Carrabba's Italian Grill - Restaurant Review

A fairly new addition to the vast restaurant landscape near Quail Springs Mall on Memorial in north Oklahoma City, Carrabba's Italian Grill is a quite delicious though not tremendously unique option for dining out. Here's my full About OKC review on Carrabba's Italian Grill.

Guide Review - Calling Italian Fans

As you can likely tell from my recent restaurant reviews, I'm an Italian food fan. So when Carrabba's Italian Grill opened, I had to make time to give it a try. Carrabba's is owned by the same company that operates the Outback Steakhouse chain and boasts a few delicious signature entrees.

On its own merit, Carrabba's earns high marks. It's only negatives really lie in the fact that's it not altogether distinctive in the branded world of Italian restaurants. The faux-Italian interior is spacious and comfortable with a pleasant darkened atmosphere. Booths line the middle and the far walls with the bar on the north end and larger tables dotting the space.

The two-person booths along the middle are comfortable, if not a tad cramped once you start loading the surface area up with Italian favorites. And the service is fantastic. I was seated immediately and served by a man who makes you realize what a great waiter can actually be. Very knowledgable on the chain's history and the menu items, this guy was near perfect, and I'm pretty picky as far as my waiter evaluations. As he told me when I left, "Ask for Brian" when you try Carrabba's.

Menu Delights

If you're a wine-lover, Carrabba's has some interesting wine blends as well as a fair selection of reds and whites. I had a Cabernet-Merlot blend that was fairly subtle, a nice compliment to pasta.

The appetizers range from $7 to $10 or so and include classics like mozzarella marinara, calamari and fried zucchini. The entree choices include all the classic as well, but it's the Carrabba's signature dishes you'll want to try. The Tagliarini Picchi Pacchui is a delicious smaller pasta in an olive oil sauce and topped in chicken or shrimp. I chose shrimp. Others earning strong recommendation from the waiter include the Pasta Carrabba (with chicken, sauteed mushrooms and peas) and the Mezzaluna (a half-moon ravioli stuffed with chicken and spinach).

The entree prices run the gamut, with the wood-fired pizzas coming near the bottom at about $8 and the specialties typically around $15.

Distinctive Enough?

There's no doubt these specialty entrees are delicious, and I'd rank Carrabba's above its Memorial Road-Italian neighbor, Johnny Carrino's. But while I came away enjoying my meal, I wonder whether it can stand out enough from the Italian restaurant crowd. The best need to differentiate themselves from the competition, and I'm not sure Carrabba's does that.

Their pre-meal bread is served in the same manner as many others, with a plate of olive oil and garlic for dipping. And outside of the few specialty entrees I mentioned, there's not a lot that marks a radical difference from most Italian restaurants. Some would say there shouldn't be an attempt to reinvent the wheel, but I'm always looking for the unique, the more uncommon taste and atmosphere such as Sophabella's Chicago Grill that make my returning a necessity rather than a choice.

Now you certainly won't be disappointed with Carrabba's, particularly if you receive the excellent service I did. Prices seemed a bit higher to me overall than some other similar restaurants but not extravagantly so. I recommend you giving it a try for yourself to see if any of the signature entrees hook you into return visits.

Carrabba's Italian Grill
3121 W. Memorial Road,
Oklahoma City, OK 73134
(405) 751-8450

Check out About.com Reader Reviews on Carrabba's and then Submit Your Rating.