Lunch Ladies — Oregano Italian Kitchen
The Lunch Ladies enjoyed a great visit to Oregano Italian Kitchen in Provo.
Shellie's Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo at Oregano Italian Kitchen.
Sylvia's Spaghetti and Meatballs at Oregano Italian Kitchen.
Jennette's Italian Pork Sandwich at Oregano Italian Kitchen.
Gabby's Grilled Salmon Oregano Salad at Oregano Italian Kitchen.
When the summer first begins, I always fall for the old adage, “the lazy days of summer.” In my summation, whoever coined that phrase must have been a hermit.
The summer is anything but lazy! In fact, it’s often the busiest time of year. It seems that the moment the weather warms up, the days get longer, and people know they are supposed to be having fun in the summer sun, my schedule becomes inundated with barbecues, picnics, trips to amusement parks, city celebrations, parades, hikes, reunions, road trips, not to mention the outdoor concerts and movies, the summer vacations, and the late nights. Because if it’s not too cold to have to go inside, then why should we?
Don’t get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoy the fun, but am I the only one who gets worn out? I mean, where is the “break” part of Summer Break? Hustling from one activity to the next can honestly be delightful, and I am grateful to have friends and family to do things with and to receive invites from.
But sometimes I feel like a whole week can go by during the summer months, and I can’t remember if I even really sat down and had a solid, meaningful conversation, where someone wasn’t applauding something in the background, or glittering lights weren’t in the foreground.
So as much as I love all the non-stop activities of summer, sometimes I just have to stop and recharge. Maybe you aren’t like me and don’t need to catch your breath and prevent the emotional and physical heatstroke from setting in. But if you are, let me tell you about the Lunch Ladies’ recent outing.
We decided to take a break from all the hectic fun, and relax a little soaking up the air-conditioned side of life at Oregano Italian Kitchen. We wanted to chat, regroup, and actually have one of those magical lazy days of summer … at least for a lunch hour.
We headed on over to the restaurant just a hop, skip, and a jump from the Daily Herald on Freedom Blvd. We were quickly seated in what felt like our own little wing of the airy restaurant, and we were placing our orders in no time.
Here is what the Lunch Ladies went with:
Shellie: Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo (Lunch Express Menu) $9.99
The Oregano is one of my favorite restaurants. I’m a bit of a regular there, and I have a few dishes that I know I love and rotate through. But this was one of those days. You know, those days when you need a little comfort, aka carb therapy. So I decided on the Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo. What’s more comforting than Alfredo sauce with pan-seared chicken, Parmesan cheese, and a grilled baguette with basil pesto? The rich creamy Alfredo, lightly seasoned, was welcomed by my taste buds, and the chicken was satisfyingly moist. The lunch portion was plenty, and my day immensely improved. Needless to say, I have a newfound favorite to add to my rotation at the Oregano.
Sylvia: Spaghetti and Meatballs (Lunch Express Menu) $9.99
My spaghetti (served a little al dente) was topped with a marinara sauce. I have to admit I’m not always a fan of marinara because sometimes it is a little too tomato paste-ish, but not Oregano’s — where it was yummy. The meatballs and spaghetti were topped with Parmesan and served with a couple of pieces of grilled baguette topped with basil pesto. For me the highlight of the meal was the warm rolls served before the meal along with dishes of balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
Jennette: Italian Pork Sandwich (Lunch Express Menu) $8.99 and a Diet Coke $1.99
Today I decided to try a classic Italian pork sandwich. Braised pork, caramelized onions, red and green peppers and mozzarella cheese, combined with a tangy and sweet barbeque sauce served on a New York hoagie bun, created the perfect sandwich. I was so happy with this choice. I chose to pair my sandwich with French fries. They tasted fresh, salty and a little crispy. Delicious! I’m glad that Oregano serves an endless amount of really good Diet Coke. I think I had three or four glasses. Oops!
Gabby: Grilled Salmon Oregano Salad $13.99
When looking at the menu, the two main attractions of this meal were the salmon, and that it was one of the items listed as, “Can be made Gluten-Free.” I decided it was the clear winner for me. This salad was more of a salmon fillet with a side salad, which I didn’t mind at all. The salad portion was mixed greens, (primarily arugula served slightly warm, surprisingly; which I liked), roasted red and yellow tomatoes, cucumbers, pine nuts, pickled red onions, and roma tomatoes, topped with shredded Parmesan cheese, and tangy signature Italian dressing. It was very flavorful with a lot of punch. A great accent to the mild tastes of salmon. The salmon was crisp on the edges and tender on the inside, just how I like it. It was well seasoned and a good-sized portion. The combination of the two was a flavorful, unique, and satisfying meal.
The Lunch Ladies enjoyed our lunch at Oregano. It was a great chance to catch up on everyone’s many, many summer happenings, but also to just step back and enjoy the essence of summer without all the work that goes along with it! Great food, enjoyable atmosphere, and quality company — now that’s what I call a real Summer Break!
– Oregano Italian Kitchen: 1600 N. Freedom Blvd, Provo. Open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4:30-10 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4:30-11 p.m. Friday, and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday. Closed Sundays.