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Asti Trattoria
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
408 E 43rd StSte C
Austin, TX 78751
Neighborhood: Hyde Park
(512) 451-1218
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 10 pm
Fri 11 am - 11 pm
Sat 5 pm - 11 pm
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
206 reviews for Asti Trattoria
Review Highlights
"the white pizza with truffle oil is superb."
(in 10 reviews)
"I particularly appreciated their wine list."
(in 17 reviews)
"The open kitchen was clean and efficient."
(in 15 reviews)
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206 reviews in English
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Review from Anita C.
2/4/2012
I've only been to Asti Trattoria once, but it's disappointing to see they only have 3.5 stars. My experience was far from 3.5 stars. Maybe it was because they had a special prix fixe menu or because it was New Year's Eve. Maybe it was because red and silver balloons were floating on the ceiling. Or maybe it was because our knowledgeable and extremely friendly waiter had a snazzy bow tie. Nonetheless, my whole experience surely deserved more than 3.5 stars.
First off, it's a cute little restaurant tucked away in Hyde Park with plenty of parking. The intimate seating and atmosphere of the restaurant was a great setting for the night.
The first two courses were appetizer-like. I especially liked my oysters, which were seasoned with a unique spiciness. The Ricotta Gnocchi - like bigger gushers but with soft pasta and bursts of ricotta - with lightly seasoned mushrooms and spinach disappeared from my plate quickly. The Lobster Zuppa and Butternut Squash Risotto were good but not very memorable.
The next course was my favorite. We had Grilled Beef Tenderloin, a succulent and tender piece of meat coupled with smooth potato mash, and Spice Glazed Duck Breast, which was sweet yet savory and aside from Chinese barbecue duck I grew up eating, the best duck I've had.
The final course sealed the deal. The praline ice cream that accompanied the Chocolate Truffle Tart was crunchy delicious and a perfect sweet counterpart to the dark chocolate fudge-like tart. But what really blew me away was the Mascarpone Chiffon Cheesecake. All taste buds were on the amazing crust and the smooth cream cheese filler.
I walked out of the restaurant with a happy and full tummy, cheerful spirits, and of course, a silver balloon. Despite the disappointing Yelp reviews and less-than-stellar experiences I've heard from friends, Asti Trattoria was a solid and enjoyable experience in my book. I hope my next visit lives up to this reputation, too. -
Review from T B.
Dallas, TX
11/28/2011
In town for one night attending a concert and in the mood for Italian, my friend and I decided to try this place out.
I liked the fact that it was in a charming neighborhood and the modern decor was nice as well.
Decent, not super huge portion sizes. We both had the Capellini Neopolitano. My friend added shrimp to her pasta dinner for $5 and they only gave her 3 shrimp. 6 is customary. I added chicken to mine and didn't really eat much of it because it was so bland.
The bread they served was pretty damn good...but they served it ice cold. It would have been soooo much better warm.
The food was just okay, but I probably wouldn't come back. -
Review from Shelly L.
11/13/2011
The truth is, I don't care if you go here. It didn't blow my mind so much that I'm telling the whole world how awesome it is...but it also didn't suck so bad that I'd tell all my friends to skip it.
The goods:
Our server. He was quick, very helpful when we were choosing a bottle of wine, and always around when we needed something.
The wine list. They had a pretty solid wine list with bottles starting around $30.
Vegetarian options. They had at least three on the menu, which I've found is a rarity at most of Austin's upscale spots.
Side dishes. If you can't find an entree option you like, go for the plate of sides. Creamed spinach, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and brussel sprouts were all excellent.
The bads:
It looks like it's in a strip mall. Interior decor fancy or not, you're still walking into a bland-looking building. And that makes it hard to justify a $20+ entree.
The smell. It wasn't filled with a wonderful aroma of the food they were making - instead, I smelled grease and propane. And after I left, my clothes carried that wonderful smell too. -
Review from Brian G.
Austin, TX
12/29/2011
It's pricey but the food is great (I always get the pizza, because I am a rube). And get a cannoli for desert. DO IT!
