Olive Garden Nice Shopping Break
By Colleen Coffield Sachs, Daily News Columnist

DESTIN – This day after Thanksgiving is regarded as the busiest shopping day of the year. Food options need to be close to the action and fast. They also need to be comfortable so you can relax and recharge, and they can’t break the bank.
  
The new Olive Garden in Destin fits that description well. It is nestled among plenty of big box stores, and is right across the street from Destin Commons. This former Red Lobster (they are both part of the Darden group of restaurants) has been transformed into an Italian restaurant with cozy booths and comfortable tables.
  
With the exception of the young man who delivered our entrees to the table one evening, the service at Olive Garden was friendly and efficient. Servers were familiar with the menu items, and didn’t hesitate to let you know their favorite dishes.
  
One of the most popular menu items at Olive Garden is the daily lunch special of soup, salad and breadsticks. At $5.95 (which includes unlimited refills), this is the best value on a menu that focuses on value. At a busy weekday lunch, nearly everyone in the restaurant ordered this combination.
  
What makes it work, in addition to the price, is that the soups and salad at Olive Garden are consistently good. Salad is served family-style in a large bowl filled with crisp lettuce, onions, olives, tomatoes and croutons. Its dressing is a vinaigrette with just a touch of sweetness.
  
Soups include a hearty pasta e fagioli (beans, pasta, ground beef and tomatoes), vegetarian minestrone, and zuppa Toscana (sausage, potatoes, greens and a touch a cream). They are a nice counter to the crisp cold salad.
  
Breadsticks missed the mark on flavor, but were better when dipped in marinara or alfredo sauce, or a bowl of soup.
  
Several other menu items are good bets. The bruschetta appetizer was excellent with lots of good tomato flavor accented with fresh basil. Appetizers of mushrooms with a clam and herb stuffing, and fonduta (melted smoked mozzarella) were also very good.
  
Chicken parmigiana was my favorite of the classic Italian dishes. The moist chicken had a nice crisp crust, and was smothered with marinara and melted mozzarella.
  
Olive Garden has a number of specialty dishes, and one of the best was the chicken vino bianco, chicken breasts topped with mushrooms, tomato, onion and garlic. It is highlighted by a white wine butter sauce and is served with linguine.
  
There were also good choices among the desserts. Chocolate gelato was simple but perfect when accented with chocolate chunks and caramel sauce. And a lemon cream cake was light in texture and a pleasant end to a hearty meal.
  
There were some dishes to avoid, including appetizers of calamari that was not cooked quite enough, making each piece doughy tasting, and the artichoke-spinach dip that was too heavy in cream cheese. Pizza is not recommended, nor is the capellini pomodoro that had a harsh, almost metallic flavor.
  
You won’t find everything offered at Olive Garden on one menu. There are separate menus for lunch and dinner, and a menu of seasonal specialties.
  
Chicken roma is being highlighted right now. It features smoked mozzarella, roma tomatoes, and arugula. Among the seasonal desserts is a stellar pumpkin cheesecake accented with crushed ginger cookies.
  
A children’s menu offers Italian dishes as well as chicken fingers. There are also plenty of menu options for those watching calories or carbs. Vegetables can be substituted for potatoes, and whole wheat linguine is offered. There are also possibilities for those on a gluten-free diet.
  
A To-Go menu is available on the Olive Garden Web site (olivegarden.com). Call in your order, and pick it up at the restaurant.
  
Whether you choose to eat there, or pick up something to take home, Olive Garden has what it takes to fit into a busy day of holiday preparations. It lets you take a break from the shopping to relax over a meal, but doesn’t take you too far from the shops.

Destin Commons Olive Garden
34970 Emerald Coast Pkwy
Destin, FL 32541
(850) 650-2307

Price range
Appetizers: $5.50 to $9.50
Soups & salads: $4.25 to $8.50
Entrees: $9.25 to $19.75
Children’s menu: $4.10 to $4.90
Desserts: $5.25 to $5.95
Lunch: $4.25 to $14.75

Other information
Reservations not accepted
Handicap accessibility
Children’s menu
All major credit cards accepted

Other locations on the Emerald Coast:

Destin
34970 Emerald Coast Pkwy
Destin, FL 32541
 (850) 650-2307

Panama City
2397 State Road 77
Panama City, FL 32405
 (850) 769-4002

Fort Walton Beach
216 Miracle Strip Pkwy SW
Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548
(850) 244-1667

Colleen Coffield Sachs is restaurant reviewer for the Daily News. She dines unannounced at area restaurants for this column. You may write to her in care of the newspaper at P.O. Box 2949, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32549.