Vanellis vs Olive Garden

[Kreedance]

We decided this year to have our anniversary supper at Vanellis. Bleweyes ( the little woman ) ordered the Fettuccini Alfredo with grilled chicken added and I ordered the marinated ribeye. Both are good, but Blew has decided that Olive Garden makes a better tasting alfredo. We will still dine at Vanellis, but when she gets ready for some alfredo, we'll go to OG.

[TF Admin]

mmmmmmmm......I haven't been to OG in a while.

TFADMIN

[wittzo]

I'm too full of good Magnolia cooking to think about eating out anywhere...but Olive Garden's Neverending Salad Bowl...slobber slobber slobber...

[calliope]

I suppose I'll be the oddball.

I think Vanelli's tops Olive Garden. Vanelli's menu is rich with food choices, while Olive Garden is basically pasta, marinara or alfredo, and a meat dressed up with peppers, mushrooms, and olives. Olive's Garden's bread sticks are good, and the salad's okay, but Vanelli's wins hands down for choices. If I were to eat at Olive Garden for three dinners in a row, I'd leave feeling sick and tired of Olive Garden food, but if I did the same thing at Vanelli's, my choices would be varied enough to make me feel as though I'd eaten in three different restaurants.

Also -- and this has nothing to do with food -- the fellow who owns Vanelli's is truly a community-minded individual. He fed Hurricane Katrina evacuees (and I mean LOTS of them) more than once, and he's known for his civic generosity. That means a lot to me. Nothing against Olive Garden on that: I don't know their charitable policies. But Kapenakis (I'm pretty sure I spelled that wrong) is proud to live in the United States and in Tupelo in particular, and he gives back to the community in a lot of ways that most of us will never know. So my patronage goes to Vanelli's.

[Lorri]

Vanelli's has become our favorite place to eat - and then Harveys - we went to the olive garden just once since moving here and we just weren't impressed - the food was bland and our waitress was way too stressed. Ooo and we like the bbq from that firehouse place, it is sooo tender!

[skitzoette]

I've only tried the OG once,and i thought it was terrible. I won't go back there.
Vanelli's was AMAZING back a few years ago when they had the best fried mushrooms in the USA. When i found out they took them off the menu,i quit going.

[TF Admin]

Vanelli's also used to make one of the best Pizza's in Tupelo. I don't know if that is still thecase, but I remember getting THE BEST Pizza's ever from Vanelli's!

TF

[rutrow]

Vanelli's has the best pizza, the best lasagna, the best cheese spaghetti etc in Tupelo. I tend to try to support the local home boys in the restaurant business when I can afford it. ;D.

I also have taken to leaving Tupelo to seek out local family restaurants as I find they care more about my stomach's happiness more than the mediocre chain restaurants do. (not to mention my pocketbook's happiness)

[TF Admin]

And when you do visit the restaurants rutrow, please use the form here and give us a review. We need more reviews of the local flavors!

TF