Olive Garden — A garden of dining delight
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By Amanda Godfrey
Craving a little variety but can’t decide what you want?
Not only does Olive Garden have a great selection of creamy, cheesy or smothered-in-marinara pastas, seafood, chicken and beef, but a great soup, salad and breadstick combo for $5.95 that makes a great lunch.
You may have to hike through the crowded parking lot just to get to the doors or call ahead if you’re not up to at least a 15-minute lunchtime wait, but the inviting atmosphere and great food is well worth it.
Lets get back to the food.
Pile together some friends or co-workers, head to Olive Garden prior to 4 p.m., and take advantage of your choice of one of three soups — Fasta e Fagioli (similar to chili), Minestrone (a veggie-lovers favorite), or Zuppa Toscana (spicy sausage, russet potatoes and cavolo greens in a creamy broth), a fresh salad with brimming with greens, red onions, black olives, croutons and a few mild peppers. and the best part, endless, soft, garlic buttery breadtsticks.
You heard me right: Endless, never-ending, and completely unlimited — although you may have to negotiate your portions with your stomach, because the portions are gigantic
Not only can you fill every taste bud with food-induced pleasure, but you can try two soups, or even all three, and bowls upon bowls of salad in one sitting, without being given the stink eye by your server.
I know what you’re asking — how could it possibly get better?
But it can.
The wait staff assigned to your table is on the ball and handing you refills before your glass is drained and the bread basket has been reduced to crumbs.
After a 10-minute wait my party of five was seated, and less than five minutes later we had our drinks and bread. About five more minutes passed and we had salad and piping hot bowls of soup that filled most of us on half the serving.
In less than 45 minutes, we went through three baskets of bread, two bowls of salad and a few bowls of soup, and, when walking to the door, our waitress was still smiling.
How often does that happen?
If you’re one of the lucky ones who can escape after work and have dinner, prices are perfect for large portions and an excellent assortment of fine wines.
So if you’re starving, get the crew together and head to Olive Garden. If you go home hungry, it’s your own fault.
Amanda Godfrey can be reached at godfrey@sanduskyregister.com.
Olive Garden
Location: 5205 Milan Road, Sandusky
Phone: 419-621-5589
Hours: Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
Average price for lunch: $8.25
Appetizer: $7.25
Average priced entree: $12.25
It is sad how far we have