A Feast for the Family

(From left) Olive Garden Ala Moana manager Michelle Camacho, culinary manager Kegan Abregano, and general manager Jasmine Luecke display the restaurant’s shareable dishes.

After years of waiting, local enthusiasts of Italian cuisine now have two convenient Olive Garden locations to frequent and enjoy their favorite entrées, desserts, salads, soups and appetizers: Hookipa Terrace at Ala Moana Center and The Village at Ka Makana Alii.

Shrimp Fritto Misto ($15.79)

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“From the day we first opened our doors, the amount of positive feedback has been absolutely amazing!” says Jasmine Luecke, general manager of Oliver Garden’s Ala Moana location. “Guests have commented on how long they’ve been waiting for Olive Garden to reach the islands. When we can anticipate our guests’ needs and provide them with great service and a memorable experience, we’ve done our job.”

Olive Garden’s iconic breadsticks are a necessity when dining at the restaurant and are usually the first thing guests ask for. Luecke notes that the breadsticks are complemented by adding one of Olive Garden’s house-made dipping sauces ($6.99, served one bowl at a time): marinara, five-cheese marinara or Alfredo.

Be sure to try a new limited-time offering only available at the two Hawaii locations: Calabrian Mahi Mahi ($25.99) features pan-seared mahi mahi topped with a smoky Calabrian tomato sauce along with roasted red peppers and cherry tomatoes served over angel hair pasta. Seafood fans will also enjoy Shrimp Fritto Mis to ($15.79) featuring over a half-pound of hand-breaded shrimp is fried to perfection with onions and bell peppers along with marinara and spicy ranch dipping sauces.

Tour of Italy ($26.99) is another Olive Garden staple as the Chicken Parmigiana, Lasagna Classico and signature Fettucine Alfredo come together on one plate; the trio is perfect for anyone who wants a taste of all three. The aforementioned Chicken Parmigiana ($24.49) is an Olive Garden classic featuring two lightly fried Parmesan-breaded chicken breasts smothered in Olive Garden’s housemade marinara sauce and melted Italian cheeses served with a side of spaghetti.

Chicken Parmigiana ($24.49)

Five-Cheese Ziti Al Forno ($20.49) is constructed with an oven-baked blend of Italian cheeses, pasta and Olive Garden’s signature housemade five-cheese marinara sauce. Chicken Scampi ($24.49) is another Italian classic sautéed with fresh bell peppers and red onions in a creamy scampi sauce before being served over angel hair pasta.

Five-Cheese Ziti Al Forno ($20.49)

“‘We’re all family’ is what Olive Garden is really about, and we’ve received an extremely positive response from our local diners,” Luecke says. “We’re very grateful and treat every guest like family, so we love seeing our regulars come back weekly and are thankful that they continue to choose us.

“We also listen to feedback from our guests daily and implement changes where needed. The opening of our second location at Ka Makana Alii earlier this year was a huge success, and we’re very thankful for the support at both locations.”

General manager Jasmine Doropan leads the team at Olive Garden’s Kapolei location and says: “Above all, we want our West Oahu community to feel at home and pampered when dining at our location, and finally see what the hype is all about! Olive Garden’s core mantra is ‘family’ and the sense of togetherness felt when you are sharing a warm, hearty meal with your loved ones. Nothing beats that feeling.”

In addition to serving up memorable meals in the restaurants, both Olive Garden locations offer takeout and online ordering for convenient dining options on the go.