a let down… The mash potatoes I wished could have been a bit more rustic, but it was super creamy, almost to the point of absolutely needing a spoon to eat it. The concept was great, but the execution was a bit lacking. **WOULDN’T GET**
Dish #8: Dinner– Lasagna Fresca
A vegetarian lasagna topped with shrimp and roasted tomatoes on the sides… Is it me or does this dish look like Sid from Ice Age??? Please reference the photo… It was very lightly seasoned, on the wrong side of bland unfortunately… And the shrimp just seemed out of place when you have this nice vegetarian lasagna… There was also an abundance of sauce, if it was a heartier sauce then I’d understand, but this was like water. **WOULD NOT GET**
Dish #9: Dinner– Chicken Abruzzi
Again, the presentation on this was fantastic, what looks like a minestrone soup minus the tomato sauce with kale and topped with grilled chicken

Once again Katie B. hooked it up with a great tasting event! sure, it was Olive Garden, but we got to try their new menu. so it was kind of a plus, bucause we got to try things we probably would never try on our own.
The staff was extremely nice, and explained all of the new items to us. they explained the «salad on a salad», which was the Capresse on top of the usual garden salad. i liked it.
my favorite dish was probably the seafood lasagna thing. i believe it was shrimp on top, which made it a good combo. i also liked the diablo pasta with the chicken. it was spicy, but i like spicy, so i loved it. its not for the faint of heart.
other items included some sort of tempura artichoke that was delicious.
they had a lean chicken option that came with mashed potatoes. it was surpsiingly good, even though it was «healthy». i cant say the say for the stew thing. it ws ehh.
i always loved Olive Garden. just more reason to come back again. cant get enough breadsticks. you all know it!

I don’t know where to begin!?! Phew. I’m still recovering from my food coma… as I eat some delicious leftovers right now! :)
Service: AMAZING. The servers were so friendly and accommodating that you would think we were royalty! The staff all introduced themselves, checked in frequently, listened to our comments and requests, and brought my table endless amounts of breadsticks with Alfredo sauce. :)
Ambiance/​Event: We were in the back of the restaurant (which was nice because I’m sure we made a lot of noise) but we were closed off so it felt more intimate with the staff and other Unilocalers. We were able to sit down for dinner and meet other Unilocalers and discuss the dishes. The staff and managers checked in regarding our opinions of the food and seemed genuinely interested in how they could make each dish and the experience better (or if they need to leave something just as it is)! There were contests throughout the night for social media comments/​photos, and we were given leftovers to take home, as well an I love pasta t-​shirt and $ 25 gift card!
Food: OMG. We ate a lot! I have never been to an Elite tasting so I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect. We were served family style (typically about 2 dishes for the 6 of us at my table). There were plenty of new items to try and the presentation was very nice.
— Crispy Risotto Bites
— Artichoke Fritti
— Polenta Shrimp alla Greca
— Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad Topper
— Smashed Chicken Meatball Sandwich
— Bucatini w/​Diavolo Sauce and Sausage Meatballs
— Garlic Rosemary Chicken
— Lasagna Fresca
— Chicken Abruzzi
— Pappardelle Pescatore
— Vanilla Panna Cotta w/​Strawberry Sauce
— 2 drink tickets!!!
I like the risotto bites, especially because they weren’t so cheesy and the outside was nice and crispy! I loved the new salad they have with delicious sun-​dried tomatoes and mozzarella balls. I can’t decide between my favorite dish… it’s either the smashed chicken meatball sandwich (sounds a little strange, but it was very tasty!) and the Lasagna Fresca which featured fresh veggies and was topped with shrimp. With my drink tickets I tried a glass of the Riesling with my meal, which was perfect and I ended the night with a sweet moscato. Perfect!
Dessert: And the dessert. The dessert deserves it’s own paragraph. We had Vanilla Panna Cotta with lovely and tasty strawberry sauce. mmmm. I think I will be using my $ 25 gift card to return for more panna cotta!