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Review from Liz G.
Austin, TX
1/9/2012
I wish I could give this place 0 stars. This is one of the most disgusting restaurants I've ever eaten at in Austin. I ordered the brussels sprouts and the butternut squash gnudi when I was there (I've only eaten there once, too expensive and too horrible to try again). The service was incredibly slow, and the service was the best part of the meal.
Now for the food: The focaccia was strange, moist, and cold with an overwhelmingly strong olive oil flavor- very unappetizing. The brussels sprouts were undercooked and had a bitter raw flavor. The prep cook didn't even cut off the brussels sprouts' stems, which are woody and bitter. There also wasn't enough seasoning on the sprouts, and paying $6+ for raw vegetables is ridiculous. The gnudi was the worst part. This was unfortunately way OVER seasoned. That dish was literally the saltiest thing I've ever tasted. You know when you were a kid and you tried a handful of salt and it burned your tongue? It was like that. I was sharing the (incredibly tiny) plate of $18 gnudi with someone, and we couldn't finish it because it was too salty to eat, and there were literally only six little quarter-sized dumplings. I swear to god that dish could kill a family of slugs...
So, basically the food was horrible and their kitchen staff is incompetent. Gross. -
Review from Brenden W.
Austin, TX
11/8/2011
At the time I am writing this review, Asti has a score of Three And A Half Stars. This is unacceptable, possibly criminal. I am not padding my review to make up for this, it is seriously a solid Five God Damned Stars. I have never had anything but really great food here, and in most cases it is also a solid value. Most of their portions are not absolutely humongous, but the perfect amount to fill you up.
The first thing you need to know about this place is to always order their stuffed mushrooms. They are possibly the worst item on the menu as far as a direct value of food amount versus dollars paid. Eight dollars gets you like four or five mushrooms, which is just not enough... but I'll be damned if they are not worth it. I have been here ten times and never not ordered them, they are too awesome.
The pasta here is cooked to perfection, without fail. They make it in-house and it is always fantastic. I have had chicken a couple of times as well, and have not been dissappointed.
Also worth noting, their tiramisu is the best I have ever had. They put some kind of toasted,candied almond slivers on it, which totally seals the deal.
One last thing, the service is really good here. The waitstaff are knowledgeable and the manager/owner/people in charge are great. My girls parents were in town, and we took them here. I don't even remember if we had a reservation, but we ended up having to wait about half an hour for a table (making reservations here for dinner is smart, they are often busy). When we were finally seated, they brought two out to us, within 90 seconds, and apoligized for the wait. I don't know how you can expect better service. -
Review from Julie H.
Austin, TX
12/21/2011
Had lunch here today and dinner last week. I am always pleased with our service and the quality of the food. I think it's a great neighborhood joint and they have a lovely italian wine list. It's good for a work meeting or for a date with your sweetie or for a large group dinner.
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Review from E V.
Austin, TX
12/27/2011
Superb lamb and cannoli. I'm sure that the cannoli were the lightest and best I've ever tasted.
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Review from Jason J.
San Antonio, TX
10/31/2011
PROS:
Charming local location, easy parking.
Pretty modern interior, dim lighting, compact and unpretentious.
Open, clean kitchen.
Nice sounding simple menu, not one million options.
CONS:
Bland food- we had the pizza, trout, and salmon, and I swear they all tasted like cardboard, I couldn't believe it.
Lukewarm service.
It's too bad, I was really expecting an impressive meal after all the above pros, but at the end of the day, I'd much rather have the cons be pros, then the other way around. Great food/service in a hole in the wall is fine by me. I'd recommend the mgmt refocus their attention. -
Review from Cathy B.
Boulder, CO
12/13/2011
The meal started with an awesome amuse bouche. Next, super tasty stuffed mushrooms but kind of pedestrian mussels. The butternut squash gnudi was dense...I was glad the waiter recommended to only get a half order. The dish was not very appetizing looking, either. The spaghetti carbonara was dry, too peppery, greasy, and way too salty. Disappointed in our main dishes, we skipped dessert.
