Elite Tasting: The New Olive Garden

I’m all for change but I was not looking for change at Olive Garden. I have mixed feelings about the new menu offerings…
Even the good ones. I miss the traditional items. Sausage and Peppers Rustica. The Classic Taste of Italy.
Of the newly featured items, the Berry Cake and appetizers were memorable. The Pasta and main dishes were not though. They all blended together. I also didn’t like the salad topper. Again, I like Classic olive garden.
Perks of this event: New menu samplings, — Free «I heart pasta» T-​shirt, $ 25 Gift Card, a fun social media campaign and lots of leftovers. Thanks Olive Garden!

Olive Garden is a real OG for me. It’s comforting and consistent. It’s the place you take your family because it’s gonna cater to everyone. It’s familiar…
Not anymore! Olive Garden in switching it up and changing everything you thought about it! I was a little scared, but I was also intrigued, and we got to take a true Italian tour of their newest offerings.
I will admit that my tastebuds didn’t do a happy dance for everything I tried, but I enjoyed the majority of what was offered and they are in the right track (I liked where they are going with the new salad toppings but thing they could use better quality ingredients). The beauty of it all is that they gave us comment cards with space to rate and discuss our thoughts on each dish, so maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised to find that they took some critique to heart the next time I come in.
With that being said, many things did excite my senses. The Strawberry Limoncello Martini was both beautiful and tasty. The Spicy Calabrian Wings were a nice departure from their somewhat predictable menu. The Polenta Shrimp Alla Greca stuck to what you’d expect but added a nice twist. Both the Parmesan Olive Fritta and the Crispy Risotto Bites were nice and great as a shareable appetizer. The Smashed Chicken Meatball Sandwich took me by surprise in a good way.
The best part of the event was that we had leftovers, which you can’t say for most events. They truly spoiled us with food and the service was spot on. It was so much fun, especially the table I was at.
We left with $ 25 gift cards, so I intended to return and give the new menu a try and see how old favorites have held up.
Thanks so much to Olive Garden and to Candice for putting together a five fabulous stars event!

