I'm Only Here for the Food!

Sbarro
Several locations around the world
3600 Country Club Drive (Location visited)
Jefferson City, MO

On my first day in Jefferson City (my final destination after my crazy trip and overlay through Denver), I faced the same old dilemma. Where to go for lunch? The problem with my work location is that, aside from being in the middle of nowhere (not literally but close), anything nearby required driving. In fact, my second day there, I was taken out out to a Mexican restaurant (which won’t be blogged because I did not bring my camera, not to mention it would be odd trying to explain why I was taking pictures of the food) and, just to get there, a 10 or so minutes drive in highway was required.

Anyway, target #1 was a nearby mall, which was next to the hotel I was staying at. For some odd reason, this mall, Capital Mall, barely had anything in the food court. Hungry, running out of time, I settled on the first thing that was not available locally – Sbarro.

Now, to those living in Alberta, sorry! I know there are Sbarros over there, just that, as far as I know, there aren’t any in Vancouver, OK? Anyway, something that caught my attention was a dish I haven’t heard before: Baked ziti. After ordering it, I came to realize it was a pasta casserole dish made with penne. Hmmmmm… Let’s try again: think lasagna where, rather than using lasagna, you are using penne pasta.

I had the option of going for a salad or meatballs; I went for the later. My order also came with a drink and a bread stick. The bread stick was meh so I won’t comment on that. Now, back to the ziti, I am not sure if it was the time of the day (it was around noon) or what but I found the sauce a bit too liquid-y and not thick enough. It did have some tomato flavour but not too much. As for the meatballs, they were better than Olive Garden’s so you can make your own conclusion.

Overall, I won’t say it was good or bad. It did serve its purpose which was to fill me up. And, specially given the poor options available in that location, I won’t complain much.