Carrabba's Italian Grill
| Company type | Wholly owned subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Genre | Casual dining |
| Founded | December 26, 1986 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Founder | John Charles Carrabba, III Damian Mandola |
| Headquarters | 2202 North West Shore Boulevard, Suite 500 Tampa, Florida, U.S. 33607 |
Number of locations | 232 (2011) |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Steven T. Shlemon (President of Carrabba’s) |
| Products | Italian American cuisine (pasta • pizza • chicken • seafood) |
| Parent | OSI Restaurant Partners, LLC |
| Website | carrabbas.com |
| Footnotes / references [1] | |
Carrabba's Italian Grill (or simply Carrabba's) is an American casual dining restaurant chain that features Italian American cuisine. Carrabba's is owned and operated by OSI Restaurant Partners, LLC (OSI), headquartered in Tampa, Florida. As of December 31, 2011, there were 231 company-owned locations along with one franchised location.[1]
History
The chain was founded on December 26, 1986 by John Charles "Johnny" Carrabba, III and his uncle Damian Mandola.[2] Together, they opened the first restaurant on Kirby Drive in Houston, Texas. A second location was opened soon after at the intersection of Woodway and Voss street. After a considerable enlargement of the restaurant, it was renamed "Rosie Carrabba's" in honor of Damian's sister Rose. Johnny Carrabba and his family are still the proprietors of both original locations.[3][4]
In January 1993, under a joint venture with Outback Steakhouse, Inc. (the predecessor to OSI Restaurant Partners, LLC), 10 new Carrabba's locations were opened in Houston and Florida. Two years later, OSI acquired the rights to develop the Carrabba's chain nationwide.[2]
In 2008, OSI teamed up with HMSHost to open the first airport location in Tampa International Airport.[5]
Menu
Many of the recipes for the dishes on Carrabba's menu are those of Damian's mother Grace and his sister Rose.[6] These recipes were featured on the PBS cooking show Cucina Sicilia, which is hosted by Carrabba and Mandola.[7][8]
Unlike many other restaurants, Carrabba's does not provide nutritional information for their menu to the public.[citation needed]
Chicken Bryan
 | It has been suggested that this section be split out into another article titled Chicken Bryan. (Discuss) (April 2012) |
Chicken Bryan is one of Carrabba's Italian Grill's signature dishes.[9] It consists of an 8 oz (usually around 227 g) grilled chicken breast, topped with caprino cheese, sundried tomatoes, and a basil lemon-butter sauce. It is served with a cup of homemade soup or a guest's choice of a House, Italian, or Caesar salad. It is also served with the guest's choice of garlic mashed potatoes, cavatappi amatriciana, or the vegetable of the day. (The "vegetable of the day" varies based on location and seasonal availability; typical selections have included broccoli, green beans, and zucchini.)[citation needed]
It is named after the city of Bryan, Texas, where the Carrabba family settled in the United States.[9]
References
- ^ a b OSI Restaurant Partners, LLC (December 31, 2011). "FY 2011 10-K". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Retrieved April 16, 2012.
- ^ a b "Carrabba's Story". OSI Restaurant Partners, LLC. Retrieved April 16, 2012.
- ^ "Carrabba's Locator, Kirby". OSI Restaurant Partners, LLC. Retrieved April 16, 2012.
- ^ "Carrabba's Locator, Woodway". OSI Restaurant Partners, LLC. Retrieved April 16, 2012.
- ^ Steve Huettel (October 22, 2008). "Changes on their way to Tampa International Airport". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved April 16, 2012.
- ^ "About, Meet the Family". OSI Restaurant Partners, LLC. Retrieved April 16, 2012.
- ^ "Cucina Sicilia". PBS. Retrieved April 16, 2012.
- ^ "Founders". OSI Restaurant Partners, LLC. Retrieved April 16, 2012.
- ^ a b "Chicken Bryan". OSI Restaurant Partners, LLC. Retrieved April 23, 2012.