The Red Ribbon Creamy Carbonara and Salisbury Steak Experience!

Creamy Carbonara and Salisbury Steak are what my son and husband always order at Red Ribbon by default -- and we eat at Red Ribbon a lot since there's a branch near our house. Although personally I always go for Red Ribbon's Tocino Meal, I knew these two dishes as well as I knew the back of my hand. These are my boys' comfort food, and a visit to Red Ribbon is never complete without an order of each.

It's true what they say, you can't have too much of a good thing... more so if it's a good thing that's become a better thing! Red Ribbon recently introduced their new and improved Creamy Carbonara and Salisbury Steak meals, and instead of leaving you to guess what has changed, I've devised a simple numerical um... map of these two classics.

On the left side of the photo is Red Ribbon's Creamy Carbonara, and on the right side is Red Ribbon's Salisbury Steak Meal. Follow the numbers to see what has changed:

1. The carbonara sauce has been reformulated to have a creamier consistency. The chicken chunks and bacon bits are also now more evident. Instead of the quickmelt cheese of yesteryear, shaved parmesan cheese now crowns this lovely pasta dish. What's more, the entire creation is topped with a sprig of parsley.
2. A soft and chewy foccacia-inspired bread takes the place of Red Ribbon's toasted pan de sal which used to be served beside the pasta.
3. The old Salisbury Steak had a small scoop of mashed potato and rice. The new version replaces the rice with a big scoop of creamier and more flavorful mashed potato garnished with parsley bits.
4. The old Salisbury Steak patty used a mixture of pork and beef. The new version's patty is 100% pure beef and it's also bigger, thicker, and juicier.

Having had a late lunch that day I visited Red Ribbon, all I really wanted to have a slice of cake and coffee for dessert. The servers urged me to try the new meals, and at last my sister-in-law and I agreed to share one of each between ourselves. Nothing could've prepared me for the difference in taste. They weren't kidding when they said they've improved these two classics!

First up was the Creamy Carbonara. Wow! The reformulated sauce is creamy yet light, a combination which I didn't think was possible with a white sauce that is usually nakakaumay. But what really got my attention was the bread. I was told that it's not actually foccacia, but inspired by foccacia. It was soft, chewy, and infused with aromatic spices like rosemary and thyme. I actually liked that it wasn't exactly like foccacia because I find most foccacia breads too greasy for my tastes. I was so addicted to the bread I even asked the waitress if they sold it separately so I could take some home. Unfortunately they don't... yet! I'm still hoping that if enough customers start craving for the bread they'll eventually sell it by loaves... hehe! The pasta and the bread went together so perfectly that if I didn't have to try the Salisbury Steak I could've polished off a whole serving on my own.

Next up was the Salisbury Steak. I almost jumped out of my seat on first bite because the patty had become so thick, juicy, and tasty it really caught me by surprise. I especially loved the creamier and much improved mashed potatoes. I think my hubby (and most guys) will definitely miss the rice but for a weight-conscious mom like me, doing away with the double carbohydrate serving is a welcome (and helpful) change.

Our family just loves the fact that you can have a full meal at Red Ribbon complete with a drink and a yummy cake for dessert at very reasonable prices. I can't wait to have my boys try out the new and improved versions of their favorite Creamy Carbonara and Salisbury Steak meals!