The Intimate New Year's Dinner

The intimate New Year's dinner Christine and I had planned at an elegant little restaurant went a bit awry.

We arrived to find they were serving only their New Year's Eve couple's package, a fact they didn't mention when I made the reservation. It involved enforced appetizers, wine, desserts and more. My thought was: If I wanted to eat off the rack I'd have gone to Micky D's.

After a brief conference in which we decided we didn't care for not being able to choose what we wanted from the menu in combinations that we wanted i.e. we were planning to skip appetizers and just have dessert, we developed a plan B -- Olive Garden.

Sure it's a chain and not exactly what you think of when you think elegant little dinner spots, but they were more than happy to provide a choice and combinations we could abide.

15 minutes
We only had to wait about 15 minutes for a table, though we were a little overdressed for OG. OK, I was wearing a shirt that was a fashion risk. Everything from jeans to tie and sports coat were represented, though, so I got away with it without many glances.

It proved to be a great evening - nice waiter and good food. I used to go to an Olive Garden in Lafayette, Louisiana where they were stingy with the breadsticks.

The waiter would bring about two in a basket then disappear for an hour. That was a bit disappointing since my first experience in an Olive Garden was in San Antonio where the waiter was there every couple of minutes to check on your needs.

Even though he was busy, our waiter was attentive last night.

I had their Chicken Vino Bianco for the first time and enjoyed it. Ate everything too fast as I am wont to do of late and resolved to take things a little slower in the new year.

I've also resolved to be less snobby about chains. And to be more thankful in general.

A lot of people didn't eat at any restaurant last night. Lot of people didn't eat at all.