My wife and I went to Carpaccio a couple of weeks ago with a large group of cousins (18 of us all together, I think). We all had a very nice meal, and the service was excellent.

Can you tell us anymore about the wine list since you do mention it in the review.

It's been awhile since I've been there, but the list seemed pretty straightforward to me. In spite of the restaurant's name, I think the emphasis here is on the food, and this isn't a wine bar in the traditional sense. Lots to choose from under $40 as I remember. EL

Cousin cuisine?

Hmm ... since you asked: I spent Saturday at the Dragon Boat Races volunteering with Catholic Charities, after which I enjoyed a nice dinner at Sammy's. Sunday, after church, I immersed myself in a couple of hours of reading the Sun (several days' worth - thanks, Sam Sessa, for the great review of Bad Decisions; the owner is a good friend of mine and he cooks a mean burger) and the Washington Post (the restaurant column in the magazine was all about answering readers' questions, including one about locating the "perfect" crab cake) after which I wrote music followed by beginning to paint one of my back bedrooms. I ended the evening by watching the reprise of the pilot ep of "Fringe" and cursing the fact that I have rehearsal on Tuesdays when new eps are shown.

On a seemingly unrelated note, a friend will be visiting me in a few weeks and we have tix to Bernstein's Mass at the BSO. He is from Dubuque and has never been to Bmore. He'll be here from Thursday through Monday. Sandbox and EL: I am open to suggestions as to the quintessential eateries. Yes, I could identify some on my own, but I am willing to compile a list. For example, we have tix for the Varla Jean Merman show at the Hippo on Friday; a late-ish supper before the show (@ 10) would be in order. The Bernstein performance is on Saturday; would you recommend dinner before or after? What about Sunday brunch/linner (yes, I typed linner)?

Thanks, fellow Sandboxers!

We're still waiting for Baltimore to arrive on the fine dining scene. You let me know when an Olive Garden is opened in the city and we'll talk.

You'll like this interesting article on an issue of grammar, EL.

What you're suggesting isn't as crazy as you think mmmcorn.

My friend is a real estate agent and said that the Olive Garden is quietly negotiating with the owners of Veleggias who seem to be in financial trouble. I imagine the other restaurnt ownrs would go batty but but the OG has massive corporate resources to sway the very pliant city officials.

He said they want to create symbolic locations like in little italy to build their credibility and apparently nyc is impossible and boston too. Money talks

Rosebud,
Saw a t-shirt you might like. It says:

I am the Grammarian
about whom
your mother warned you

As of last Fall there was an Olive Garden at the North end of the Times Square area, across from where the TKTS booth was being renovated.

As of last Fall there was an Olive Garden at the North end of the Times Square area

There's not much left of New York's Little Italy, but what is left isn't anywhere near Times Square.

There's not much left of New York's Little Italy, but what is left isn't anywhere near Times Square.

No, and that's part of the point. New York City tourists do not go to New York's Little Italy like they go to Times Square, so a chain restaurant in Little Italy might give credibility but not profits. In Baltimore the tourists DO go to Little Italy so an Olive Garden there will appeal to the folks in from Iowa because its a name they know. They won't know all the other restaurants so some of them will go for the familiar. You can fool some of the people some of the time and that's enough to make a living. Personally, I hope that an Olive Garden never opens in Little Italy.

In Baltimore the tourists DO go to Little Italy so an Olive Garden there will appeal to the folks in from Iowa because its a name they know.

Which, of course, totally defeats the point of going to a Little Italy. I don't understand why people bother travelling when they just want to eat in the same chain restaurants that exist everywhere else.

It's quite sad.

Hal and RiE -- true, NYC's Little Italy is several subway stops/transfers south of the Times Square area, but that didn't stop Mamma Leone's from offering mediocre Italian food at various locations in the theater district for decades until it closed for good in 1994. The Times Square Olive Garden will no doubt do quite well with those venturing into midtown Manhattan for Broadway shows (and especially the out-of-towners and Wednesday matinee suburbanites who have already experienced the sticker shock of paying upwards of $125/ticket for decent seats).

birdfan09 -- whether Velleggia's will have enough time to strike a deal with Olive Garden is open to question, at best. The owners of Velleggia's don't just "seem to be in financial trouble" -- they are in severe financial straits, as past Sandbox discussions have revealed (search through the archives for further details).

Tourists are cows. An OG in little italy would be packed all the time. Tourists like to go to what they know is safe. I remeber reading that when Bill Gates went to China a few years ago that something like 12 out of 14 meals were at McDonalds. Day trippers from the sticks would go to an OG because maybe the little italy version is better than the Buttville version. Nobody ever went broke underestimating the taste og the American people. Somebody said that. Just watch.

Don't know about China, but you could get beer at the McDonalds in Germany.

Compared to the couple of restaurants I have been to in Little Italy (Chiapparelli's and Sabatino's) I would say the Olive Garden (based on a single visit 20 years ago) is a better choice.

well, if we can get an OG in Little Italy, it is only a matter of time before a Red Lobster hits the harbor.

RoCK -- thre are some who feel that the Red Lobster function is already being provided by Phillips Harborplace.

And a Red Lobster would be worse than the Cheesecake Factory?