Ok… I know some people (especially my hard core Italian friends) will rag on Olive Garden, however I can tell you that the service that I experienced here is nothing but true family hospitality! Before I get to the good stuff (and the things I blasted everyone’s FB feed with!), let me start with how amazing the staff was at this event! Not only did I never want for anything from the time I walked in to the time I walked out, but it didn’t matter if it was a bus boy walking past our table, a server, or a manager. They all truly were so hospitable to us and wanted to make sure that we needed everyting. I’ve had this same experience at many other Olive Gardens too! Maybe not to the extent that I experienced during our event, but I’ve always had the «my home is your home» feel every time I’ve gone to an Olive Garden :)
Anywho, now for the down and dirty stuff :) We had SUCH a huge assortment of food at this event, the best way to describe it was absolutely delish :) I’ll only be able to review some of my top tastes since I found out in this review I’m limited to 5001 characters!
Polenta Shrimp Ala Greca — this is one of their samples from the small plate. Those who know me and my palate, I’m not a big green olive fan. However, I’m always willing to taste a plate the way it was originally created before I comment. The combination of the green olives in this dish, along with the capers, tomato sauce, and creamy polenta? it was DELISH! It gave a great combination of tart and savory, with the sweet flavor of the shrimp :)
Spicy Calabrian Wings (gorgonzola and spicy chimichurri sauce) — The star of this appetizer is the gorgonzola and chimichurri dipping sauces! The wings have a great flavor, with garlic and chili peppers. Now I know I won’t tell my husband that gorgonzola is a blue cheese (because he HATES blue cheese dressing… and most of the time so do I!), because you really need the creaminess and the slight tang that you get from the gorgonzola dipping sauce. If your a fan of hot on hot, add a little of the chimichurri sauce. Seriously… the sauces make the amazing chicken even better!
Parmesan Olive Fritta — again with the olives! If you’re a fan of olives, than this appetizer is for you. It’s a combination of various olives and cheese, rolled in breading and lightly fried. For me, it was a little too much olive taste (remember I’m not a fan of green olives), but it did come with a citrus aioli dipping sauce that was TO DIE FOR! Seriously could have dipped anything fried in that! You could really taste the fresh citrus in the sauce :) It also came with the gorgonzola cream sauce, which did cut through the tang of the olives.
Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad Topper — this is a unique concept, especially for those who love the soup, salad and breadstick combo at OG. You have your traditional house salad at the bottom of the bowl, but than on top, you have a choice of the antipasti meat and cheese, or the one that I sampled, the roasted tomato caprese. On top of the salad itself (think of the bowl about ¾ full), the top fourth is a bed of kale with fresh mozzarella bites, roasted tomato, bell peppers, basil and extra virgin olive oil. This was a nice change to the typical salad. I’ve never had a kale salad (I know!) and I like the addition of the texture to the salad I love.
Smashed Chicken Meatball Sandwich — the service of this meal was unique for a sandwich. They take a very flavorful chicken meatball on a focaccia bun and top it with bell peppers and mozzarella. The then cut the sandwich into fourths and lay it down into their spicy diavolo sauce. Honestly, I like the plating on this because if you just want a little sauce, it’s just dipped. If you want a lot of sauce, it’s there for you! It also comes with a side of parmesan fries. Nice lunch!
Large paccheri with creamy sun dried tomato and chicken meatballs– This comes from new Cucina Mia menu where you choose your pasta, choose your sauce, and add any protein if you like. The large paccheri is a GIANT tube pasta. It’s almost similar to having small sheets of lasagna. The creamy sun-​dried tomato sauce was probably my favorite of the night. It’s creamy like an alfredo, but probably half as thick. It paired GREAT with the chicken meatballs, which were tender and flavorful! This would definitely be top on my ordering list!
Chicken Abruzzi — I was surprised, shocked even, to find out this meal was on the LIGHT FAIR MENU! This had grilled chicken, in a thick broth with cannellini beans, kale and veggies. This is the ultimate rainy-​day comfort food!
Wild Berry Layer Cake — If you’re a fan of the lemon cream cake, this will be a nice seasonal alternative! there are layers of sweet cream in between moist white cake, topped with raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and white chocolate curls. I’ve you’re not stuffed to the brim, this is a great end of the meal treat :)
The new menu at OG is such a great change of pace, with a light and fresh feel!

I still haven’t eaten since they rolled me out of here! Okay maybe that is a slight exaggeration, but there was plenty of amazing food being delivered by fantastic staff. This new menu is quite a nice change with some fresh flavors.
I can not say enough about how attentive the entire staff was for this event. This is the kind of service I would like every time I am dining out. Our server Ed was one of the best servers that I’ve ever had. Frank was super friendly and made sure we were well taken care of. We had a clean plate after every sampling.
I felt like a king! We had in total 12 courses. We ate like kings and queens.
I started off with the Omission Pale Ale. This was a well balanced beer that was very smooth and not too bitter. It was a great beer, so go ahead and try it, you’ll like it. This was the gateway to a fantastic meal. Here come the individual sampling reviews.
Polenta Shrimp alla Greca-​Value based option, we were told it is only $ 4, smooth and creamy polenta, a little bit of spiciness in the marinara, great tasting shrimp all combine for a nice little appetizer.
Spicy Calabrian Wings-​Who would have thought that you can get chicken wings at OG??? This these were great. I would order them myself as an appetizer. They came out with an olive oil coating with an amazing combination of spices and herbs to create a wonderful flavor. For those brave enough it even came with extra spicy sauce which was a great addition to an already super tasty wing.
Crispy Risotto bites-​deliciously deep fried risotto, tasty risotto and looked similar to deep fried cheese curds, mmmm cheese
Parmesan Olive Fritta-​I did try this, but I still don’t like olives so it is unfair for me to try and review this one
Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad Topper-​what a nice addition to their traditional salad! Kale, fresh peppers, and fresh mozzarella really added a lot of character to their already delicious salad
Smashed Chicken Meatball Sandwich-​The chicken meatball was quite flavorful and the sandwich itself was rather tasty, with fresh arugala, pesto, and a little spicy kick in the sauce
Bucatini with Spicy Diavolo and Shrimp-​A few of the dishes had a little spice added to them which was something I enjoyed. The shrimp was great and this was a tasty dish
Large Paccherri with Creamy Sun-​Dried Tomato-​a nice light tasting dish with plenty of flavors to go around
Chicken Abruzzi-​HANDS DOWN the best dish of the night, definitely what I would order next time. Grilled chicken on top of what is best described as fresh vegetable soup (more veggies than soup) the veggies are all fresh chopped in house. The flavors were super clean, crisp, and satisfyingly delicious.
Pappardelle Pescatore-​these last two I tried a little because I was so full! This plate had some great seafood options and was very flavorful
Chicken Primavera with Giant Fusilli-​I only had a small bite due to being to stuffed.
Wild Berry Layer Cake-​awesome!!!

