Romano's Macaroni Grill ⑧
My first experience with a Macaroni Grill was on my birthday, sometime in my 20’s. I went to one by the mall in Chesterfield Missouri and it was one of the most amazing experiences ever. The building inside was GORGEOUS; dim lighting, elegant seating and dinner ware, and upscale décor. That was also back when men would walk around to your tables and sing Italian Opera to you. I also vividly remember the bathrooms; they made me feel like I was in France with the design and music playing over the loud speaker. In the entryway was a large glass display that showcased all the meats they served.
Things have changed over the years; the bathrooms aren’t anywhere near the same, the décor has been slimmed down and simplified, the glass display of meats is missing, and their menu doesn’t have the same items from my first visit. This particular location was still nice; dimly lit with the same table settings, and a warm atmosphere, but it wasn’t the same as I remember years ago. The bathrooms were in really poor condition; not only were the floors, walls, and décor completely redone to fit more of a 50’s café, but they were dirty.
However, the food was still delicious and the service was pleasant. We were treated to two different pastas; a Penne with spicy red sauce and mozzarella, and their Penne Rustica which had roasted chicken, shrimp, rosemary cream, prosciutto, and Parmesan cheese. The Penny Rustica was rich and creamy with bold flavors. They served us complimentary bread loaves with olive oil and cracked pepper for dipping; of course I added a ton of Parmesan cheese, and it was wonderful!
The servers still write their names upside down on the table cloths with crayons; never understood why they did such a childlike act in such an upscale place, but it’s something they’ll be remembered by. Overall a thumbs up, I just wish they would have left some things the way they were.
