Carrabba's Italian Grill

Carrabba's Italian Grill is a chain of over 200 Italian restaurants in 27 US states.

History

The chain was founded on December 26 1986 by Johnny Carrabba and his uncle Damian Mandola, who opened the first restaurant on Kirby Drive in Houston, Texas. A second location was opened soon after near the intersection of Woodway Street and Voss Street. Both original locations are still operated by the Carrabba and Mandola families.

In January 1993, under a joint partnership with OSI Restaurant Partners, 10 new Carrabba's locations were opened in Houston and Florida.

In January 1995, OSI Restaurant Partners acquired the rights to develop the Carrabba's chain nationwide.

In 2007, the OSI Restaurant Partners, which include Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba's Italian Grill, Bonefish Grill, Roy's, Flemings, and Cheeseburger in Paradise, went private. The company's stock is no longer traded on the market.

Menu

Many of the recipes for the dishes on Carrabba's menu are those of Damian's mother Grace and his sister Rose, who currently still works at the Woodway/Voss location in Houston. These recipes are often featured on the PBS cooking show "Cucina Sicilia", which is hosted by Carrabba and Mandola.

Chicken Bryan

Chicken Bryan is one of Carrabba's Italian Grill's most ordered dishes. It consists of an 8 oz (227 g) grilled chicken breast, topped with Caprino cheese, sundried tomatoes, and a basil lemon butter sauce. It is served with a cup of homemade soup or a guest's choice of a House, Italian, or Caesar salad. It is also served with the guest's choice of garlic mashed potatoes, spaghetti pomodoro, cavatappi amatriciana, or the vegetable of the day. It is named after the city of Bryan, Texas where the Carrabba family settled in the United States.

Employees

Carrabba's employees are known in the restaurant as Carrabbamicos or for short, just Mico. Servers wear a white pressed and dry cleaned oxford shirt with a tie of their choice (no name brand logos), with dark rinse khaki pants, and black shoes. Hosts must wear a black oxford with the sleeves down, again pressed and dry cleaned, dress slacks, black shoes, and a dress belt. Servers must memorize every item on the menu, including ingredients to the base sauces for all entrees, sides, and salads. Although not required, it is highly recommended by management to memorize the wine listings and know which wines go with which foods.

Cooking show

Owners Johnny Carrabba and Damian Mandola host a television show on PBS called Cucina Sicilia. On this show, the two chefs show you how to cook traditional Italian cuisine.

External links

• Carrabba's Website