Trolley tour
The Spaghetti Warehouse 40th Anniversary Celebration Trolley Tour will be in Columbus (397 West Broad St.; (614) 464-0143) through July 14. From Columbus, the Trolley will visit these locations in Ohio:
Akron (510 South Main St.,Akron; (330) 374-0025): July 18-21
Toledo (42 S. Superior St.; (419) 255-5038): July 25-28 and Aug. 1-4
Dayton (36 West Fifth St.; (937) 461-3913): Aug. 8-11 and Aug. 15-18
Visit www.meatballs.com or the Spaghetti Warehouse 40th anniversary celebration site — 40years.meatballs.com for more information.
The first Spaghetti Warehouse location opened to customers in downtown Dallas 40 years ago in 1972.
Not long after more locations began to open across the country. Ohio was one of the first markets to see Spaghetti Warehouse restaurants arrive.
There are now four Ohio locations — Akron, Columbus, Dayton and Toledo — filled with the trademark old-fashioned advertising and eclectic seating for which the restaurants are known.
“Our restaurant in Columbus was the first location we opened in Ohio and it was so popular and successful... we had so much demand, that we opened other locations in Akron, Toledo and Dayton,” said Azam Malik, president and chief operating officer, Spaghetti Warehouse Restaurants, Inc.
“These places with their unique history and wide open space made it the perfect place for big gatherings and to celebrate all kinds of special occasions... it was a perfect match.”
Currently, there are 16 Spaghetti Warehouse Restaurants in seven states including Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio, Florida, New York, Tennessee and Pennsylvania.
“Celebrating our 40th anniversary is Spaghetti Warehouse’s way of expressing our appreciation and saying thanks to all our loyal guests. And we wanted to do this in a big way... we started our celebration in early June with a series of ‘blast off’ parties, and we’re going to keep the celebration going for the rest of the year,” Malik said.
The restaurant chain has created a special website for the location — 40years.meatballs.com — that catalogs everything they’re doing as part of the anniversary.
The website features a photo album where customers can upload photos of their favorite Spaghetti Warehouse memories. Anyone doing so will be entered for a chance to win up to $10,000 in cash and prizes.
Most notably the restaurants will all feature an updated the menu with 11 new dishes and drinks, including five new entrees. Beyond the menu, they also are bringing the trolley out of the restaurants and onto the streets.
The “Celebration Trolley Tour” started a couple of weeks ago in Syracuse, N.Y., followed by a stop in Pittsburgh. It will travel through Ohio and across the country this summer.
“(The Trolley is) in Columbus right now. We’re making all kinds of stops where we’re playing games and having fun. We’re also handing out food certificates as prizes so that the next time they visit Spaghetti Warehouse, they can enjoy more of what we have to offer,” Malik said.
New on the menu
Eleven new menu items have been added to Spaghetti Warehouse menus to help celebrate the restaurant group’s 40th anniversary.
In all, Spaghetti Warehouse has introduced five new entrees: Spaghetti Pesto Basilica, Grilled Chicken Linguini, Kung Pao Chicken Spaghetti, Grilled Sirloin Milano and Fire-Grilled Salmon with Basil Cream; two new appetizers — Tuscan Caprese and four selections of Bruschette. There are three new cocktails: Mamma Mia Mojito, Dat’sa Amore Italian Margarita and Italian Wedding Cake Martini. A new salad also was added — Grilled Chicken Harvest Salad.
“When I look at our menu, I see lots of blue sky, in a way that promises to be enticing to our loyal guests while, at the same time, attracting the attention of new guests with fresh new flavors. We’re fortunate to have a lot of great ideas that have enabled us to be even more responsive to the latest consumer trends that are out there,” said Larry Bellah, Corporate Executive Chef at Spaghetti Warehouse.
Mark your calendars now: On July 29, Spaghetti Warehouse plans to celebrate National Lasagne Day. There will be menu specials to help mark the occasion.
SPAGHETTI WAREHOUSE MEATBALLS
Put the finishing touch on your spaghetti with this meatball recipe from Spaghetti Warehouse.
Ingredients:
12 oz ground beef
4 oz ground pork or an additional 4 oz. ground beef for those who don’t eat pork
4 oz. Parmesan cheese
1 egg (lightly beaten)
1 cup bread crumbs
1tsp salt, 1tsp black pepper
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 cup minced onion
1/8 cup chopped fresh parsley
To prepare:
1. Mix ingredients thoroughly by hand or with kitchen aid with paddle attachment.
2. Roll into balls, 2-3 ounces each.
3. Bake at 250 degrees until internal temperature is 165 degrees (about 45 minutes).
4. Another option is to pan fry in olive oil for a crispier, more browned exterior.
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