This was an incredible Elite event. Quite possibly the best I’ve been to in the states. A true feast, with a smörgåsbord of courses, and wonderful impeccable service from the Olive Garden staff. I was wow’d.
We were treated to 11 courses, all of which I enjoyed. My favorite and most memorable dishes were the fried risotto balls, the garlic rosemary chicken and mashed potatoes, the chicken with kale dish, and the fried artichoke hearts. Olive Garden has revamped their menu and the result is a delicious offering of interesting and tasty foods.
The service was also above and beyond anything I’ve ever expected. The servers were so attentive and kind, came by so often to check in, made dozens of doggy bags for everyone at the event so we’d have yummy leftovers, and were just so gracious. The managers were also so friendly and came by frequently to talk with us to see if we were enjoying our meal.
In addition, to top off the delicious meal, they gave everyone a pasta tshirt and a $ 25 gift card at the end of the night! This was my first time at Olive Garden and now I can’t wait to go back!
Thank you Olive Garden for the amazing meal and fantastic service! It certainly felt like home!
And thank you Katie B. for the opportunity to attend this event! This is why I love being Unilocal Elite!

This was such a fun event! Who’d have thunk it– an Olive Garden pulled out all the stops and treated us to a HUGE tasting dinner of their new menu items! They also let us run amok with the drink tickets too, heehee. I won’t go over the whole menu but just list my favorite items: that garlic rosemary chicken was delicious AND apparently one of the new «light» dishes; that artichoke fritti was hot, crispy, fried goodness (and you can say you ate your veggies); the panna cotta for dessert was flavorful and lovely, but the portion was so big that I had to pack up most of it. Our main server Bonnie was a sweetheart and on top of her game, and the rest of the staff were awesome as well. Thanks for the cute pasta t-​shirt and $ 25 gift card, Olive Garden! You know I’ll be back to spend it soon! Thanks for a fun and filling event, Katie!

I am Liz; I am a pastaholic. For my FIRST Elite tasting I traded in the 12-​Step Program for a lavish 12 courses of Italian fare courtesy of the Olive Garden. Like a true addict, I didn’t hold back. I refused to «pace» myself as any reasonable person would’ve done, even disregarding Katie’s admonition to reel it in, scale it back, tone it down, because we have got a lot more coming. Clearly our lovely community manager is unfamiliar in the ways of the card-​carrying pastaholic.
I tucked into the Smashed Chicken Meatball Sandwich like a waistline was going out of style. I stole a meatball from my table-​mate right out of the Spicy Diavolo spaghetti (I’ve renamed it ‘El Diablo’ in my mind, it was firey and wonderful.) I consumed a tonka truckload of breadsticks. I may have been that girl in the corner doing dirty things to the Garlic Rosemary Chicken. And I went full x-​rated when they told me this chicken dish was on the «Lighter Fare» menu, and the entire plate was under 600 calories: two plump golden chicken breasts, stewed baby spinach topped with a light creamy citrus sauce, and a heap of garlic parmesan mashed potatoes. I was saying the Serenity Prayer the whole drive home. «God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change…»

This Elite event was simply magic, from the amazing Katie B (aka Future World Domination), to helpful staff (thank you Bree), super cool table (Ray, Robbie, Christina, Adriana, Regina whoo-​hoo), sampling 11 menu items, an all-​around fun atmosphere, Unilocal swag, and great personal interaction with staff. Olive Garden has revamped much of their menu items with healthier fare, smaller portions, with a nod toward the trend of smaller sampling dishes instead of family style portions.
Not all the dishes were winners, but it was great that we could be candid with staff and provide honest feedback. My favorites for the night were the kale caprese salad, buccatini with meatball, and the garlic rosemary chicken (which I am utterly shocked is only 500 calories). And oh yes the panna cotta with strawberry drizzle too. These dishes will bring me and a plus-​one back here for sure.
As fellow Unilocalers have mentioned, it was rockstar treatment and service from the get-​go. Thank you to all for putting this together, this is what makes Elite Unilocal-​ing the cat’s pajamas.

