Carrabba's Italian Grill

i guess carrabba's fights it out with olive garden for the middle of the road Italian food sweepstakes. Carrabba's seems a little fancier..slightly higher prices..nicer bar area. we had a very positive experience today. My son and I both had the spaghetti and meats balls....wife had a tilapia special. son said his meat sauce was a little watery. service was friendly and attentive...food was nice and hot and delicious. minetsrone soup was above average. bread warm and tasty. tiramasu dessert was WAY above average--we all shared. place was fairly empty on a late Sunday afternoon so maybe thats why we were given extremely positive service.

Good selection, friendly servers, comfortable atmosphere.  The only negative is that the food is a bit salty for me. Favorites here are the fried risotto, the salads, and the linguine pescatore.

I ordered car curb service..... chicken Parma with the house salad. The chicken was so overcooked I could barely cut it. The mozzarella was overcooked dry and crumbling off the chicken. The pasta was overcooked and nearly mushy. The red sauce was satisfactory. (though it could have come out of a jar)
The salad was satisfactory though appeared to have been put in the to go container hours before. The salad initially had a fishy taste....I thught perhaps it was placed nearby the anchovies for the ceasar salad???
The  bread was the highlight of the meal. And, thankfully it was there!
I ate 1/2 of one of the pieces of chicken. Taking off the outer edges ...seeking a moist and edible piece in the middle of the medallion.
My dog enjoyed the chicken Parma . (though she would happily eat garbage from a trash can if left to her own devices)
Incidentally I live 4 miles away and have gone to Bottega Cucina.
I recommend Bottega if you want fair/ moderately  priced authentic Italian Cuisine.
Not Microwaved or pre made and sitting in hotel pans.
I called the Manager at Carrabbas and I spoke with Paul Chang the Owner. He said they do not microwave or make items in advance. He said he watched every plate leave the kitchen and was sorry if he missed my overcooked entre. He asked if I wanted to drive back there this evening he would prepare another Chicken Parma for me. I worked in the Hotel business for 35 years and I know all too well what I could expect (unknown items) in my dish if I went back to pick up a replacement dish. In addition to that why would I drive back 4 miles.?? If he was offering a legitimate replacement he should have asked for my name and mailing address and sent a gift certificate. Possibly I would have given Carrabbas another opportunity to win my business. As a Single person I dine out or get take out 5 out of 7 days a week. I would not recommend Carrabas