I ventured out of the parameters of Bowling Green this week, as I occasionally do, to Romano’s Macaroni Grill in Nashville.

Since Olive Garden left Bowling Green several years ago, there’s really nothing here like it. And there was nothing really like the night I had at Macaroni Grill.

To begin with, there was a 40-minute wait on a Monday night. My dining companion and I were so taken aback we almost left, but it was the big city and we decided it might be worth the wait. He wholeheartedly agreed when our waiter carded him, even though he is 38 years old. The Chateau St. Michelle sauvignon blanc he ordered was slightly bitter while the Maso Canali pinot grigio I had was smooth.

After a couple mishaps, we noticed our waiter may have been having a bad night. We did not lack for attention, though. We decided to make the best of it and in this case the power of positive thinking worked to create an enjoyable, albeit not perfect, dining experience.

We started with their new parmesan-crusted artichoke appetizer. For my taste, there was too much crust and not enough artichoke. The artichoke cake description on the menu was vague and ended up being mostly cheese, not artichoke. I may not have been as disappointed if the description had been clear about the cheese, but then even the basil pesto aioli sauce it was served with did not have a notable or pleasing flavor.

Each meal is served with a loaf of Tuscan rosemary bread and olive oil dipping sauce. This was worth a trip in and of itself. It was pleasingly crusty with bursts of rosemary flavor in every bite. Unfortunately, the Caesar salad it was to be eaten with had wilted lettuce, very little dressing and very little flavor.

When our entrees arrived, it was quite an event. The presentation of each plate was impeccably colorful. I had the grilled halibut and my dining companion had the honey balsamic chicken.

The honey balsamic glaze enhanced the tender chicken and the sun-dried cappelini pasta was a delightful blend of sweetness from the tomatoes and pungency from the olive oil. The sautéed broccoli it was served with was barely cooked, hard and inedible.

The grilled halibut was deliciously dusted with seasoning and grilled fork tender. With a mild basil tomato relish on top and an intensely flavorful pesto parmesan risotto on the bottom, this was one of the best serving ideas for this mild, white fish.

We finished the evening with the Italiano sorbet, a blend of raspberry and lemon sorbets with fresh mint and an almond biscotti. It was a refreshing end to the meal.

Romano’s Macaroni Grill

433 Opry Mills Drive

Nashville

Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday

Specialties: Pasta, seafood, steaks

Cuisine: Italian

Price range for dinner: $7.99 to $19.99

Libation situation: Full bar

Smoking: Yes, until July 1, then no