Jayne ,'Jaynestown'
[NAFDA] Spike-centric discussion. Lusty, lewd (only occasionally crude), risqué (and frisqué), bawdy (Oh, lawdy!), flirty ('cuz we're purty), raunchy talk inside. Caveat lector.
Eh, Buca's fun if you have a large crowd and not too picky eaters, so that it makes ordering easy.
For all values of "fun" which include preternaturally PERKY! WAITSTAFF! WHO! WON'T! LEAVE! YOU! ALONE!
It was like being served by Rachel Ray on speed. They kept trying to move my chair so I wouldn't be "stuck in the corner." Nevermind that I had deliberately moved my chair as far into the corner as possible because I was trying to get away from them because they were scary. t /full body shudder
we almost ate at a very old Buca di Beppo in Eden Prairie, MN
As you know, Bob, Buca used to be a local Twin Cities chain (5 restaurants or so) run by an actual Italian family. And then they went corporate-national. Actually, I find Buca to be rather tasty and amusing, though I'd never eat at the one here.
I don't mind the Olive Garden, I have fond memories of law school days when we used to go stuff ourselves (and our purses) with the unlimited soup salad breadsticks lunch. I actually like Buca a lot. The one here has really good food and it's good for students.
I woke up this morning with the thought of William Shatner guesting on Highlander.
"There.....Can.....BEonlyone."
"It's...bettertoburnOUT...thantofade...away..."
I offer no excuse.
Because there is none.
I like Olive Garden. There's a Carraba's here, but it's way out of my price range. Olive Garden is a pricy restaurant, in my life.
I have as yet to visit nor eat at a Buca, even the aforementioned one is the closest restaurant to my workplace.
Jessica and I have the same full body shudder horror reaction to Buca, it seems.
Still, the chirpy service at a lot of chains is a good use for the giant manly penis-replacement steak knives they seem to want to give you with everything, whether your food calls for it or not.
Though I have gotten takeout from there before - it's a decent option to feed a group and avoids the cringy atmosphere.
I rather like the Macaroni Grill, in terms of semi-common "Italian" restaurant chains. Certainly better than Olive Garden or Buca di Beppo. Delicious bread. I like the pasta selection at the Cheesecake Factory more than any of them, though.