I've never been to Carrabba's for less than $50 for two dinners. But the new create-your-own menu allowed me and my dad to fill up on a huge dinner and pay only about $30. Pretty remarkable, I'd say.
THE MENU
Carrabba's has always been adept at enticing my tastebuds with its incredible Italian-inspired offerings. Being a creature of culinary habit, I've always defaulted to the Chicken Bryan with its goat cheese and sun-dried tomato atop tender breasts of chicken topped with basil lemon butter sauce. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. But on this night, I was determined to check out the $10 dinners.
The order (for two): Cavatappi with Amatriciana and Caesar salad ($10); rigatoni with tomato cream and sausage-lentil soup ($10).
First, a couple of disclaimers: The $10 dinners are not offered on weekends, just Monday through Thursday, and they only start at $10. If you want chicken or Italian sausage added to your pasta dish, you'll pay an extra $3. For shrimp, it's another $5. Still not bad. And I was more than happy going meatless for this meal.
All dinners at Carrabba's start with bread and herbed olive oil. It's pretty much all you can eat, so be careful. The bread, with its crisp crust and tender center, is so good you'll be dipping it into the flavorful olive oil and be full before the next course begins.
My dad's cup of soup was more like a bowl of soup. Very generous servings here. The lentil soup was the soup of the day, and even on a hot day, he barely came up for breath. It was that good.
The Caesar dressing is just as delicious. The house salad is a simple mix of romaine lettuce, shredded Parmesan and a few croutons. But the dressing adds a burst of complex flavors.
Another thing Carrabba's does right is pasta. There's a trick to making perfect pasta. Bring it to the al dente stage and stop right there. That's what they do, so every bite has a very good texture. And combine any of the pastas with one of the sauces expertly made each day in the open kitchen, you have a masterpiece of Italian flavor.
It's hard to say whose was better - my dad's tomato cream sauce or mine with sun-dried tomatoes, red pepper, white wine and garlic. But his, with two big Italian link sausages placed on top of large rigatoni pasta, came out the winner, I believe.
If you go* Where: Carrabba's Italian Grill, 2040 Hamilton Place Blvd.* Phone: 894-9970.* Hours: 4-10:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 4-11:30 p.m. Friday, 3-11:30 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday.* Price range: $10 dinners Monday-Thursday; $4-$23 (regular daily menu).* Alcohol: Full bar.
There are two additional $10 choices: whole-grain spaghetti with garlic and oil; and fettucine Alfredo.
THE SERVICE
Our server, Felice, was extremely knowledgeable regarding the menu. In fact, she said all servers are tested on their ability to define every kind of pasta and know the ingredients that go into every dish. She must have scored well on her test as she pronounced every Italian name like it was a second language and knew the dishes as if she made them herself.
THE SPACE
Carrabba's has everything it needs to offer a complete dining experience to patrons, including a large bar area, separate dining room and stools set up in front of the kitchen where you can watch the chefs in action. Warm wood tones and subtle lighting add a soft, welcoming ambiance.
THE VERDICT
Managing partner Miguel Morales said the $10 dinners are going over well. At this price, he said, people are realizing they don't have to limit their Carrabba's visits and can frequent the restaurant more often. The $10 meals will be offered at least through the first of October, he said.