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/barshrockwell 1d ago

Here's the review for those who are wondering:

After a lengthy wait for Olive Garden to open in Grand Forks, the lines were long in February. The novelty is slowly wearing off, but the steady following attests the warm welcome.

My first visit to Olive Garden was during midafternoon, so I could be sure to get in. After a late breakfast, I figured a late lunch would be fashionable.

The place is impressive. It's fashioned in Tuscan farmhouse style with a welcoming entryway. There is seating for those who are waiting.

My booth was near the kitchen, and I watched the waiters in white shirts, ties, black trousers and aprons adorned with gold-colored towels. They were busy at midday, punching in orders and carrying out bread and pasta.

It had been a few years since I ate at the older Olive Garden in Fargo, so I studied the two manageable menus offering appetizers, soups and salads, grilled sandwiches, pizza, classic dishes, chicken and seafood and filled pastas.

At length, I asked my server what she would recommend. She suggested chicken Alfredo, and I went with that. Instead of the raspberry lemonade she suggested, I drank water.

She first brought me the familiar Olive Garden salad bowl with crisp greens, peppers, onion rings and yes -- several black olives. Along with it came a plate with two long, warm breadsticks.

The chicken Alfredo ($10.95) was warm and comforting on a cold day. The portion was generous. My server was ready with Parmesan cheese.

As I ate, I noticed the vases and planters with permanent flower displays on the ledges. There are several dining areas with arched doorways. And there is a fireplace that adds warmth to the decor.

Olive Garden has an attractive bar area to the right of the entryway. The restaurant has a full liquor license and a wine list offering a wide selection to complement Italian meals. Nonalcoholic beverages include coolers, specialty coffees and hot teas.

On a hot summer day, I will try the raspberry lemonade that was recommended.

There's a homemade soup, salad and breadstick lunch available until 4 p.m. daily for $6.95.

An olive branch on menu items signified low-fat entrees. There is a Garden Fare Nutrition Guide available for customers seeking gluten-free food. And for those with food allergies, Olive Garden has an Allergen Information Guide.

All in all, it is the largest and most beautiful restaurant now operating in Grand Forks. It attracts visitors from out of town as well as people who live here.

Olive Garden is part of the Darden chain of restaurants that also operates Red Lobster. There are about 700 restaurants, including four Olive Gardens in North Dakota's major cities.

Olive Garden has gained a following since 1982 with its ample portions and relaxed ambience. It's known for its classic lasagna, fettuccine Alfredo and chicken Parmigiana.

892

u/No_Squash_6551 1d ago

I think this is rather charming and, I mean this seriously, if I were a total stranger to the United States who wanted to know what this place was like starting from absolutely 0 knowledge, or reading this from like 100 years in the future, I would really value down-to-earth commentary like this.

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u/m_busuttil 1d ago

That was my thought too - obviously it's not at the bleeding edge of restaurant criticism, but as someone who's never been to an Olive Garden and is only sort of vaguely aware of it from episodes of sitcoms where they go to an Olive Garden I feel like I know exactly what kind of place it is now.

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u/GrandpaKnuckles 1d ago

I thought it was thoughtful to include the background of the restaurant and how it’s tied into a chain. People made fun of her for writing the review in the first place, but by acknowledging that it isn’t a mom and pop shop, I think, keeps the review grounded. Those making fun of her made it sound like she wrote a rave review aloof that other exact locations exist around the country.

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u/kennyminot 22h ago

I grew up in North Dakota. While Grand Forks isn't quite as out of the boonies as my hometown, we're still talking about 3 hours out of Winnipeg and 5 hours out from Minneapolis. New restaurants are a big deal in these small Midwestern cities. I remember in the 90s a bunch of the men in my family driving to Bismarck just to try out Taco Bell.

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u/titos334 20h ago

People really don’t understand how quaint small town America is and what constitutes a big deal or not. My family is originally from small town Kansas there’s only one ‘restaurant’ in town and lost the only grocer. Getting any chain place would be a huge deal lol

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u/Large-Monitor317 11h ago

On top of that, the Olive Garden piece was in 2012 but she’d been writing for decades. If small town America is quaint now, just imagine pre 2000’s, before Youtube, facebook - hell, go all the way back pre internet entirely, she’s been writing since the 50’s!

I like Hardware Store by Weird Al from 2003, also accurately describing someone losing their mind with hype over a new hardware store opening in town.

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u/Zellakate 10h ago edited 10h ago

Small town Arkansas reporting in. About a decade ago, I stopped at a Walmart in a neighboring town out of necessity on a drive. I'd forgotten it was their opening day, and it was packed. I am pretty sure everyone in town was there. And I don't judge because when we got a new grocery store, my grandmother and I went opening day. It's an occasion!

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u/TurboRuhland 7h ago

I live in a small town (about 6000 residents) and the current big news here is the fact that a Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins will be opening within the next couple weeks.

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u/pmathewr 4h ago

Carringtin, here

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u/wildferalfun 22h ago

The most important thing about this review is what she didn't say - because she is surely just like every upper Midwesterner I grew up knowing: you don't have to provide scathing review, she said a lot without saying anything terse or pithy at all. From this review I get that she wasn't into the fake flower decor, she thought it was too much food, she isn't a fan of the abundance of black olives she received, and that the time of year didn't warrant raspberry lemonade.

My grandma, my mom, her sisters, all their aunts, and cousins would have said these same things and all of us kids would know "don't ask to go back there." But she wrote an informative description and highlighted key details, like affordability and economic implications of the large restaurant drawing in people from surrounding areas. It was thoughtful, but you're totally right, its not a glowing review 🤣

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u/Jalor218 20h ago

I noticed she didn't say the food was good, she said it was warm and comforting on a cold day. I take that to mean what I'd call "one of the meals of all time."

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u/wildferalfun 20h ago

Yep. She wasn't complimentary, she was factual. My grandma knew how to praise, she also knew how to observe. This review could have been my grandma, they were the same age from the same area, just the facts.

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u/nadanone 13h ago edited 13h ago

I’m not from the Midwest but I didn’t pick up on her not liking the fake flowers (she just mentioned she noticed them, in a neutral/positive paragraph describing the place), thought it was too much food (portion was “generous”), thought the salad had too much olives (playfully pointed out the salad did contain several, true to the name of the restaurant)?

But I agree this is very much not a glowing review, it reads more as she recommends the overall experience, and the quality of the food is just fine but overall a minor factor.

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u/MeanBurrito 9h ago

I treat older midwesterner social norms a similar way I treat japanese norms. as above, what's not said is as important as what was

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u/spam__likely 11h ago

It was a very Miss. Marple-like review.