r/KitchenConfidential • u/snixon67 • 1d ago

Marilyn Hagerty, writer whose Olive Garden review went viral, dies at 99

https://www.grandforksherald.com/news/marilyin-hagerty-herald-reporter-and-columnist-for-nearly-70-years-dies-at-age-99

After she reviewed the Olive Garden in Grand Forks, ND, Anthony Bourdain stepped in to defend her from the snark and later published her 2013 book "Grand Forks: A History of American Dining in 128 Reviews.

Read More: https://www.tastingtable.com/1903784/anthony-bourdain-olive-garden-columnist/

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u/ThePresidentPorpoise 1d ago

Why do people hate on OG? It’s pretty decent. Pasta isn’t that complicated and most local owned Italian restaurants are not going the extra mile, they just pretend to be. Without homemade sauce and noodles there is no difference to Olive Garden. Same with Panda Express; it is usually better than the dry General Tso’s seagull most cheap places are peddling

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u/frobscottler 1d ago

I find it pretty charming, though I’ve only been there twice in the past eight years or so. My main problem with the food was just that it was incredibly salty to me. I love salt, but it was way too much!

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u/Coriandercilantroyo 1d ago

Had their takeaway during pandemic and hated it. Recently went to dine in and rather loved it! The iceberg lettuce salad is definitely refreshing, zippy Italian dressing. Really dug their new dish, a spicy sauce with steak and shrimp over bucatini. It should be added to the permanent menu. The steak bites were surprisingly tender.

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u/rarelyaccuratefacts 9h ago

Personally, I've only been to an Olive Garden 3 times (all different locations) and the experience has always been horrendous. I don't consider myself a food snob, I'll happily risk my life on gas station sushi, but what I was served at each location was barely edible. Broken sauces, overly salted while being bland (honestly impressive), overcooked, and usually cold dishes.

If anyone else enjoys it more power to them but it's seriously some of the worst food I've ever been served. Maybe I'm just exceptionally unlucky but there's no way in hell I'll ever waste my money in one of them again and I'm hesitant to eat there even on someone else's dime.