The event at Olive Garden was nothing short of fantastic. It’s almost a week later and we have only just finished off all the leftovers we brought back with us! It was really exciting also to have the opportunity to bring my dad to this event because he is a big fan of OG (and of sharing his opinions with a rapt audience at hand). There were three different prongs that made the OG event a distinctly successful one: the food, the service, and the details.
The food: I already gave my opinions on each of the specific dishes with my overall impressions on the sheets that went back to the headquarters in Florida, so I will instead go with some highlights. Out of the appetizers, my absolute favorites were the first dish we tried with the polenta and the fried olives with cheese. They were seasoned perfectly and, though surprising combinations that I never would have done up with myself, they just WORKED. When I return, I will definitely be ordering one of these. The lemon garlic dipping sauce was perfection, too (I enjoyed dipping a few breadsticks in there, too)! A few other big standout dishes were the salad and the healthy under 500 cals chicken dish. These dishes made my jaw drop. I have always viewed OG as a caloric indulgence that I need to repent for at the gym, but these dishes proved otherwise. The fresh mozzarella and peppers were outstanding. Finally, the triple berry cake was a home run. I’m usually not a cake fan because it’s too sugary and heavy for my tastes, but this cake felt light and refreshing. It felt just like spring!
The service: I was really impressed by the excellent service and hospitality provided for us by the OG staff. Dion was the waiter taking care of us and he was easily one of the best waiters who has ever served me. He was so knowledgeable about the menu and was very conscientious in telling us everything we ended to know. He was also endlessly patient in answering any questions we had and was so attentive to us. When he heard I was a vegetarian, he was even thoughtful enough to bring some delightful hummus out for me so I «don’t feel left out.» I certainly did not feel left out at all! I really enjoyed trying the nonalcoholic drinks, which were unlimited (I didn’t have to use my drink tickets)! The breadsticks kept coming, too (always one of my highlights of OG, carb lover that I am). The managers were also very attentive to our table of two and we real enjoyed hearing details about the food. I’m really impressed by how quickly each plate kept coming and they were attentive to bringing new silverware and plates and boxing up our food (complete with descriptions of what was in each box which was very helpful as we ate through the leftovers this past week).
The details: A lot of care clearly went into organizing this event. It seemed that they had everything down to a science, down to the timing. The Unilocal goodies were a great plus (this is the first I’ve seen shot glasses)! It was also really exciting to have the Instagram and Twitter hashtags for the opportunity to win prizes. I was so excited to win for one of my pictures! Thank you so, so much to Candice and the wonderful OG folks who made this such a special event. My opinion about OG has skyrocketed and I’ve already told several friends and family members about the fantastic new menu items. My only «complaint» (in quotes because I could hardly call it that) is that it would have been helpful to know from the beginning how much food portions would be and that taking home food was an option. We didn’t know we could box home food until we had eaten a third of the menu (and had already stuffed ourselves).
P. s. Sorry if there are typos; I just got a smartphone and this is my first time reviewing using the Unilocal app!

