Try The Olive Garden For A Little Touch Of Italy

The Olive Garden, 4221 196th St. S.W., Lynnwood. Open daily 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday until 11 p.m. Lunches and dinners available to go. Major credit cards accepted. Smoking section available. Call 670-2977. --------------------------------------------------------------- -- LYNNWOOD

Before my husband and I had a child, we were very discriminating about eating out. We dined at expensive restaurants and cheap, funky bistros. We ate out when we were hungry.

Now, with a 2-year-old daughter, we're merely hungry to eat out. Alone. Without worrying about booster seats or what's on the children's menu.

That's why we were thrilled to be treated to an Italian dinner at the Olive Garden in Lynnwood, a thoughtful gift (which included free baby-sitting) from friends.

We set aside a warm summer evening to try the Olive Garden, which sits right in front of the new REI store at 4221 196th St. S.W. The pleasantly air-conditioned room and a menu tailored for summer appetites made for a refreshing respite from the hot weather and our busy toddler.

For a seasonal twist, new appetizers, salads and nonalcoholic beverages have been added to its broad menu. The chicken formaggio pizza ($5.95) topped with grilled chicken breast, cheeses, herbs, tomatoes and mushrooms was a nice addition to the menu's nine other standard appetizers (including calamari, antipasto and stuffed mushrooms).

We overlooked the trio of summer salads in favor of a hearty pasta meal. When I return, however, I'm going to try the chicken fruit salad ($6.95) - grilled chicken-breast chunks resting atop fresh fruit with walnuts, and sweet poppyseed dressing.

Most entrees come with unlimited refills of green salad or soup.

The pasta e fagioli soup - a spicy blend of beans, ground beef and pasta - was a hit. Though it didn't bite our taste buds, some might want a beverage nearby to cool off. (Hint: Consider the $1.25 lemonade - free refills available.)

Fifteen wines are available by the bottle or the glass. Espresso drinks with mouth-watering Amaretto, Sambuca or Frangelico can be ordered from a special list.

Salads arrive at your table in a large bowl for guests to share. No wonder these bowls are readily refilled. We couldn't resist seconds of the chubby tomatoes, romaine lettuce, chilled onions and parmesan cheese.

For the indecisive diner, four combination platters are available. The "Mediterranean" includes cannelloni, tortelloni alla fini and cheese ravioli ($11.95). The "northern Italian" plate features veal piccata, venetian grilled chicken and fettucine alfredo ($12.45).

The "southern Italian" dish offers veal parmigiana, lasagna and baked manicotti ($12.25). My husband's personal recommendation: the "Tour of Italy" ($12.45) - plump breast of chicken parmigiana, lasagna (with a smooth sauce) and fettucine alfredo.

One of the summer pasta and seafood specials was my choice: linguine cooked al dente with a pleasingly light white sauce featuring sauteed shrimp, clams and crab sauteed was $9.75.

Two other more vegetarian-style menu choices include the garden spirelli ($7.85) featuring colorful pasta topped with ratatouille and simmered vegetables, or capellini primavera including veggies with sun-dried tomatoes in a vegetable broth over angelhair pasta ($8.50).

Veal, steak, chicken and other seafood created a well-rounded entree menu.

Speaking of round, we were by the time we finished our meal. There was no room for dessert. Besides, we were a little turned off by he Olive Garden's plastic dessert samples on the display tray in the lobby.

Some evening we'll return to try the raspberry sorbetto ($2.50) with fat- and cholesterol-free Italian sherbet. Or if we really need a sweet fix there's always the zuppa Ingelese ($2.95), an Italian holiday cake with custard layers and fruit between rum-soaked sponge cake.

Restaurant reviews are a regular Thursday feature of the Seattle Times Snohomish County section. Reviewers visit restaurants unannounced and pay in full for all their meals. When they interview members of the restaurant management and staff, they do so only after the meals and services have been appraised.