Sunday, February 28, 2010

Want a great meal? Go to the Old Spagetti Factory!

Yesterday was Saturday, February 27th. My daughter asked me to take her down to our Old Spaghetti Factory parking lot so she could take part in a photo shoot for the local band Hello Hollywood. While waiting for her to return I decided to pop in for lunch. I don't usually blog about my dining experiences, but this restaurant is consistent enough in excellence that I had to post about it!

My server was Cameron. He was polite, charming, professional, funny, and (best of all), happy to be here today! Seriously, when your server is in a great mood, it just tends to make the whole dining experience that much more pleasurable. I only had to wait a few minutes to be seated (but sometimes, when dining alone, it's easier to find a table for one than for several), and I asked for some water with lemon before ordering. Cameron returned with some water and took my order, and even mentioned to me my salad was included with my lunch - something I didn't know, but I'm glad he told me! I then proceeded to just draw in my sketchbook while waiting for my lunch.

The salad wasn't anything special, just a side salad with a balsamic vinagarette dressing. The bread wasn't anything special, but it was warm and the butter spreadable, with a choice between regular or garlic. It was the fact they were served in an atmostphere that was warm and inviting, rich with conversation but areas exempted for privacy. My favorite part was the entree. It wasn't anything super-special, just spaghetti with a mushroom-marinara. It was, however, served with zeal! I heard my waiter, Cameron, say this to several of his customers, so I knew he meant it when he came to my table too: "Yay, food!" It was this little bit of excitement about his work that made my meal special.

By the time dessert came (also with the meal) I was very relaxed and enjoying myself. Cameron was reluctant to rush me out, then came a "Murphy's Law" moment: their electronic cash register went down, so no one could cash out! I laughed and told him, "No problem," and soon as it was back up and running he took my card. I had such a good time, I was reluctant to leave!

For those who have never experienced the atmosphere and food, and for those who may have been away too long, The Old Spaghetti Factory is waiting eagerly to greet you.


The Old Spaghetti Factory
1418 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ, 85004
(602) 257-0380

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