"A good crunchy fried calamari should be pleasantly crispy on the outside with a tender inner seafood bite, while the taste should have a nice balance of salt, fried seafood, and seasonings. However, Olive Garden's take is more like "a helping of rubbery calamari rings" that lacked crunch. On top of that, the rings were largely composed of breading. And the fish itself seemed to be a bit overcooked."
"In addition to a rubbery texture, our review noted that Olive Garden's calamari also doesn't come with the right balance of flavor. The appetizer was too salty, and the breading lacked seasoning. While the fried calamari tasted better when dipped in marinara or spicy ranch sauce (which the chain introduced as a dipping sauce for the appetizer in 2017), the fish should still taste good on its own."
Calamari ranks last among eight Olive Garden appetizers. The calamari often displays a rubbery texture and lacks the expected crunch of a well-fried starter. Many servings are dominated by breading rather than tender seafood, and the squid can be overcooked. The flavor profile is unbalanced, with excessive salt and under-seasoned breading. Dipping sauces such as marinara or the spicy ranch introduced in 2017 improve the taste, but the seafood should be flavorful on its own. Multiple customer comments on social media report chewy or overcooked calamari, indicating a broader consistency issue.
Read at Tasting Table
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