Text 3621, 54 rader
Skriven 2006-07-21 01:03:26 av RUTH HANSCHKA (1:123/140)
Ärende: Everything including the Kitchen Sink
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I did something weird (for me) and went out to eat tonight at a place
called Macaroni Grill.  I had comp coupons from a lousy meal I'd had there
over a year ago and since they were paying, it made food sound good.  More
on that later.  

The reason we went out is the kitchen sink is inoperable, due to not having
a kitchen faucet.  The old one was worn out and needed replacing.  We had
the new faucet and it was supposed to be installed on Wednesday.  It was
installed, but dead on arrival.  The thing was defective.  My mother and I
hauled it back to Home Depot, got a merchandise credit (the receipt had
vanished) and bought a more expensive one.  

We got it back home and found out the sealed box was missing several parts. 
One that was present was the wrong part.  I found a contact number for the
manufacturer and called them.  They told me it was probably a returned
faucet.  Home Depot had restrapped the thing and put it back on the shelf. 
Typical.  I'm waiting a few days to see if the replacement parts come in. 
If not, back it goes and I go find a plumbing supply place and get a Kohler
or Delta and be done with it.

Anyway, since neither of us felt like cleaning pots in the bathtub, we went
out for dinner at a chain restaurant.  Macaroni Grill is one of those quick
casual places with a limited menu and longish wine list.  My mother ordered
"Shrimp Portofino: Tender, sauteed shrimp with mushrooms, pine nuts and
spinach in a tangy lemon butter sauce. Served with pasta. "  I had Lobster
Ravioli : Decadent lobster-filled tarragon pasta topped with sauteed
shrimp, asparagus, tomatoes and lemon butter sauce." I also had a side
caesar salad for extra money.  

It sounds good, but by echo people standards it was mediocre at best.  I
didn't try any of the spinach and shrimp thing, but my mother liked the
pine nuts.  The pasta was a little overdone for my taste - I did taste the
angel hair it came with.  My ravioli came with a rather greasy sauce that
tasted more cheesy than lemony.  The tomatoes were finely chopped romas and
were actually pretty good in the sauce.  The asparagus was julienned -
about two stalks per serving is my guess.  The pieces were just barely
blanched and were possibly the best part of the whole thing.  I'm not sure
if they were supposed to be uncooked that way, but they tasted good so who
cared.  The raviolis themselves?  Large green squares filled with rather
tough shreds of lobster, if lobster shreds can be tough.  

The salad consisted of some rather overaged romaine with chunks of slightly
browned stalk left in, and bottled caesar dressing with some parmesan
grated on top.  It came with a piece of "toast" that had been garliced to
within an inch of its life...and not with freshly minced garlic. 

The rosemary bread that they put on all the tables may have been the best
part of the whole thing. It was fresh, and the top was brushed with oil and
I think sea salt.  The other good thing was my water glass came with two
extra slices of lemon.  The best thing about the meal was that the
restaurant chain was paying.  It was edible and OK for a fast food chain,
but not worth a repeat visit.
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