I am still so stuffed from last night’s awesome Unilocal elite event with Katie. It had been 10 years since I had gone for a meal at any location of Olive Garden and was curious to see how my past experience held up to what they had going on now.
We were definitely in for a treat, as we were all handed 2 drink tickets, and seated with other friendly Unilocalers. Dish after dish started rolling out of the kitchen, and placed before us… and kept going! The servers were so attentive and nice, kept the refills going and plates changed with the different dishes. Their new dishes were pretty tasty! I especially liked the polenta shrimp dish with a Greek twist, the spicy chicken meatball sandwich and the surprisingly super spicy meatball spaghetti dish. The dessert was also great– a fresh strawberry panna cotta– but at that point I was so full I only could take a few bites.
Contests were run during the event and I won a gift card woot! They also gave us gift cards and «I love pasta» shirts on the way out! Excellent event, thank you Katie and Olive Garden!

Wow, my first «Elite Tasting» event and it was so much fun! I’ve NEVER gone to Olive Garden before, so this was the perfect chance for me to sample their food, especially since all the dishes are brand new items from their revised menu!
Let’s talk about service first, because it was FANTASTIC. It’s been a freaking long time since I’ve experienced such amazing, friendly service that was so genuine. Every waiter and waitress had a bright smile and were ready to assist us with anything we needed (including refills on those unlimited complimentary non-​alcoholic drinks). Dirty plates were cleared many times throughout the night, and they offered to pack our leftovers in boxes for EACH of us individually. They even offered to bring us more food if our bellies weren’t satisfied yet. If only service can always be like this at all restaurants…
Now, onto the food. We had a sampling of 11 courses. Yep you heard right, 11… that makes it basically equivalent to «all you can eat.» Also, each person got 2 drink tickets for alcoholic drinks. Yay! ;D
Appetizers:
(1) Crispy Risotto Bites (³⁄₅ stars): this was okay. I’m not a big fan of cheese, and I felt like the flavor was a bit lacking. Also, the exterior was a bit too crunchy/​hard.
(2) Artichoke Fritti (⁴⁄₅ stars): pretty yummy! So soft, and fried well.
(3)Polenta Shrimp alla Greca (⁴⁄₅ stars): yummm!!! The sauce was perfect! Shrimp was also very delicious, fresh and it’s got that nice «bite» to it.
(4) Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad Topper (³⁄₅ stars): This was decent. Could be better… the cheese wasn’t half bad, light and not too strong. Salad was fresh & crunchy. Sauce was pretty good. So why 3 stars? Missing SOMETHING there… maybe another sweeter fruit to go along with it?
Entrees:
(1) Smashed Chicken Meatball Sandwich (²⁄₅ stars): Not a fan. Patty was too smushy, meat was also kind of mushy. Everything tasted mushy lol.
(2) Buccatini with Diavolo Sauce and Sausage Meatballs (4.5÷5 stars): Ohhh my. SPICY! YESSS! Haha, I already decided that if I was to come back to Olive Garden this is the entrée I would get. Yep, favorite of the night! Pasta was too soft, not al dente. I can forgive that because the sauce had such a nice kick of spicy flavor and the meatballs were pretty good. (Plus I already came here knowing the pasta quality probably wouldn’t be AMAZING, it is a chain fast-​casual Italian restaurant after all).
(3) Garlic Rosemary Chicken (³⁄₅ stars): Chicken was tender and well flavored, but not my favorite sauce I guess. Mashed potatoes was a nice addition. It was good, but nothing stood out.
(4) Lasagna Fresca (seasonal) (³⁄₅ stars): This came with shrimp, yay! But the sauce was a bit on the heavy/​creamier side for me. This is a personal preference, I feel like most people would really like it.
(5) Chicken Abruzzi (²⁄₅ stars): Mediocre dish! Chicken was whatever, vegetables that came with it were whatever. Definitely not a well thought-​out dish in my opinion.
(6) Pappardelle Pescatore (³⁄₅ stars): I gotta be honest. By this point, my stomach was bursting from being too full and I was half asleep from food coma. So I can’t say for sure how good it was, as I only had 1 bite. But I do remember the shrimp size being smaller than the other dishes that included shrimp, and it didn’t taste as good. Pasta quality as usual was just mediocre. I failed to grab a clam… darn it!
DESSERT:
(1) Vanilla Panna Cotta with strawberries (³⁄₅ stars): This wasn’t bad! Has a custard-​like consistency. Tasted just slightlyyyy plastic, if you know what I mean. But the strawberry jam that came with it helped, as did the fresh strawberry slices on top. A nice ending to our meal!
NON-​ALCOHOLIC DRINKS:
(1) Strawberry-​Passion Fruit Limonata (⁴⁄₅ stars): mix of lemonade, sparkling water, strawberries and passion fruit. Pretty good and refreshing!
(2) Cappuccino (²⁄₅ stars): This was good at first when it came out hot. But as soon as it cooled down I could tell… not so good. Delicious cappuccino stays delicious even after it cools down.
ALCOHOLIC DRINK:
(1) Long Island Limoncello (3.5÷5 stars): With Smirnoff Vodka, Bacardi Silver Rum and triple sec. Pretty good, couldn’t really taste the alcohol & was still sweet.
BEST OF ALL:
At the end, they gave EVERYONE a free Olive Garden «I love pasta» tshirt ANDDDD a $ 25 gift card! SO NICE!
This event was freaking amazing. I had so much fun and gotta give a big thanks to Katie B. for planning it, and the Olive Garden crew that made it possible!

