All You Have to Say is Unlimited

I like to think of myself as a foodie. At least I like to think of myself as someone who enjoys going to one-of-a-kind, more upscale restaurants to try dishes I most likely wouldn't (or couldn't) just whip up on my own. That's the definition of foodie, at least for the purposes of this entry.

In other words, I appreciate the experience of dining out at more local restaurants that may or may not be owned by a celebrity chef and may or may not have been visited by the Food Network. I like trying places that have been around for decades and places that have been around for five minutes ... but have everyone buzzing. So, what I'm really saying is this: I'm not much into chain restaurants.

That used to not be the case at all. Back 10, maybe only five, years ago, I was all about a trip to Chili's. Or Applebee's. Those would have been some of the first choices on my list for nightly dinner options. When that started to change, especially after moving into the heart of the ever-changing face of Seattle's foodscape, so did my choice for where to eat for my birthday dinners.

While I previously would have been perfectly content with a stop by Ruby Tuesday's on my special night, now I'm more prone to go for the quaint, exclusive spot somewhere hidden in a residential neighborhood. I'd say I'm more like to chose a place where courses cost $28 a plate, not $9.95. That's not to say I'm all about the price. I think we all have experienced some high-dollar disappointments at the dinner table. But a pleasantly memorable dining experience often goes hand in hand with the dollar amount on the bill. The more you pay, the more you remember. And not just because you're forced to eat Ramen Noodles until your next paycheck.

Last week, when it was time to choose my dinner destination, I had all kinds of places in mind. For several days, I'd been thinking about the new Tom Douglas restaurants and researching menus at the spots I've heard about but not yet tried. There are dozens on my mental bucket list for restaurants to visit, and my birthday was going to be the excuse to check one off of that list. Staple & Fancy was one I really had planned on choosing, because I wanted to try the "fancy" part. Basically, the well-known chef creates whatever he wants for this multi-course feast. This is a bit risky as a vegetarian (I've heard they don't really appreciate you giving them restrictions of any kind when you order the "Bring Me Whatever" option), but nobody I know has had a bad experience.

When it came time for my actual birthday, last Wednesday, I got asked the big question: "Where do you want to go for dinner?"

Staple & Fancy was the expected answer. Or Crush. Or even the more affordable Boom Noodle, a Seattle spot I frequent. None of those came to mind. Nothing, for whatever reason, sounded like the right place. I just wasn't craving anything in particular that day, and I wasn't in the mood to get fancy (or to try it, I guess).

But a birthday dinner destination had to be chosen. So, I just blurted out the one place I used to go on an almost-daily basis, even though it is the most stereotypical of all chain dining establishments. Almost as a joke, I said, "Olive Garden. Let's go to Olive Garden."

As soon as I said it, I couldn't stop thinking about that salad. And those breadsticks. After all, it's UNLIMITED, which is the main appeal of the place. So, that's where we ended up. At a chain restaurant.

I had eggplant parmesan plus two bowls of salad. And three breadsticks. I wanted to have four, but I stopped myself at three.

As I took a bite of the chocolate mint that comes with the bill, I realized chain restaurants become chains for a reason. It's because they're known for something that works well and has mass appeal. Just ask anyone about Olive Garden. The first thing they'll mention is the unlimited salad and breadsticks. Especially the breadsticks.