A popular place for an affordable Italian lunch
Friday - October 24, 2008
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Almost four years to the day since opening at Ala Moana Center, Romano’s Macaroni Grill is set to debut a second location on the Big Island. My guess is even with a depressed economy you can bet the restaurant will be packed.
When the popular Italian restaurant opened in November of 2004 here on Oahu, there were long lines and an average waiting time of almost two hours. Even today it’s best to make reservations for dinner on the weekends.
“We’re fortunate that the restaurant has been popular since the beginning,” says Alex Kirley, regional director of sales and marketing for Hawaii.
The continued success of Macaroni Grill in Hawaii can be attributed to many factors, although a key ingredient is undoubtedly executive chef Mike Longworth, whose culinary experience in Hawaii has taken him from the Black Orchid to executive chef positions at both Sam Choy’s and (now closed) Jackie’s Kitchen. He has the seasoned confidence of a multitasking chef, and is comfortable running a busy kitchen, creating new dishes and training multiple staff members - often all at the same time.
“We’ve just been designated as a certified training location,” he says with a grin, “so we’re training everybody here for the Big Island opening - and hoping to go over and see how they’re doing when they open in November.”
He sees the key to Macaroni Grill’s success in Hawaii in the range of menu items and the “American-Italian” theme.
“We keep it simple and just try to make good food,” says the extremely likeable chef. “We do limited-time dishes that are featured at the front of the menu - that way people can try new dishes but know that their favorites are still on the menu.”
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There’s an economic twist to the current menu, too, with the introduction of “Roma” lunches.
“Everything is going up in price,” says Longworth. “We wanted to do something to make things more affordable so people can still come to lunch once or twice a week.”
With reduced portion sizes comes a reduced check.
“We made the entrée portions a little less, and now you can have lunch from around $8,” he says. “We made the Sicilian Mio Pizza (with sweet Italian sausage, pepperoni, fontina and mozzarella cheese) for one person,” he says. “That way people can order their favorite pizza for lunch without having to take home leftovers.”
Guests can add a garden or Caesar salad or cup of soup for an additional $2.99.
And while portion sizes and prices are less, taste stays the same. Eggplant Parmesan ($10) - hand-breaded eggplant sautéed then baked with tomato sauce, and topped with basil, mozzarella and Parmesan - is now two generous pieces instead of three, and other entrees are smaller too.
“Mostly people want to stop by to enjoy a tasty lunch before going back to work,” says Longworth. “They don’t really want to take leftovers back to the office. With our new lunchtime entrees, we’ve made the options easier.”
And there are half-sized desserts, too.
“We’ve applied the same principle to our desserts,” he says.
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Those with a sweet tooth must try the signature New York Cheesecake, Strawberry Zabaglione, Smothered Chocolate Cake or the incredible Dessert Ravioli (crumbled peanuts, caramel and chocolate in golden-fried pastries, served with vanilla ice cream and caramel).
And for those who’d rather load up than lighten up, the news is also good. New entrees include Layers of Ravioli dishes where four-cheese ravioli is layered with a variety of ingredients then topped with Parmesan breadcrumbs and cheese. Think of it as a lasagna with stuffed ravioli instead of plain noodles as the base.
Variations on the layered theme include Chicken and Artichoke Ravioli, $13.99 (layers of sautéed chicken, prosciutto, artichoke hearts and garlic cream sauce topped with asparagus and roasted tomatoes) and Sicilian Four Cheese Ravioli where Italian sausage, cheese, roasted peppers and onions are layered with a spicy tomato basil sauce.
For family dining, lunch with friends, first dates or full-on family gatherings, it’s hard to beat Macaroni Grill’s bustling, upbeat atmosphere, incredibly positive staff and value-driven pricing. And there’s also the fact that despite being a Mainland chain with more than 225 restaurants worldwide, our Macaroni Grill still manages to make you feel like it’s a neighborhood Italian restaurant.
“It was always important to us from the beginning that we created a place where local people would love to come and eat,” says Kirley.
John Langan, assistant general manager, adds, “People like Macaroni Grill because we are many different things: contemporary, casual and a little upscale; we can be quiet and intimate or boisterous and fun; we are romantic and we can be casual - all at the same time. And we’re perfect for family dining.”
Not sure I could have said it any better myself.
Romano’s Macaroni Grill 1450 Ala Moana Blvd. Ala Moana Center 356-8300 http://www.macaronigrill.com
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