I just could not believe it. Olive Garden — has indeed changed and how!
It is hard to come to events straight from work, but as I walked in, the door was held open for me and I was greeted by several hostess who were pleasant and just seemed so genuinely happy that I walked through the door. The décor is well lit and warm colors abound — it was comforting and puts one at ease… Then came the food…
The entire experience reminded me of a Chinese dim sum, with a meal, after another meal coming one after another. It was so much and ALL SO GOOD! There were four at our table and we had goodies to go home!
…And I had work to do… It’s so hard to work after eating such good food — all seasoning well. Talk about a memory that will make me smile when I think about it in the future.
SWEET!
Sigh! :-)
Many thanks Candice and Olive Garden. Good bye to your competitor B di B — You are my new go to for Italian — You’ve warmed up your image and spiced, (truly spicy and more chicken and more — and did I mention great pricing), up your menu :-) Happy Days are here again.

So now that my food has digested…
I’m not usually the first one to say «Olive Garden» when someone wants a suggestion on where to eat… on Monday that all changed, and here’s why —
Location was easy to find, Im geographically challenged but thankfully my google maps got me where I needed to be on time and with time to spare. There are also strip malls all along this avenue so I was lucky to find a place to get a car charger, since mine had died. Hint: Look for Everest College.
Staff: Lou and all the staff serving our table was GREAT! They really laid out the carpet for us Unilocalers! It did NOT go unnoticed. Whether it was making room on the table, food knowledge or even assisting my friend with the heat burning his mouth from the chicken wings paste/​peppers. (Thanks so much Lou! Eric really appreciated that Mango/​Sprite concoction). Even though the waiters were a mix of their staff from cooks to hostess… their knowledge of the dishes were unmeasurable! Wow!
Food: 12 Entrees — OMG sooooooo much food. Everything I tasted was fantastic… had to get up and walk around a bit to make room for more tasting… so well worth it!
Everything last thing I tasted was GREAT, FANTASTIC!
The little olive fritta’s were my absolute favorite with the chicken abruzzi running a close second!
Candice G. — You are the B-​O-​M-​B and do a phenomenal job with us Suburban Eliter’s! Thank you
Olive Garden — in the words of Arnold «I’ll be back»

Wow was this event amazing. Everything was outstanding.
First, the space seemed brighter and prettier than other Olive Gardens I’ve been to. Maybe they have renovated the look!
Next, the staff was so phenomenal it’s hard to describe. They were friendly and eager to make our experience great. Anytime you said you needed something, a minute later a server would be there. This was some of the greatest service I have ever received.
The food was delicous. The breadsticks were as addictive as ever. The Roasted Tomato Caprese was nice. I liked the crunch the kale added. I loved the Spicy Calabrian Wings. They were the perfect amount of spicy and crispy. The Chicken Abruzzi was my favorite. I plan to order that next time I go. Then the Wild Berry Layer Cake was a nice fluffy finish.
I had a peach margarita which was great and a strawberry citrus cocktail that was so pretty and refreshing.
Thank you so much Candice and Olive Garden!!! You guys really outdid yourselves!

Sweeeeet baby! Is all I have to say after this event. I literally was in comatose state once we were done with the 12 entrée tasting I literally could not walk. Never have I left an event this full.

