THE CAPRESE SALAD (Carolina’s).

By John M. Borack
Orange County Tribune

In the 1990s, when my soon-to-be-wife and I both worked for the City of Garden Grove, one of our favorite local haunts was Carolina’s Italian Restaurant, located in a small, nondescript strip mall on Chapman Avenue. The food was tasty, the portions were large, and the service was friendly.

As a matter of fact, we both enjoyed Carolina’s so much that we held our wedding rehearsal dinner there. After we married, changed jobs, and moved further south, we stopped making the drive to GG and instead opted for Italian restaurants that were closer to home.

Fast forward 30 years, and after listening to a co-worker talk about Carolina’s and relating the rehearsal dinner story to her, I was presented with a gift card to Carolina’s as a birthday gift. After holding onto it for close to seven months, my wife and I (along with our daughter) decided to see if you can, in fact, go home again—gastronomically speaking.

Upon entering the restaurant at around 7 on a Sunday evening, we were a bit
surprised to find it so busy. After looking over the menu, my daughter decided on the
Carolina’s Trio: “a generous combination platter featuring homemade beef lasagna,
cheese ravioli, and creamy fettuccine Alfredo served together on one plate,” according
to Carolina’s website.

My wife—”the token vegetarian,” as she sometimes refers to herself—ordered the cheese tortellini, while yours truly—an unashamed raging carnivore—went against my better judgment and tried the New York steak. (We also shared some garlic knots and I had a caprese salad: both were excellent.)

My wife and daughter enjoyed their meals quite a bit: the Carolina’s Trio certainly lived
up to its “generous combination platter” billing, while the cheese tortellini was creamy
and satisfying. (I can vouch for this due to the fact that I demolished the leftovers the
following evening.) My steak,

however, was a mite disappointing (especially considering it cost $32.99): I ordered it medium rare and it came out medium well, which wouldn’t have been a huge deal if it weren’t for the fact that the cut of beef was a little tough and difficult to chew. (Of course, that may be my own fault for ordering a steak in an Italian
restaurant.)

The steak did come with an enormous side of spaghetti and meatballs, which was delicious. Carolina’s meatballs are made in-house and are top notch. (Note to self: try the meatball sandwich next time.)

The service was exemplary. We had two servers helping us—a veteran and a rookie—and both were super attentive, making sure our water glasses were never empty and that we had everything we needed. The ambiance is sort of old school Italian, which makes it a perfect setting to enjoy a menu filled with comfort food.

Carolina’s is located at 12045 Chapman Ave. (at West Street in Garden Grove. Their phone number is (714) 971-5551, and you can find them on the web at http://www.carolinasitalianrestaurant.com. They’re open until midnight for you night owls, and they also have pickup and delivery options available.