Olive Garden #MeetTheMedi Menu

Wow! Kellie M you've done it again with organizing another incredible event! This was my first tasting event and oh boy did they pull out all the stops! A special shout goes out to the Olive Garden staff at this renovated location. The outside as well as the interior are unlike any Olive Garden I've ever been to. We were told that this is one of the first in the nation to get such a facelift. Kudos! When we walked inside, it was like stepping into another world. From the archways to the paintings on the walls this was clearly not the average location. We were seated and everyone was ready for some good food. I hadn't eaten all day so I was ready. Or so I thought. Lol. It wouldn't be Olive Garden without fresh bread and salad. They were on point! I was delighted to hear that the dressing on the salad was low calorie and a healthier choice. Seems like this new Mediterranean menu wants to take it easy on the waistline. I'm content with that. I'm vegetarian so I was glad to see other options on this diverse menu. I'm not a mushroom fan but the stuffed mushrooms were pretty tasty. The herbs and spices topped with fresh mozzarella were the perfect start. I ate the zucchini out of the next dish. I loved the fact that the zucchini was cooked just right. It wasn't over cooked and soggy. It was cooked with the right amount of crunch to it. The pesto stole my heart. I'm a big fan of pesto and this fresh blend was perfect. The noodles were cooked to perfection and the Parmesan cheese was delectable. Every course was accompanied by a drink. My favorite drink of all time is the green apple moscato sangria. I will travel for this drink. It was like biting into an apple. Incredible refreshing drink to accompany this abundance of food! Last but certainly not least was the warm apple crostata. I don't believe I've ever had dessert here. I'm usually too full to even consider such a thing. Tonight would be different. These Granny Smith apple pieces swiftly tucked into a pastry shell and then topped with vanilla bean ice was the perfect end to a wonderful night with friends! The staff was ever so helpful in helping us box all the excess food. Clearly they didn't want to take it home! Lol. Thank you all for an amazing night. I look forward to my return to Olive Garden really soon!