Everyone in the Olive Garden staff was EXTREMELY friendly and made sure our service was excellent at all times. They constantly made sure we had plates, silverware, water, breadsticks everything you name it and I truly appreciated every moment of it.
I sampled everything we were given at this event and I will say It was all extremely good.
The Polenta Shrimp alla Greca and I have to say this was among my favorite, the shrimp had such a good saucy flavor and the polenta was so rich and creamy I almost thought it was mashed potatoes it was amazing complimented each other very well!
I AM SUCKER for wings and I have to say these Spicy Calabrian Wings that were served with a creamy gouda cheese type sauce was perfection! They were spicy enough to make your mouth water but delicious enough to make you want more the dipping sauce killed the spiciness with the chunks of cheese in it and I really loved that.
Amongst my favorites that night the Crispy Risotto bites were quick to make that list. Loved, loved loved it just the right amount of crunch to rice ratio and it made me wish I ordered some to go, they paired it with two difference sauces and it was amazing. Def a must have appetizer when you are there or screw it order 3 plates of it and indulge lol.
I swear as the night progress the food just kept getting better and better another one of my favorites was the Smashed Chicken meatballs Sandwiches paired with Parmesan fries. The Sauce that the sandwiches were smashed it was phenomenal I loved the chicken meatballs they weren’t dry and flavorless. They were probably the juiciest chicken meatballs I have ever eaten the pesto sauce in the sandwich was pretty damn good for my first time trying it.
I also loved the Bucatini spicy diavolo and shrimp just a bit SPICY def load it up with some grated cheese. I can go on about each plate but I won’t make you jealous I suggest you try the new menu and there won’t be anything that’s NOT good!!!
Thanks again for the Olive garden staff you guys were amazing I can’t wait to come back!
P.S Thanks for neat take home gifts! And I loved winning the #ogtastes Instagram contest

It took me 3 yrs to actually make it to my first Unilocal Elite event! The event was fun, great hospitality, warm welcome (from both Unilocal & olive garden teams). I enjoyed conversations with other Unilocalers!
I regret that I haven’t done it sooner! From now, I’ll always be on the look out for future Unilocal events!

I’ll be the first to admit I haven’t dined at an Olive Garden in over 20 years, so I was a bit hesitant to come. But man, what a pleasant surprise.
The new menu choices were quite tasty. I particularly enjoyed the crispy risotto bites and large paccheri with creamy sun-​dried tomato sauce.
The wild berry layer cake was a perfect finisher. Light and refreshing, it was the perfect cap to the meal.
A huge thank you to the cooking and wait staff who treated us like kings, and to Candice for the invite. I’ll definitely be visiting my local Olive Garden.

What a pleasant surprise.
The service was, without a doubt, the finest performance of culinary comfort and indulgence I’ve ever experienced at an Elite Event and possibly ever.
I mean they were non-​stop on top of every dirty fork, saucy plate, soiled napkin and low water.
A flurry of faces, smiling as they passed, greeted you and made– literally– every single effort to serve you graciously in any way, shape, or form.
Steve, an OG manager from another location, was the fourth at our table and provided the most pleasant conversation including all the behind-​the-​scenes perspective on what makes this new menu fare so special.
At one point, I turned around to the wall behind my table and reached my hand up to the counter above my head to feel around for some Unilocal!Mints and couldn’t find any but then as I retracted from my blind hunt, a delicate hand emerged from behind the counter with a brand new shiny red tin full of white logo nano mints… As if to say, «Ask and ye shall receive… And you don’t even have to ask.»
Every dish was incredible and unexpected. The flavors were fresh and unusual. Perfectly prepared and plated properly presenting the plethora of pastas to patiently waiting Elites.
The classics were there: breadsticks that appeared as soon as you thought of them and the classic salad which has been pimped out with a higher romaine-​to-​iceberg ratio, hearty kale, FRESH BASIL, and the most delicious mozzarella. Mmmmmm.
The highlight of the evening was the red hot chili pepper on the spicy Diavolo Shrimp dish. Tiny. Tender. The flesh was meaty and the skin was delicate. The seeds were bountiful and after chewing them the warming quickly rose to four-​alarm and then an extra ten alarms were called. The fire became nuclear and soon there was spontaneous ignition on my tongue. It was pure joy when the endorphins kicked in and the hallucinations stopped. Bring on the morning coffee!!!

