text: nn starsnnId acquired a gift card so we decided to have an early dinner here before catching a show at AMC I asked if complimentary bread was available The server said it was and would we like some olives w it Sure we chimed Rosemary focaccia w olives tasted wonderful although the olives were naturally very salty Were we told that the olives would cost extra we probably would have passed on the suggestion since my Mom is not gaga over olives due to their saltiness I would recently added eggplant to my diet so I was on an eggplant kick We therefore had to try the eggplant parmigiana which came w capellini pasta and a side salad I also wanted to try their spinach salad w blue cheese I do not know but whenever I read candied walnuts in an entrees description I just have to order itnnThe side salad was a lot bigger than any side salad I have ever encountered before it was big enough to satisfy us until the main entree arrived but there was the extra insalata blu to contend w It was good but we both favored the side Caesar salad The dressing was just perfect for the amount of greens present The eggplant parmigiana was a big disappointment My first two bites were a mix of eggplant pasta and cheese and I found the combo to be very bland I then tried the eggplant and the cheese on its own and I was dumbstruck to find that the eggplant tasted like the cheese and viceversa Even the pasta tasted the same as the veggie and the cheese I tried the part where the server added parmesan cheese and there was no added flavor there either Since I did not find satisfaction w the entree I started craving for something sweet the vanilla gelato w strawberries was the answer Mom did not care for this dish but no worries More for mennThe best thing out of our experience at Macaroni Grill that afternoon was that when the main entree was delivered our server had automatically split the entree onto two plates WITHOUT OUR HAVING TO ASK This simple act impressed us both and garnered this review an extra star nnId like to give MG another chance but w so many great nonchain Italian restaurants in the valley I will find it hard to justify going back so soon