Really when I heard there was going to be an Elite Tasting at the Olive Garden I was SUPER excited (I love OG, one of my favorite chains) but also SUPER nervous because I expected pasta overload. I am so thankful that the new menu featured a great variety of appetizers and entrees besides just pasta.
Parking was ample.
The service was INCREDIBLE. Everyone was super nice from the hostess all the way to the busboys. I really felt like a celebrity getting all that 5 star treatment.
The menu was served family style and each guest was given two drink tickets for alcoholic beverages (which was MORE than enough liquor). I had the Italian Margarita which is served with a shot of amaretto and it was by far the tastiest drink on the menu. So yummy and strong! Would highly recommend for its sweet and subtle flavors.
The menu consisted of and we were given a comment card for feedback to the Olive Garden Headquarters.
My Comments are below.
Appetizer:
Crispy Risotto Bites: Perfection! Loved the crispiness. Not too cheesy just right. Would of loved more marina sauce.
Artichoke Fritti: YASSSS bitch YASSSSSSS
Polenta Shrimp alla Greca: How dare you put this perfected creamy ass polenta on my plate and not warn me! And you have the audacity to put them plump ass shrimps on top. *takes a breath, and flip hair* …easily a favorite.
Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad Topper: WOW great additional to the salad family. Way to spice things up could see me ordering this again :)
Entrees:
Smashed Chicken Meatball Sandwich: LOVE the concept and the spiciness of the sandwich really gives it a proper kick. Also the marina sauce was a pleasant addition.
Buccatini with Diavolo Sauce and Sausage Meatballs: DIDN’T TRY
Garlic Rosemary Chicken: Chicken was a bit rubbery for me but please lend me your recipe for the potatoes. Creamy perfection in all its glory!
Lasagna Fresca with shrimp: So tasty and surprisingly so! Could eat it all, even the roasted tomato garnish. Love that it has so many different flavors
Chicken Abruzzi: Maybe its missing more beans or something… Would be perfect after a workout or for someone looking for a lighter menu option. Great concept love the chicken but I feel something is missing.
Pappardelle Pescatore: ANOTHER ONE OF MY FAVS. Great lemony scallops, spicy shrimp and tender loving noodles. I can see this as my go to pasta dish and the presentation is charming.
And finally dessert:
Vanilla Panna Cotta with strawberries: Loved the strawberry compote really balanced the panna cotta nicely. Super tasty and not heavy.
My absolute favs were the Polenta Shrimp alla Greca, Lasagna Fresca with Shrimp and the Pappardelle Pescatore… Obviously I am a seafood type girl.
Overall this was a fantastically filling event that didn’t disappoint. The food was amazing and the service was incredible. We were all treated to T-​Shirts and $ 25 gift cards. Thanks Katie B for putting us on game, and that Olive Garden for being amazing hosts.
OH and I forgot the best part… We were able to take home doggie bags of the unfinished items so guess who’s having a stupendous 8 –course lunch. me!

