Today it was my pick for Saturday lunch, and if there is one thing I cannot pass up it is a good coupon deal. We received a $20 off coupon for a purchase of $60 at Maggiano's at the Boulevard so I thought I would use that offer, since I knew the prices there were a bit high, but they did have the deal where you can get a full extra serving of pasta off there classic menu if you order one there. I had not visited there since our department went there for lunch a couple of years ago, so I thought it was time to visit.
The first thing we had to do was park at The Boulevard shopping center, so we entered the parking garage in the back and we were surprised to see almost every single spot was taken at 11:45am on a Saturday morning. Luckily we did find one spot, but it was almost at the south end where we would have been in the surface parking anyway. We knew there were higher floors of parking but luckily we did not have to figure out how to get there. We walked around to the front entrance of the restaurant and we noticed that all those parked cars were not for Maggiano's customers. There were a few groups seating, but much of the dining area was empty. The seating and decor was as I remembered it when I last visited, very plush and well appointed with lots of wood and very tastefully done with Frank Sinatra singing in the background. They definitely have a nice ambiance in the dining area, with tablecloths, cloth napkins and comfortable seating.
Our server appeared shortly afterwards and took our drink orders as we looked over the menu. My wife and mother-in-law ordered iced tea, and my wife thought it was too strong. We were also served some Italian bread which tasted like generic Italian bread from the grocery store with nothing special or fresh tasting about it. They did not give us any butter since they had olive oil on the table to use instead. To add flavor, I added freshly ground pepper to my oil and my son added Parmesan cheese.
I had decided on the "Lighter Take" Baked Ziti with chicken sausage, my son ordered their signature Rigatoni 'D', my wife ordered the Margherite flatbread and my mother-in-law ordered the Fettuccine Alfredo. As we waited they continued to play music from the 1950's which my mother-in-law liked, which added to the old time, classy atmosphere there. The entrees arrived in a timely manner and the portions were pretty generous. The flatbread was served on an awkward long board which rather crowded the table in front of my wife. She did like the flatbread which she noticed had a very sweet flavor to it, probably enhanced by that popular ingredient known as sugar. My son also had some and he liked it too, more so, in fact than his Rigatoni 'D'. I tried his Rigatoni and it was not bad, but not all that flavorful with the overwhelming flavor being cream. It was not what he was expecting, and I was surprised this was their "famous" signature dish. My baked ziti was also pretty good, but frankly was not overly flavorful either, even with the chicken sausage, ricotta cheese and pomodoro sauce. I did eat my whole serving, but frankly I preferred the chicken pasta I had eaten at the Cheesecake Factory just across the street a few weeks ago.
Our server was attentive and refilled our drinks and checked on us now and then. The atmosphere and service were very nice, but the overall flavor and authenticity of the food left us wanting something more. We were glad we had the $20 coupon, since at regular prices it did not seem like the best value, even with the two extra lasagna servings we took home with us. We thought how if we lived in a smaller town, or in a city without much Italian food, Maggiano's would probably seem like a great place. But when you live in St. Louis where the Hill is only a couple exits down Highway 64, it seems like a shame to eat at Maggiano's when you can get so much better Italian food for the same price. The convenience of ample parking, more seating, less of a crowd and a plusher ambiance does not make up for the fact that the food is just not as authentic and flavorful as someplace like Zia's. It is not bad for upscale chain, mall Italian food, but if you want a a true Italian eating experience, there are so many better places around St. Louis.
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