2 /5 Steven Hager: I’ve always been a fan of Carrabba’s—from their flavorful chicken parm to indulgent chocolate martinis and typically excellent service. Unfortunately, our visit this past Sunday didn’t live up to those expectations.
When my partner and I arrived, the three hosts at the front seemed noticeably disengaged, almost as if our presence was an inconvenience. Still, we were seated quickly since the restaurant wasn’t busy, aside from a large party that would later be cited as the reason for our delayed meal.
My partner ordered his usual lasagna, and I went with my standby, the chicken parmigiana. Our server was courteous but not particularly attentive. She did check in a few times, mostly to say, “Your food is coming up,” but the wait felt excessive.
When our meals finally arrived, the quality was disappointing. The lasagna portion was unusually small and looked dried out. My chicken parm was visibly burnt, one fillet had cheese that appeared scraped off and replaced, while the other was overdone and blackened. I tried salvaging the dish by trimming the burnt underside, but it was too dry and tasted scorched. The pasta with meat sauce, however, was quite good.
Our server noticed the untouched chicken and kindly offered to remake it, but by then we’d waited long enough and my partner had already finished his meal. She did remove the chicken parm from our bill, which I appreciated, though I had eaten the spaghetti portion.
I understand that delays and occasional kitchen mishaps happen. What bothered me wasn’t the wait or the need to remake a dish, it was the attempt to serve something clearly subpar as if it were acceptable. That’s what left a bad taste in my mouth, both literally and figuratively.
Everyone has off days, and I’m hopeful this was just one of them. I’ll return to Carrabba’s again, but this experience was a letdown from a place I usually enjoy.