I haven’t been to an Olive Garden in probably a decade, so when I received the Unilocal Elite Invitation for an OG tasting at the Empire Center shopping mall that I frequent (Target!), I was interested. The staff was very hospitable and on top of their game– always refilling drinks, taking away dirty plates, and of course supplying us with many dishes to try. They have been busy revamping their menu and adding in more variety, smaller plates, and customizable options. From shrimp polenta to strawberry panna cotta, they are diversifying and making a real effort to transform the perception of OG.
The highlights for me were the artichoke fritti, a flavorful plate of fried artichokes with a tomato-​based dipping sauce. We had a total of 11 dishes to sample, including dessert, so by the end we were all stuffed– plus the never-​ending breadsticks! Yikes. Although I’m not a shrimp/​seafood pasta fan, they had a couple dishes that I knew my shrimp-​loving friend would love, and they have made an effort to add unexpected touches to their menu. From a spicy bucatini to garlic rosemary chicken geared for the calorie conscious, they have a bit of everything for everyone. They also have a new smashed chicken meatball sandwich that would be a solid option for a hearty working lunch, and they’ve incorporated trendy kale in their colorful caprese salad (red peppers, olives, tomatoes…) and a few hot dishes.
They were also generous and gave us all $ 25 gift cards to come back (plus I won one for Instagramming pics of the dishes!). The OG management seems very dedicated to changing things up a bit and giving customers more variety– before I used to think of the OG as mostly having heavy cream sauce-​based pastas, heavy soups, and baskets of breadsticks– but there are lighter options now as well. This OG is in a prime location too for shopping– you can cruise Target, TJ Maxx, Nordstrom Rack, Best Buy, etc., then take a break for sustenance at the good ol’ OG.
Thank you to the awesome management, servers, and Unilocal for coordinating such a generous and filling event.

A Unilocal Tasting Event at a big chain restaurant? Yep… Bam!
I have to be honest… I haven’t been to Olive Garden in at least 5 years, if not more. I remember the dishes being boring, heavy, bland, etc etc. Not anymore. They have reinvented their menu, and we are put to it the test. (Supposedly everything we tasted is on their current menu, but I didn’t get a chance to look at it.)
These no-​plus-​one events are fun since we can socialize and mingle with other Unilocalers. Shout out to the cool table — Robbie (who I already knew), Regina, Dave, Adriana and Christina! And big thanks to our server, Bree, who was fun, friendly and energetic.
Knowing it was an ELEVEN-​course meal, even though I did my best to pace myself, I had faltered after #8. Had to be carted off after the Panna Cotta dessert.
The winner for me was the Garlic Rosemary Chicken at 400 calories from their Lighter Italian Fare Menu. Had a great aroma, chicken that’s tender and tasty, and a side of creamy mashed potatoes.
Bottomless kiddie drinks (and I was good and just opted for h2o), and 2 big kids drinks (2x quartinos of wine).
Thank you Olive Garden and Vanessa from corporate for flying out from Orlando, FL to host this amazing event! Thank you Katie B and Unilocal for having me.
Pretty sure I won’t have to eat again until next Wednesday.