The Olive Garden team presented a 12 course tasting menu for us that exceeded my expectations in every way. We were served new menu appetizers, small plates, entrees and desserts. After the first couple of items it was easy to see that the theme of the new items was flavor, flavor and more flavor.
We were given a tasting sheet to fill out with our comments. These sheets will be brought back to the executive chefs at their Orlando, FL headquarters.
The event highlighted the really authentic Italian dishes available at Olive Garden. We also experienced the friendly, helpful and knowledgeable staff. I thought it was great that at the end of the evening the management brought out all of the cooks so that we could show our appreciation to them for their efforts. I’m sure they appreciated seeing our enthusiasm for their food.
Congratulations to the Olive Garden staff and Candace for planning and executing a terrific Unilocal Elite Event.

Outstanding tasting event. 12 courses to taste and all were very good. Most dishes were spicy, but nicely spiced. My favorite, smashed chicken meatballs, just the right spice, could not tell that they were made with chicken, it came with the parmesan fries, which were very good too. Chicken abruzzi, was the low cal dish and was very flavorful, it has the white beans too. Pappardelle Pescatore had scallops and clams and veggies, very tasty. The dessert, wild berry layer cake, is seasonal for spring, very light and the berries very tasty, highly recommended to try while it is still on the menu. Nice way to finish the meal.
Service was outstanding, staff was very knowledge of the menu.
Cindy did a great job of hosting the event.

First of all I’d like to thank Candace our fearless Kool-​Aid haired Unilocal leader for busting my Unilocal event cherry, and getting me out to my first event in four years! And fellow Elites Davin, Misty and Jon, for making our table and the experience so much fun! I’ll be back!
Frankly in the past Olive Garden has been one of those restaurants that I’d only gone to because someone in the family or a friend whined for it. I’d always enjoyed their pasta dishes and their house wines have been buzz delicious. It’s because I’m an anti-​chain restaurant hypocrite. I bitch about the homogenization of American food by chain restaurants, but I go to them all the time because I dig consistency, uniqueness and excellent value. (Yeah long ago I was a restaurant manager. So I can recognize and appreciate a well-​run place.)
Olive Garden is a case in point. Their food has always been delicious and the overall experience always pleasurable but now it appears they’re upping the ante and actually listening closely to way we Americans want to eat today. Smaller portions, healthier ingredients, bigger flavors, better value.
Yes I actually said that some of us Americans DO want smaller portions! Because we know ourselves. If you give us a giant delicious heaping platter of your Spicy Calabrian Wings with gorgonzola dipping sauce, we will eat the whole damn thing and then hate ourselves… and probably you.
Here’s a better way. My tactical plan for the next time I go to Olive Garden. Which is very soon, because now I really got to have it. And by it I mean their delicious food sliding down my gullet. Not the other it. God where are your minds at?
We will start the table off with Olive Garden’s ubiquitous breadsticks and the Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad Topper. I think that’s the one that has bits of crunchy unintimidating kale in it. (it’s good for you but it’s not going to scream about it in-​your-​face like those big leafy bunches at the farmers market that taunt you as you walk by.)
Next, a bottle of Coppola Red with these small dishes to share all at once. Because sharing reduces guilt, and can also disguise how much you’re actually pigging out, as you gobble more than your share, in your charming dainty manner.
Start with the Crispy risotto bites, those previously mentioned spicy wings, and the Parmesan olive frittata (which are bite-​size olive-​sized bits of olive mixed with savories and then deep-​fried for your pleasure).
For my entrée, the dish that I found most fascinating and thrilling was surprisingly only 550 cal. The Chicken Abruzzi comes in a cute little pot dish, packing a ton of surprising flavor into so few calories. They tossed the sautéed garden into this one complete with crispy kale and beans in a breadstick soppable light but savory sauce.
For dessert with coffee we’ll have the Wild Berry Layer Cake, which has to be one of the lightest most delicious desserts I have encountered in a restaurant in years. After 11 samplings plus breadsticks, when they brought out the dessert I was shocked because each huge slice looked to be about ¹⁄₈ of a cake!
My first thought was «Are they trying to kill me?» My second thought was, «Am I eating delicious berry cake flavored air? At this point in the meal there was a whole a lot of groaning and moaning going on in the room. I left a couple forkfuls to demonstrate to my fellow Unilocalers that I wasn’t a complete hog and that I could resist so transcendent a dessert.
A decision that I now deeply regret. And a malaise that only a visit to my local Olive Garden can remedy.

