Carrabba's has a secret.

Who loves Carrabba's? *raises hand* The boyfriend and I live next door to Carrabba's so it becomes a no-brainer to eat there for dinner. Usually, we split the Grilled Chicken because it comes with 2 sides and either a soup of salad. We usually get angel hair pasta with the tomato cream sauce for me and the fettuccine for him and then take turns on who gets the soup (him) or salad (me). And then, if we eat in the restaurant as opposed to getting it to-go, we'll usually order an appetizer (our favorite is the fried zucchini sticks with aioli). Anyway, frequenting Carrabbas as much as we do, we knew it would be totally beneficial to sign up for the Amici Club. If you aren't part of the Amici Club, what are you waiting for? It's free and you get benefits:

• Exclusive Offers: Receive valuable offers, like a mini coupon book, for complimentary items, special prix fixe menus and more.
• Flavorful Rewards: Be the first to learn about delicious specials, and enjoy cooking tips, recipes, and flavor pairing options.
• Invitation Only Events: Enjoy social events ranging from wine tastings, to chef specials and cooking demos.
• Insider Information: Find out about special events, gift card giveaways, and other Carrabba's happenings before anyone else.

Sign up here! The boyfriend and I attended a special Amici Club event before and it was such a blast. We got complimentary blackberry sangria and then chose our meal choice off of a special menu featuring all the potential new dishes. We spoke to different managers and came to understand what goes into the selection process. After, we were treated to a buffet line of sorts and got to eat some of the tried and true dishes from Carrabba's. After, we received coupons and food to-go! It was free and fun!

Being a part of Amici, I received an email not that long ago. Carrabba's was sharing their "secret" menu! And, being totally awesome, I wanted to share. You do not have to be an Amici Club member to order from this menu.  *Images are from the Carrabba's website*

Last night, we ordered the Pasta Rambo and Freduccine. I may never sway from these options. The Pasta Rambo, while sauteed in their basil lemon butter sauce, was not at all overwhelming or greasy. It tasted light, but with all the bold flavors of the spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes and seafood of your choice. You can choose from shrimp, crab or lobster. The Freduccine basically combined all of my favorites from Carrabba's. Marsala, Fettuccine, prosciutto- all of the fettuccine had the taste of the Marsala wine sauce. Each dish came with your choice of soup of salad.

It was a treat (and kind of exciting in a weird way) to order off the "secret" menu!

Tell me: What is your favorite Carrabba's dish?



Jerk Hut

My boyfriend and I, thanks to a $7 for $20 deal through Creative Loafing, decided to go to Jerk Hut Jamaican Grille and Rhum Bar for dinner last week. Located on Fowler Avenue in the University area, Jerk Hut always seems to have a steady crowd. While we have never experienced stellar service, we have always experienced good food. This time around, we split the beef patty appetizer.

Ground beef seasoned with amazing and baked inside of a flaky pastry shell, this patty is so delicious. The beef was cooked perfectly and the seasoning is simply out of this world. The seasoning is a little spicy, which was a pleasant surprise. I couldn't ask for anything more from the pastry shell. Not only was the pastry so flaky and crisp, but it wasn't too thick. Too often, pastry shells tend to completely overwhelm the flavors inside. Jerk Hut did their beef patty justice.

For our main meals, we decided to go with the Jerk Platter and the Cool Jerk Chicken Wrap. The Jerk Platter is a combo dish served with chicken and pork (best of both worlds, right?) along with red beans and rice.

The pork was a little too fatty for my taste, but I could eat the chicken all day. I tried to pinpoint the flavors in the seasoning (I boast that I have a defining palate), but just couldn't. Turns out, it's a "secret blend of exotic Jamaican herbs and spices" and then grilled with a hint of pimento smoke. The rice and beans are smokey and make such a nice side.

The Cool Jerk Chicken Wrap (also available in Pork) is in a flour tortilla with lettuce, tomato and homemade Ranch dressing.

Again, the chicken flavor is unparalleled, but without it, the wrap and homemade ranch dressing isn't anything special. The menu didn't say so, but my wrap came with a side of fried plantains. Sweet, crispy and soft like it should be, this side basically made me happy about my entire meal. I grew up eating fried plantains and can certainly appreciate ones cooked right. 

Nearly all entrees come with a side of Andrew's Original Redd sauce. Sweet and tangy, the sauce pairs well with everything and is never too heavy of a dressing.

Of course, whenever Macaroni & Cheese is on a menu, I have to indulge. I ordered a side of the baked mac & cheese and delighted in the amount of cheese in the dish (mmm)! 

If you love your cheese, this side is for you. Along with the cheese baked in the middle of this, for lack of a better word, rectangle of macaroni, there is also plenty of cheese at the bottom. If you are unawares of this delight, it'll surely be the first thing you notice when you fork out your first bite!

Aside from the obligatory meats, wraps and sides, Jerk Hut also has imported Jamaican sodas, juices, salads and soups. They also have an extensive liquor and specialty drink selection, offer catering and have live music some nights of the week.