A ‘feast’ is generally associated with Thanksgiving: several courses, an endless amount of food, drinks, and friends. Well, Thanksgiving can go hide its head in shame because it has been ousted by Unilocal and Olive Garden at the Elite Tasting: Olive Garden event. Now, THIS was a feast! The kind that leaves you 5 sizes bigger and 10 pounds fatter, but with a smile on your face.
Being a chain restaurant, Olive Garden may be passed over when thinking of a great Italian eatery for your next dinner. Think again. Having recently revamped their menu, Unilocalers were invited to check out 11 dishes from their new offerings. That’s right: 11!!! In addition, each Unilocaler received two drink tickets redeemable on any beer, wine, or cocktail. That’s some VIP-​treatment there!
Before I even talk about the gargantuan amount of food; the customer service should be noted. From the second I walked in, I felt like a celebrity. Now I know how the celebrities in LA feel. Instantly, a host and general manager playfully argued over who would walk me to the Unilocal area. During the walk, EVERY employee said ‘hello’ or ‘welcome’. I’ve never had so many friends! This continued in the Unilocal seating area with all the employees/​managers/​etc introducing themselves and explaining the new menu and tasting. I simply can’t put into words how much we were treated like gold. I’ve been to what feels like hundreds of Unilocal and Unilocal Elite events but this was over the top!
The service never waned, either. Throughout the meal employees continuously checked on how Unilocalers fared in terms of satisfaction, presented clarity on the food (due to the fact that it was sort of like a food taste test/​market study with Unilocalers giving opinions on each dish), and NEVER uttered the word, «No» to any request. More bonuses? We were able to box up food to take home!
So how was the food? The 11 dishes included:
– Crispy Risotto Bites
– Artichoke Fritti
– Polenta Shrimp alla Greca
– Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad Topper
– Smashed Chicken Meatball Sandwich
– Bucatini w/​Diavolo Sauce and Sausage Meatballs
– Garlic Rosemary Chicken
– Lasagna Fresca
– Chicken Abruzzi
– Pappardelle Pescatore
– Vanilla Panna Cotta w/​Strawberry Sauce
Plus those endless bread sticks Olive Garden is known for and after dinner coffee or dessert wine!
Of course some of the food was better than others (my favorites: Smashed Chicken Meatball Sandwich, Garlic Rosemary Chicken, Polenta Shrimp alla Greca and of course the heavenly Panna Cotta). The dishes weren’t skimpy as even though they were served family-​style, there was plenty for each table.
If this isn’t enough, we were given t-​shirts AND a $ 25 gift card to return! Taking all of the food and gift cards into account; Olive Garden must have AT LEAST spent about a grand out of their pockets.
Upon leaving, I once again was treated as a celeb with each employee offering a good night. It was insane! Best service, ever!
This was the grandest feast I’ve had in a long time. Heck, probably ever. Thanks to Katie, Unilocal,and Olive Garden for putting this amazing tasting together. Sorry Thanksgiving: you are dethroned. Now I have to go work out at the gym for 10 hours…

At first, I wasn’t sure what made it out of this event. I been to Olive Garden before, that was pretty mediocre experience, however since this Elite Tasting after all. I know Katie won’t disappoint us, keep it short. This tasting event turnout much better and more.
There were good sizable amount of Unilocaler are skeptics about eating olive garden, yet some time there more than handful are olive garden virgin. I believe, this is my first elite tasting. I was excited and looking forward this event, as Katie suggest. I came here a bit hungry; one Unilocaler actually didn’t eat at all for the entire day.
Almost everyone arrive on time, after all you don’t wanted to miss some of the dishes, there are total of 11 courses to samples, I was like WTF and OMG 11 courses. Is 2 dishes each per course divided to share with 5 other Unilocaler per table. By 5 and 6^th course, some of us was ready to waving the white flag, and ask boxes,
All the food is based on their new menu, which is supposed to be under 500 calories, all were pretty good. Love the spicy shrimp diablo pasta, those were some flaming delicious pasta. I never had pasta as spicy as that dish. Most of the dish is consist of shrimp and chicken, there were no beef I think. I was surprise that there no soup in the 11 dish, soup is my favorite thing in OG.
The staff in the OG that serves us, were giving their best. Definite a A+ effort. There was never short of staff, despite so many dishes and drinks. Each of us get 2 alcohol tickets, non-​alcohol doesn’t need ticket. All the beverage menu is up for grab.
The best about event is also get to new Unilocaler, get to meet esther and ray for the first time. Tasting event isn’t as idea to meet Unilocaler as you do in most other event. Since food is focus on attention here, haha. I had to gave big kudos to Katies and OG for making this event happened. Everyone is a winner in the event, we all get a $ 25 gift card and a lovely I love pasta shirt. At top of the left-​over food which I eat in the next day. This is my first and hopefully not my last elite tasting !

Fantastic event. I love being a Unilocal Elite! Olive Garden was super generous with 11 menu items: crispy risotto bites, artichoke fritti, polenta shrimp alla Greca, roasted tomato caprese salad topper, smashed chicken meatball sandwich, bucatini with diavolo sauce and sausage meatballs, garlic rosemary chicken, lasagna fresca, chicken abruzzi, pappardelle pescatore, vanilla panna cotta with strawberries. I am sooo full of deeeeliciousness. Thank you so much Katie and Olive Garden for a quality event. This was a great way to reintroduce folks to Olive Garden and a wide variety of menu items. I would have had no idea that I loved vanilla panna cotta! Plus signature cocktails! Yay for drink tickets because the Moscato Citrus Berry Cocktail and the Rosato Spritzer were really good. I will definitely be back to OG!

