Carrabba's Italian Grill

The food was A-mazing, and the service was pretty good. The waiter was very nice, but he seemed nervous and forgot to bring a couple of basic items. He did apologize and bring them.

We ordered the shrimp scampi and calamari for appetizers. The calamari was a bit overcooked but seasoned well. The shrimp scampi was perfectly cooked as usual. The lemon butter sauce was a perfect balance and very smooth.

The Ceasar salad was perfectly dressed. Not too much dressing and not too little.

We also had the chicken soup. I must say I am not as big of a fan of this soup as I once was. They have changed the recipe here in North Carolina. In Texas, we frequented the Carrabbas there, weekly. In Texas, this soup is made with white pepper, so you have a slow, subtle back heat. Here, at this location, they use black pepper instead, and a lot of it. So it's more, in your face, right up front heat.

For the main course, we had the short rib over garlic mashed potatoes with marsala sauce. I get this every winter as it is a seasonal dish, and it is to die for. A definite must try! The marsala sauce is rich, sweet, and smooth. The garlic mashed potatoes are rustic style with the skins included in the mash. They are seasoned well with just a hint of garlic. Now for the short rib. OMG! It is extremely tender and melts in your mouth. The richness of the beefy rib is complimented by the sweet, smooth marsala sauce. You will not be disappointed. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pics, sorry. That is something I need to work on.

Now for my only complaint...the restroom. It was horrible. I have seen cleaner restrooms in fast food places. There was only one usable stall. The others were filthy. The toilet seats themselves were disgusting. The entire restroom had paper towels and toilet paper all over the floor. Inside and outside of the stalls.