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Review from Ryan S.
8/10/2011
Once you find a parking spot, walk near your arm candy, let her drape on your arm till you hold the door and usher her in, pausing to peek down towards the high hemline, and follow her inside.
It's compact, yet comfortable.
Let her recline against the bench seat, smiling at you over the menu and bantering with an absent mindedness that belies her interest. Comment on the names of the ingredients you haven't had before. Guess what each one is, and when the waiter comes back see who's right.
Inquire about the mushrooms. Ponder the wine list. Compliment her choice in footwear.
Or earrings.
Or eyes.
Stumble through the overly consonanted names of some wine, and order a glass. Let it inveigle you when it arrives. Share a sip with her, and note she never looks away as she tries it. Perhaps your entrees get ordered, just before you get to tell a torrid joke between bites of your appetizer.
Take a slow sip, and ponder her fussing with her napkin. The noise cloisters you both in your own little world in the sea of voices and kitchen echoes. Listen to her tell you about her day, her week, her plans for tomorrow.
Sip another slow sip, and suddenly your food arrives. Delight in the scents and sights, then the tantalizing tastes. Invite her to sample yours. Enjoy a sample of hers. People watch between bites, trying to discern if that's a first date, a business meeting, old lovers meeting anew.
Savor the last slow sip. Share a sated smile. Extend your hand for her to rise, and enjoy the slinking she does to the door, waving good bye to the place, and egress into the rest of your enviable evening. -
Review from Scott R.
Austin, TX
9/23/2011
I have eaten at Asti many times and always come away underwhelmed. The past two times I had their Caesar Salad and found it utterly tasteless - even with the extra anchovies that you can get for an additional $2. I even talked with the manager about it the last time because it was so tasteless. I decided to try it again last night and it still appears that they lack either garlic of anchovies in their kitchen.
For my entree I had the Salmon. It was perfectly cooked but unexciting and came with a size of Orzo which had as much flavor as a piece of paper. My date had the pasta special which was very good.
I also sat there and watched the guy who pours water and puts bread on the table grabbing handfuls of the bread with his bare hand and tossing them into the serving dishes for the table. Nice, huh? The tongs just sat there unused. Someone call the department of health!
For the price, Asti just isn't worth it. They really need to step it up. If you have to go here, stick with the pasta. -
Review from Gabriela A.
Austin, TX
10/15/2011
Went to Asti for the First time Friday night. Got in with no problems at 7:30p without a reservation. That should have been my first clue. Lots of servers but not a lot of service.
We were starving and when we asked if we could get some of the yummy looking breadsticks they had at the bar, the server we stopped was not our server and was unclear as to whether they were available without ordering the full antipata plate. When our server finally came by he was also unclear if they were available as they used to be on the menu for $4, although he felt sure they'd be happy to serve us some...for a price. We finally settled on having a basket of foccia brought to the table (I'm still unclear if we paid extra) but the waiter forgot the olive oil and we had to ask TWICE.
The wine list was expensive...the cheapest red was a $30 bottle of Chianti. Strangely, the half bottles were the same price...starting at $28!
The fig salad special was the best thing we had all evening. It was absolutely delicious. We then had a Spaghetti Carbonara and a Pork Belly Rissoto. The Spaghetti was far from al dente and the carbonara was entirely too salty and lacking in flavor. The Pork Belly was delicious, but the rosemary was so large it not only overpowered the flavor, it also was like eating twigs, I got speared more than once!
In short, it was good, but NOT worth the price. Go to Mandola's, Boticelli, or Vespaio if you're looking for good Italian in Austin. -
Review from Christopher d.
Austin, TX
6/30/2011
Have eaten here twice in the last six months as we live two blocks away; twice is enough. The food is acceptable, although for the price the portions are small.
The service is definitely not good.
