Carrabba's is Snazzy

Carrabba’s has the same dark, romantic feel of Bonefish Grill next door. Both of these chain restaurants are owned by Outback Steak House, but the similarity ends with the ambiance. The lighting is arranged so well that only the tables are lit, just as in Bonefish. The bar in Bonefish is very cool -- and I forgot to notice it in Carrabba's. WELL-- I'm not a pro at this, you know. Carrabba’s is decorated with old, black-and-white, presumably Italian, family photos on the walls.

We went to Carrabba’s with friends who eat in one of this chain of restaurants often when they vacation in Florida. We met at our semi-functioning house to share a glass of vino and to show off our kitchen demolition. Our friends and The Man Who Occasionally Drinks A Glass Of White Wine enjoyed a bottle of Chateau St Michelle Indian Wells Reisling while sipped a glass of Clos du Bois red zinfandel – drinkable. Their Reisling was more interesting, with an exceptionally long finish for a white wine, in my opinion (and that’s the only one you’re going to get). At Carrabba’s our friends were pleased to see that the Brookfield branch of this restaurant had a Reisling on their menu. He sampled that and found it drinkable, while she had a glass of very tasty Blue Moon Belgian Wheat Beer ($4.75) that was served with a slice of orange.

With our drinks some nice, hot bread was served with olive oil and a mixture of herbs to mix in. The herbs are peppery and tasty, but there were not enough of them. The four of us dipped them away and had to order more. I believe I enjoyed the pesto in the olive oil at Bonefish more than these dried herbs. I guess I’ll just have to go back and try it again to refresh my memory...

The Man Who Enjoys, And Even Remembers, Every Bite Of Italian Food He Has Eaten (which is more than you can say for most of his wife’s cooking) ordered something he remembered eating often when we visited Italy – Quatro Fromagio Pizza ($9.49)(I’ll tell you that means Four Cheese Pizza, but I don’t’ mean to insult your translating ability. Not all schools were as good as yours, you know.). The Man was so pleased to see it on a menu here, and then so disappointed that it wasn’t better. Crust too thick, not enough cheese, no tomato sauce, just a few sun-dried tomatoes, and the cheeses weren’t quite the combination he rememebered from Italy.

I ordered a caprese salad with my dinner of Spiedino di Mare - supposedly shrimp and sea scallops grilled and topped with lemon butter ($16.75), but mine was all scallops - which was fine with me. They were fabulous. Slightly breaded and grilled to perfection. For my side dish I had broccoli, also a good-sized, well-cooked portion. The caprese salad was a meal-sized portion, however, so I could have been happy just with that. There must have been a whole, large ball of fresh mozzerella in the salad. I actually like my own caprese salad better, however. Carrabba’s serves theirs with pesto as the dressing and very little basil on the salad. I prefer lots of fresh basil and just olive oil on my tomatoes, basil and cheese. Picky, picky...

One of our friends ordered Chicken Bryan ($14.99), which is a rich, delicious whole grilled chicken breast topped with two huge scoops of soft goat cheese and grilled, with a basil lemon butter sauce. It is outstanding, if way too much food. And she had the Pasta Weesie ($13.99), made of shrimp, mushrooms and scallions on fettucine alfredo – and talk about rich! Even The Man Who Is Cooking Averse could create food that tasted good by using THAT much butter. Both of them had a Caesar salad with their meals. And all of us, except The Italian-Eating Pizza Man brought home doggy styro containers.

The ambiance is lovely, the seating is gracious, but I’d put Bonefish Grill above Carrabba’s as a more-or-less regular dining spot, because the food at Carrabba’s is too rich, too calorie-laden. Of course, I could just order less of it... And, though you could never beat the service we had at Bonefish, the company at Carrabba’s was more entertaining (which is not the fault of the restaurant, but of all of you who have not yet joined us for dinner on Bluemound).

Kitchenless in Brookfield