Outstanding event… the food just kept coming and coming and coming. And what I liked the most was the fact that it wasn’t traditional pasta dishes that try to compete in a Chicago area market that is loaded with fantastic Italian restaurants. These were different, more Italian spin-​off or derived food that will set Olive Garden aside and into its own niche. Smart move.
The parmesan olive fritta is a new small dish that when served with the gorgonzola sauce tastes great — I could just buy about 10 portions and snack on those while watching the Hawks try to bring back the Cup.
Chicken meatballs were flavorful and I really enjoyed the Chicken Abruzzi dish as well — a refreshing entrée not found in traditional Italian restaurants. We each received two beverages so I tried their Mondavi Cabernet which went great with the small dishes. Then I asked one of the managers to make me ANY drink that he thought was one of their more interesting offerings. Out came an Italian Margarita — a Sauza Gold Margarita rimmed with sugar instead of salt that comes with a Amaretto side to add to it. Great for summertime imbibing.
I could go on and on. My night was extra enjoyable thanks to my table-​mates Stephen and Nina, and Emily who coordinates the OG Social Media outlets. Kudos to the OG staff at this establishment — lot’s of energy and added to the fanfare and fun. Thumbs up to Candice too — another Unilocal Elite bash that was simply the best!

Olive Garden is an old family favorite. They have always been, for me, that old friend that isn’t your first suggestion when you need somewhere to go but is always there for you no matter what and you always know what to expect. Sure, I hadn’t seen OG in six months but I know when I need it OG will be there. Well, OG was mos def there for me last night!
I am 95% positive that every table of 4 was 75% Elites and 25% Olive Garden staff planted to ask about our honest opinions. My table’s OG staff — Lou — never actually sat with us but was incredibly attentive and interested in our honest reactions and feedback to the new dishes. (Thanks, Lou! I am pretty positive you are a welcome addition to the Bolingbrook location!) We were brought fresh plates AND silverware with almost every course. After the wing course, we discovered that we can ask at any trip to OG for lemons and warm towels to clean our hands. WHAT!!! The lemons will get rid of the smell from eating hot wings and the towel will clean you right up. This is not a standard OG service BUT ASK! YOU CAN GET IT!!!
This was set up as a family style dining with 12 courses beginning with small plates, the new salad topper, 5 full size entrees for the table, and a dessert for each person.
They gave us a couple different options from the new Cucina Mia menu. This menu allows you to basically pick your pasta, sauce and meat. I love the new chicken meatballs. They are well seasoned and provide a good flavor. I brought my spicy diablo with shrimp home because by this point in the evening I had become so full that I didn’t even believe I could take a photo anymore.
OG has added a selection of small plates. I, personally, think this is brilliant. It’s easy to go in on the unlimited soup, salad and breadsticks but that can get boring. Throw in the spicy Calabrian wings, the polenta shrimp alla greco, or the Parmesan olive fritte and you are golden!
All in all, a fantastic event as per usual. Kudos to the ever amazing Candice for, yet again, coordinating a fantastic event for us and to Andres for his sniper-​like ability to get the mid chew shots.