Your hostess will be astonished you did not reserve a table - even though on the nights we went there tables were available and we were seated immediately. The waiter will be slow. He or she will forget your order at least once before leaving the table when they come to take it. The water server will be insolent. The waiter will be even slower asking you if the food is good when it finally arrives, and will conveniently forget to clear things like bread plates, baskets and dirty forks.\
Definitely not worth the time... -
Review from Courtney C.
Austin, TX
7/13/2011
i love Asti. It is my favorite restaurant. I have been going since they open and have always been happy with my experience there.
Get the white bean puree. It is SO tasty! And i love the rigatoni amatriciana. I usually love the special salad and always enjoy the fish. I like that they source some local ingredients. -
Review from Anna B.
Updated - 5/24/2011 ROTD 10/12/2011
Fried capers take the
Nizza Salad from quite fine
to simply sublime.
Pair it with a glass of the Vermentino and chase it with a cappucino. Your overall attitude will leave well-adjusted.Listed in: Let's Grab Lunch!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/29/2010
I'm a regular for lunch at Asti, and it is definitely a different vibe from the night crowd. I work… Read more »
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Review from slinkerwink s.
Austin, TX
5/18/2011
My husband took me to Asti for dinner last night. I'd gone here a year ago, and was surprised at how much the quality of the food had gone down. The pasta plates were way overpriced, and I'd ordered the rigatoni amatriciana, a dish which I had ordered before. I asked for it to be without the addition of sausage, and the waiter said he'd let the kitchen know about that.
To my surprise, the rigatoni amatriciana that came was different from the dish I'd fondly remembered. The rigatoni was completely covered in sauce, and you could barely see the pasta under that red glop. I could barely identify the pieces of guanciale, and noticed that there was sausage in the sauce.
My old memory of this dish was that it wasn't covered in lots of sauce, it had noticable guanciale on top, and the sausage addition wasn't on the menu back then. It also had julienned basil on top. This dish when it arrived to my table last night was completely covered in shaved parmesan. It was just a mess aesthetically.
My husband also wasn't pleased by the fish dish he got. He said it was mediocre and there was nothing about it that jumped out at him. Our focaccia at the table also was overly salty.
I don't think we'll be going back to Asti trattoria again. We wish we could've gone across the street to Hyde Park Grill for their fried chicken special last night.
Edit: We looked at our bill last night. We were charged $4 dollars for the sausage addition that we hadn't requested. Ridiculous! -
Review from Scott R.
6/26/2011
I love Italian food and love that there's an Italian restaurant in this area.
I hold out hope for Asti but the two dishes I've had (linguini & clams and pizza) were both really salty. I didn't mind it with the linguini & clams but pizza?
Service and ambiance are solid. I'll be back but I won't be racing back.Listed in: Scott R's Austin Pizza List
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Review from Aaron M.
Austin, TX
8/26/2011
Thisa placea makes mea wanna bee Italiano o o o.
Phenomenal experience. Seated at the bar just me and the lady. Excellent calimari. Perfect pasta and a delightful tirimasu.
It's a bonus this place is 3 blocks away. Will return en force. -
Review from Dygo T.
Austin, TX
5/29/2011
Try the octopus appetizer! It sounds crazy and the baby octopus things might look completely strange, but it's delicious! The waiter recommended it to us and we were very grateful for it.
The entrees here are delightful; the small menu keeps everything consistently well prepared. My mom's risotto looked fantastic, and my trout came out very nicely.
A great place to impress a date with a very casual but fancy atmosphere. Also family friendly (if you're in a grown-up family). Don't forget to get dessert! -
Review from justin d.
Austin, TX
6/16/2011
I like this place. We lived over on 45th for awhile, and we would sometime come here for lunch. I would recommend the polenta bowls. Polenta is just another name for grits, and they do a great job here.
Another thing they do well is pizza. Although, I wish they were a little larger for the price, and there were more options in terms of toppings. I really like the crust though.
I don't really like the atmosphere at Asti. It feels like it's caught somewhere between fine dining and casual dining and it doesn't do either one particularly well.
