Romano's Macaroni Grill Plano

Their chicken under a brick is my favorite! I've talked myself into thinking it's healthy so I can eat it more often. Their Caesars are pretty amazing as well. :)

Wonderful Atmosphere & Consistently Good Food. I love Macaroni Grill. Yes, it's a chain. Yes, it's corporate, but every once in awhile the efforts come together to make a great restaurant. Start with the decor. It has a Tuscan Italian feel with heavy white stone and thick brown woods. Stone arches and wine cellar racks add to the look.

Now look at the style of restaurant. Romano's attempts to replicate the trattoria feel of an Italian restaurant. A trattorian restaurant should have decantered wine, not bottles. The menu should be verbal or hand written, and the tone should be casual. Romano mimics this by offering house Chianti wine on the honor system. You pour your own drinks and keep track of how many glasses you had. The white table cloth is covered with butcher paper. The server writes their name upside down while verbally giving you the specials for the day. It's not completely trattoria, but is sure does match pleasantly with the decor.

The food: It's always good. My favorite dish is Vodka Rustica renamed Penne Rustica. I substitute the shrimp with double chicken. I love the flavors and always over eat when i get that dish. The Carmela's Chicken is wonderful with the rigatoni pasta. I love heavy cream reduced down with sherry to make marsala sauce. My mouth is watering as I think about it now. Other dishes like Chicken Spiedini and Pasta Milano are just as good, so are the salads like Bibb & Bleu. Don't forget the free bread loaf served hot with butter melted over the top. Dip it in olive oil provided free. If you run out, pour more. They give you the olive oil bottle and pepper to keep up with your preference. If that is not enough, try the fantastic Lemon Passion desert. Sooo lemony, sooo moist, sooo good.

I love this place.