Subject: Your-$250 Olive Garden-GiftCard is Now-Ready: Claim it Today

From: "Olive Garden" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 22 Jan 2015 14:46:04 -0700

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that were amazing (Carne Vino in Vegas, Cafe Atlantico in DC), but Mesa was not one of them. Based on my experiences, I have decided that 23368623 best way to tell if a Celebrity Chef's restaurant is going to be any good or not is how much 23368623 restaurant relies on 23368623 celeb's name rather than 23368623 food to get people in 23368623 door. My friend and I walked into Mesa for our last summer lunch together and were immediately assaulted by a shrine to Flay behind 23368623 hostess stand. You can buy his books, chutneys, spice rubs, and probably posters in 23368623 restaurant. 23368623 atmosphere of 23368623 restaurant didn't get much better. As we were lead to our table, we walked past 23368623 open kitchen where 23368623 chef manning 23368623 grill was cooking burger after burger and piling them up off to one side. Made to order, eh? 23368623 table we were seated at was so close to another couple that I could have bumped 23368623 other lady with my elbow if I wasn't
careful. I know Mesa isn't an intimate date restaurant or anything, but I felt uncomfortable having 23368623 conversation I wanted to have with my friend there. Our waiter had to crawl out of Flay's butt to bring us 23368623 day's specials. "Do you know Bobby Flay? Did you choose Mesa because of Mr. Flay? Do you watch Bobby on 23368623 food network?" he simpered as he held 23368623 menu upside down in front of us. His appetizer recommendation was good though. 23368623 Queso Fundido was yummy. As were 23368623 ($16) margaritas. I was surprised they were that expensive at lunch time; I could have gotten similar cocktails at many other restaurants for $9-$12. My biggest complaint about Mesa, and 23368623 reason I only give it one star, is 23368623 seasoning. I get that southwestern spice, chilis and rubs are Flay's thing, but there's something to be said for subtlety. I ordered a lamb cobb salad because I really like lamb and thought that sounded delicious. Too bad I couldn
't taste my lamb. It was cooked perfectly and melt-in-my-mouth tender, but it didn't taste like anything but chili powder. I love lamb because it tastes good. Why go against that? About halfway through my salad when I had pretty much decided I had had enough anyway, a little black bug crawled out from under a lettuce leaf and began crawling around 23368623 lip of my plate. He was moving slowly, perhaps dazed by 23368623 spices as I was. We quickly flagged down a busser (who had been really attentive about our bread, drinks, and water - I think he was my favorite thing about 23368623 meal) who brought 23368623 plate, still with bug, to our waiter. He came and apologized, soon 23368623 floor manager came to apologize,