Great event! The service and presentation were top notch! The company was great! The food was wonderful!
The crispy risotto bites were an awkwardly good standout surprise for me. Just like mozzarella sticks but probably healthier and definitely not as messy. The parmesan olive fritta was not at all what I expected and aside from tasting pretty good was a very interesting experience in mouth feel. The large paccheri with creamy sun-​dried tomato sauce had that tasty heavy cream taste with a great pasta and protein.
I feel like I left it all on the comments page, so I’ll save the rest from the review other than making note that Olive Garden has really stepped up their pasta game and I need to check out more than the usuals! All of the pasta we had today had great texture AND great taste.
Great job with the new menu Olive Garden!

I have NEVER left a Unilocal event so full. Ever.
I was super-​stoked to try the new OG menu because I spied sooo many seafood dishes! #ovopescetarian yO.
The Polenta Shrimp alla Greca was seriously yummy and, admittedly, the first time I’ve EVER had polenta. I wish there was a bit more of it, but the shrimp was obviously the star of the dish!

The Crispy Risotto Bites were amazing! (Also a risotto n00b — my only point of reference being Hell’s Kitchen). I almost had to spoon-​fight Arlene and Karl for the rest. ;)
Parmesan Olive Fritta were interesting and surprisingly good. I’ve never had olive-​fried anything.
The Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad Topper was a really nice addition to the traditional OG salad. Kale, peppers, and mozzarella! Yes please!
Sooo, I know «diabolo» means «devil» or something of the sort, so I was a little nervous about the heat level of the Bucatini with Spicy Diabolo and Shrimp. It was very manageable until Karl ate a hot pepper and I (being a lemming) followed suit. Holy heck! Lol. yeahhh «diabolo» is right! If you’re good with mild-​to-​medium heat this one’s for you. However, if you’re a masochist, head right for those peppers. I dare you.
The Large Paccheri with Creamy Sun-​Dried Tomato sauce was right up my ally! I correctly ID’d the sauce as the same one used on their Portobello Ravioli (go me)! The best sauce FYI.
The ONE menu item I was super antsy for was the Pappardelle Pescato, and it didn’t disappoint! The clams, scallops, and shrimp was the perfect conglomeration of seafood. I can’t wait to go back and get myself some more!
Wild Berry Layer Cake?! Holy heck. Ummm, probably the most beautiful fruit cake I’ve seen, full of fresh berries and light creamy frosting and cake! I have never even seen such cute mini strawberries (of course there were bigger berries too). A must-​have! I couldn’t even eat more than 4 bites I was so stuffed!
Oh, and two drink tix? I copied Arlene and got the Mango Martini, and then had the Italian Margarita. The latter was a bit strong (yay!) and came with an Amaretto shot. Love me some amaretto.
As IF the beautiful folks at Olive Garden didn’t spoil us Elites enough with the plentiful food and phenomenal service, they gave each of us a gift card and a T-​shirt! LOVE. Srsly — I heart you guys. I’ll be heading back, like, ASAP.
So, ummm, thanks for negating the workout I did today, but it was SO worth it! Every morsel was delicious!
Thank you to the wonderful and generous Olive Garden staff (and HUGE props to the kitchen and wait staff, especially! And David for a thoughtful hand-​written thank-​you note)! And thanks, always, to the lovely Candice G. for another amazing Elite event!

OMOG! I needed to be rolled out of this event! So many things to taste, so little stomach. The entire wait staff was incredibly nice, helpful and fun. I had so many things to Instagram with #OGTastes and to try, it was a big juggling act.
The event was held in the back section of the restaurant where we were treated like royalty. Out of the 12 items on the tasting menu tonight, my favorites of the night were the parmesan olive fritta and large paccheri with creamy sun-​dried tomato sauce. They were flavorful and delicious. The wild berry layer cake was a perfect end to a wonderful night. This dessert was light, fluffy and just right.
As if a night filled with good food and drinks weren’t enough, Olive Garden sent us home with a gift card and an «I love Pasta» t-​shirt.
Thanks OG and Candice!