Review & Giveaway {Maggiano’s Fall Features Menu}

Our Maggiano's Spread

This giveaway has ended!  Congratulations to our winner, Carolyn!

Maggiano’s, renown for its authentic Italian dishes, has been at the top of my “must-try” restaurant list for many years.  Our friends have raved about Maggiano’s mouth-watering flavors that transport you back to the European countryside; but, with a rambunctious four-year old, it’s difficult to make the 45 minute trek from our house to the Maggiano’s in Tyson’s Corner and dine with a bored child.

Lemon Semolina Cake

Enter the wonders of a carryout meal.  My husband picked up dinner, we hurriedly tucked our daughter into bed, and then sat down to enjoy a special meal sans work and offspring!   Thanks to the generosity of Maggiano’s, we sampled the Butternut Squash Ravioli, Stuffed Chicken Pizzaiola, the Pasta Lorin, and the Lemon Semolina Cake.  I thought the Butternut Squash Ravioli was the perfect way to celebrate the cold snap that whipped through the area this morning, bringing the feeling of Autumn!  And, my husband’s favorite was the Stuffed Chicken – despite having a big lunch, he polished off his entire plate and still had room for dessert.  Alas, I was hoping to fill him up, so I could enjoy the lemony goodness all to myself.

Butternut Squash Ravioli

This Fall, Maggiano’s is rolling out some new dishes, most of which will be available through November 28th.  One of these dishes is Pasta Lorin, the winning dish in Maggiano’s 1st Annual Best Italian Chef Contest (it will be at restaurants until October 11th).  You can view the entire recipe here, if you’d like to try your hand at creating it in your own kitchen.

Other Fall Features include:

• Roasted Pear Bruschetta – Prosciutto, Arugula, Gorgonzola, Honey & Balsamic;
• Butternut Squash Ravioli – Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Brown Butter, Parmesan, Amaretti Crumbs;
• Stuffed Chicken Pizzaiola – Mozzarella, Ricotta, Tropheo Pasta, Pomodoro, Red Peppers, Pepperoncini;
• Tuscan Spiced Shrimp – Bell Peppers Parmesan Polenta, Lobster Cream Sauce;
• Lemon Semolina Cake – Polenta, Mascarpone Cream, Almond Brittle.

And, the best part?  You can enter Maggiano’s 2nd Annual Best Italian Chef Contest, from now through January 21st. Just submit your favorite Italian recipe, along with a story and photo of the dish, for the chance to be featured on Maggiano’s menus around the country!

{Giveaway Details}
Maggiano’s is generously giving one of my readers a $25 gift card to try out their new Fall Features.   Here is your chance for a girls’ night out, a date night, or maybe a dinner alone in peace and quiet.   To enter, just leave a comment, along with your email address, letting me know you’d like to win.

This contest is open to the US and will close at 11:59 PM on October 7, 2012.  I will draw the winners by Random.org, and they will have 48 hours to respond to the email notification that they won.

:: For Extra Entries ::
1) “Like” Maggiano’s on Facebook and leave your Facebook ID!
2) Follow Maggiano’s on Twitter and leave your Twitter ID!
3) “Like” Capitally Frugal on Facebook. (Leave your Facebook ID.)
4) Follow Capitally Frugal on Twitter. (Leave your Twitter ID.)
5) Tweet this giveaway, please include @capitallyfrugal and @maggianos in your tweet.  (Leave a link to your tweet, please!)
6) Follow me on Pinterest and “pin” this giveaway.

{Disclosure: Our family received a Maggiano’s gift card, in order to facilitate this review.  However, I was not compensated in any other way to write this post.}