Dianne and I arrived around 6pm on Saturday night and there were only two open spots in the parking lot. We were seated immediately...no waiting. This appeared to be a result of a rather clever floor plan with plenty of cozy two person booths mixed with the larger tables and booths. They even offer an exhibition kitchen area where you can watch them prepare the food.
The first thing I noticed after we were seated was that this Carrabba's has abandoned the Salt & Pepper shakers in favor of grinders. Hooray! It may sound trivial, but we made the same change at home and now I have become a big believer. Freshly ground black pepper is vastly superior in flavor to the powdered version and getting it from a waiter is NOT the way to go for a number of reasons. I don't know how much of a cost difference it makes for the restaurant, but at home the reduced waste makes up for the added cost.
Cocktails and Antipasti
Dianne ordered her first Sangria. Don, our excellent waiter, suggested she try a sample of each of their sangria's. This turned out to be a great move because we both much preferred their red sangria to their slightly sweeter white wine version. The tasty blend of wine, brandy, fruit and spices was an instant hit with Dianne. Sadly, I didn't find any Oklahoma wines on the menu.
Although we rarely order restaurant appetizers, we simply could not resist trying the 'Cozze In Bianco' AKA: mussels in white wine sauce. We were foolish to try to resist. Resistance is futile, order the mussels!
Carrabba's Italian Grill serves rope-grown mussels flown in every 48 hours from the coast of Prince Edward Island. Since the rope-grown mussels never touch the ground, they are prevented from becoming gritty like most clams, oysters and other shellfish. Carrabba's mussels are steamed in white wine, basil, lemon butter and Pernod (licorice flavor liqueur). The flavors blend in complex and exciting ways. Finding great seafood in Tulsa can often be tricky; don't miss this one of a kind starter!
Steak and Seafood
After that brilliant appetizer, I ordered their Sirloin Marsala with garlic mashed potatoes and a salad. Their caesar salad is just about the best I have ever had, not too tart or too fishy. The steak was perfectly cooked, very tender and smothered with mushrooms sautéed in their Lombardo Marsala wine sauce.
Dianne ordered The Damain, a seafood combination platter including grilled salmon, Spiedino di Mare, lobster ravioli and the most wonderful shrimp grilled over a pecan-wood fire. The lobster ravioli was the only pasta in our meal, it was good, but that shrimp was to die for, IMHO! As you can see, there is far more to Carrabba's than Spaghetti. I must shamefully admit that I failed to pace myself and ended up far too stuffed to attempt a dessert. They sounded divine.
Service and Atmosphere at Carrabba's
We spoke at length to the owner of Carrabba's on 71st, Tim Johnson. He is a really nice guy that works hard to keep the family atmosphere going among the servers. He showed up at our table wearing an apron and helping out with clearing dishes. The whole service staff seems to work as a team. They never let our glasses get empty. Our extremely friendly waiter had an impressive knowledge of the food and its origins, cooking methods and history.
The atmosphere was a bit noisy, no surprise considering the location and hour, but high walls around our booth helped make it seem more private. The whole restaurant is decorated in a vineyard style with grape vines dangling from trellis-like structures overhead.
Due to my wife and boss both launching low-carb diets a few years ago, I haven't visited an Italian food restaurant in years. The consistent high quality service and wonderfully fresh and flavorful food at Carrabba's Italian Grill caught us totally by surprise! Another surprise was the wealth of food choices that go beyond pizza and pasta. Heck, they even offer a Gluten-Free menu...whatever that means!
After sending our oil industry to Houston, it is good to see Tulsa has gotten something valuable in return. I hope they do well here. Dianne and I will definitely be returning to Carrabba's!
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