I’m not a gambler, but I do have the habit of making irreverent bets with people. I think it’s an ego thing. I also have the habit of losing those bets. Which doesn’t help my ego at all. I bet Jade that we weren’t out of blue glitter. He won $1. I bet Gil that U2 sang “Right Here, Right Now.” He won control of the radio for the whole car trip. I don’t know why I make these bets, but at the time I’m completely convinced I’m right.

Jeff and I were out celebrating my new gig as a restaurant reviewer at my favorite Johnson City restaurant: Carrabba’s.

Carrabba’s is a little on the pricey side for college students and schoolteachers so I recommen saving it for special occasions like when your parents come in to town and want to take you out or when you’ve just won a bet with me and I owe you dinner.

However, if you must go on your own dime, go on Wine Wednesday and bring a friend. We started with my favorite appetizer, the Fiorucci Salad. It has roasted red peppers, eggplant, greens and crusted, deep-fried goat cheese. Our entrees came with soup. I got the tomato basil, but I liked Jeff’s minestrone better. The best part of Carrabba’s is their magical-herb-bread-dipping-oil concoction they give you. I’ve tried to recreate it at home and keep missing some key ingredient. All that, plus the wine, and I was pretty full before the special pappardelle dish with fennel Italian meatballs even arrived.

While we were finishing up our five plates of food, our waiter entertained us with stories of all the ways he’s destroyed his cell phones.

Once at a conference he perspired so much that the phone in his breast pocket began to short circuit and smoke. After he left I immediately bet Jeff to guess what kind of conference it was. I said poetry. He said “Star Trek.”

Turns out he wrote a paper on the Ethan Hawk “Hamlet” movie for an American Culture conference or something, so we couldn’t decide who won the bet. Film is more like poetry, but American culture is more like “Star Trek.” So we then debated over tiramisu.

There aren’t a ton of vegetarian entrees on the menu. I’m no vegetarian, but some of my best friends are and it would be nice to have options.

However, if you like meat, there are plenty of choices. Jeff got the pork chop marsala and had to take half of it home. They didn’t have it last night, but if you go, ask for the trout special. It’s in a great artichoke sauce, and I don’t even like artichokes. Otherwise, you really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. You’ll love it. I’ll bet you $10.

Carrabba’s is located at 175 Marketplace Drive. To contact the restaurant, call 232-2858 or visit www.carrabbas.com.

Author