2014 Unilocal 365 CHALLENGE — ²⁶³⁄₃₆₅
ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC Unilocal Elite Tasting this evening! There’s a reason why tasting events are my favorite: they’re smaller and more exclusive (no plus ones), the restaurant/​staff are always very eager, attentive, and hospitable because they want to impress and earn our Unilocal Elite stamp of approval, the multi-​course meals are AWESOME because you get to try their best of the best dishes, and it’s just all around a great time to be treated like royalty! :)
The Olive Garden just revamped their menu with a bunch of new items and wanted us to get a first taste at all of their brand new dishes! I don’t normally go to Olive Garden (haven’t been in 3+ years), and I found out that several other people in attendance had actually NEVER been to a location, so it was great that the Olive Garden gave us this special opportunity to come sample their food! It seemed like the lady who was in charge of the event said they’ve been doing this special taste test at locations all over the country. I really appreciate that they are being super proactive about getting the word out there and wanting to get as many people to sample their new foods! Really shows they care about their consumers!
We were offered a plentiful 11 DIFFERENT COURSES! Needless to say I am stuffed beyond belief and I basically waddled outta there. Here’s what we had:
APPS:
Crispy Risotto Bites
Artichoke Fritti (with a bomb 5-​cheese marinara sauce!)
Polenta Shrimp alla Greca
Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad Topper
ENTREES:
Smashed Chicken Meatball Sandwich
Buccatini with Diavolo Sauce and Sausage Meatballs
Garlic Rosemary Chicken
Lasagna Fresca (seasonal) with shrimp
Chicken Abruzzi
Pappardelle Pescatore
DESSERT:
Vanilla Panna Cotta with strawberries
My favorites out of the 11 courses include the Garlic Rosemary Chicken, Smashed Chicken Meatball Sandwich, Panna Cotta (OF COURSE), the Crispy Risotto Bites. Several of the girls at my table RAVED about the polenta and the pappardelle!
I tried ALL but the Pappardelle Pescatore because I’m not a fan of seafood and I wanted to save some room for dessert. Everything was served family style which was a cool way of enjoying food together since most of the tasting events I have been to have been plated meals.
We were also given two drink tickets for drinks from the bar. I got the Peach Bellini which was pleasantly delightful! I’ve never had one before and I thought it was super good! Everybody at my table enjoyed their drinks and it was awesome they even offered that because I’ve never gotten free bar drinks from any tasting before (usually it’s a set 3 – 5 drinks). We also got unlimited soft drinks which was fantastic.
The biggest thing that really impressed me about this event was the STAFF! Holy cow… never have I ever been treated SO well by a restaurant’s staff. This seriously was the best part of the evening in my opinion. Our waitresses were absolutely phenomenal. Everything went smoothly and we were served promptly, they cleared our dishes after every course, brought tons of extra utensils, constantly refilled my water (I literally have no clue how much water I drank this evening because my glass was literally ALWAYS FULL), were great at explaining each of the courses, AND even boxed up all of our leftovers for us! They had doggy bags at the ready, and divided all of our shared plates amongst how many people in our table wanted a portion of each course. I was SO IMPRESSED and they wrote our names on all of our leftovers AND our doggy bags! Seriously super awesome! The managers and some of the higher up staff were also constantly monitoring the evening and going up to each table during each course to get our feedback. So refreshing and admirable to see them so conscious and active about making sure everything met our expectations!
They had a little contest for everyone posting on social media with the hashtag #OGtastes and several people won giftcards! ALSO at the end they ended up giving EVERYONE a $ 25 giftcard and a t-​shirt that says I Love Pasta on it! I love me some swag!
Seriously impressed by this event. Thank you to Katie B. and the incredible staff at OG for really going above and beyond! Also, shoutout to the girls at my table — Natasha, Janelle, Hashani, Vivian… so great to spend the evening with all of you! :)