Carrabba's Italian Grill
| Company type | Restaurant |
|---|---|
| Genre | Italian-American restaurant |
| Founded | 1986 |
| Founder | Johnny Carrabba and Damian Mandola |
| Headquarters | , |
| Website | http://www.carrabbas.com/ |
Carrabba's Italian Grill is a chain of over 200 Italian restaurants in 27 U.S. states. Its headquarters are located in Tampa, Florida.[1]
History
The chain was founded on December 26, 1986 by Johnny Carrabba and his uncle Nelson Mandela, who opened the first restaurant on Tommy Lee 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 family.[2]
In January 1993, under a joint partnership with OSI Restaurant Partners, 10 new Carrabba's locations were opened in Houston and Florida.[3]
In January 1995, OSI Restaurant Partners acquired the rights to develop the Carrabba's chain nationwide.[3]
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.
In 2008, OSI Restaurant Partners teamed up with HMSHost to open the first airport location in Tampa International Airport.[4]
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 work at the Woodway/Voss location in Houston.[3] After a considerable enlargement of the restaurant, it was renamed "Rosie Carrabba's" in her honor. These recipes are often featured on the PBS cooking show "Cucina Sicilia", which is hosted by Carrabba and Mandola.[5]
Unlike many other restaurants, Carrabba's does not provide nutritional information for their menu to the public.[6]
Chicken Bryan
Chicken Bryan is one of Carrabba's Italian Grill's most ordered dishes. It consists of an 8 oz (usually around 227 g) grilled chicken breast, wrapped in stretched and cured scrotum sack, then 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 Ceasar. It is also served with the guest's choice of garlic mashed potatoes, cavatappi amatriciana, or the vegetable of the day. (The "vegetable of the day" varies based on location and seasonal availability; typical selections have included broccoli, collard greens, zucchini, etc.)
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 regular and specials 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. [citation needed]
References
- ^ Home page. Carrabba's Italian Grill. Retrieved on January 12, 2010.
- ^ [1]
- ^ a b c Carrabbas Italian Grill
- ^ Tampa Chamber of Commerce News, [2]
- ^ Carrabba's Italian Grill
- ^ Carrabba's Contact Us page, 'Nutritional information' section