This is the best restaurant of the handful that occupy the nexus of 43rd street and Duval, and if you're in hyde park you should try it out. -
Review from Ashley S.
2/10/2011 8 Check-ins Here
Upon entering there is a tiny little area that I guess would be the bar, and just a few spots to sit or stand there. I noticed the entire place is small and intimate. I like that it isn't a huge place, and its not completely lit up or too dark., but just right.
This is where my "blind date" chose. Being set up by your friends is nerve-racking! Especially when they matched us together with such enthusiasm, though it took me 3 months to say yes.
I wasn't a fan of where they sat us. The table was small, pretty much if you put two iPads together thats what we had to work with.
And we were also right by the main area people walked by, close to where the chefs were cooking. Anytime something was cooking big, the loud noise of fire being rasied up and everything being lit up distracted me from my conversation and added to my anxiety.
Our service was excellent, but a bit much! I'm the type that doesn't like to be bothered often if I'm dining with one person. I swear we got bothered/interrupted like 20 times, with random people at times trying to come by and take away our bread, bread plates, app. plates, extra wine glass, water glasses, kept trying to take away my food when I wasn't done, just in mid conversation. Amazing all that fit on our table. I'm not going to lie I almost spilled my wine glass twice due to lack of room at the table and also at fault was the wine itself.
Our waiter recommended a bottle of wine and we went with it. Very good choice, smooth and delicious. I had to pace myself. I guess I like to be in control of how much I drink, I don't need someone else to pour my wine for me.
I ordered the beef spinach lasagna. It was good, but all the wine on my palette left me thinking it wasn't out of this world good. I wish I had taken a risk and picked something different from my normal boring choices! My date had the special which was pork ravioli and it was fantastic.
Definitely a nice place to take a date. Next time I want to be a bit more daring and pick something I wouldn't normally pick or think that I would like. My taste buds are growing...I can feel it.
SERVICE: 5 stars ~ SUPER ATTENTIVE (a bit too much for me) but I gotta give them credit they were there at your every whim, even when I just straight up didn't want them to be.
FOOD: 4 stars
WINE: 5 stars!Listed in: Hyde Park, Oh you fancy, huh?, Italian Stallion
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Review from Andrew F.
Austin, TX
9/24/2011
ASTI, like it's sister restaurant FINO are always a good choice. I'll admit, I like FINO a little more, but ASTI is a solid operation. Great array of appetizers, pasta dishes and entrees.
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Review from Gabrielle J.
Austin, TX
Updated - 4/27/2011
Went back to Asti (our 5th or 6th visit) with 11 other family members during our family reunion. When I had called to make the reservation I noted that we had a vegan in our party and they were more than accomidating. We also brought our own wine in (call us cheap or whatever but my family loves to drink wine and this saved us a lot of money) I was really nervous about doing this since I have never done it before but they were very gracious and didn't seem phased by it at all. (They do charge a $15 corckage fee)
The service was fabulous as always and the food was absolutley delicious which was no shock. Asti still remains one of my favorite restaurants in Austin!Listed in: Best places for a nice dinner…, Good for Groups
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/15/2009
We went to Asti for a big dinner with my out of town family a couple of days before my wedding. I… Read more »
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Review from Joy L.
Temple, TX
Updated - 6/20/2011
Unfortunately, I'm dropping this place by a star.
The last three times I went, the food was too salty. I normally do not put extra salt on my food and do not use a lot of salt when I cook, BUT every other restaurant I go to I don't have issues with oversalting so.....
I got a pasta dish once, and my usual mushroom polenta bowl twice the last three times I went. I felt bad and even had to return the pasta dish once as it was overbearingly salty. I ended up eating the polenta bowls, b/c I felt bad returning it...it was like the polenta or whatever sauce they were using reduced down too much and got salty..not sure.
On the bright side, the tiramisu is as good as ever! I will definitely be back for at least the dessert!!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/10/2009
I've been here multiple times for lunch & dinner, and for some reason, I like their lunch menu… Read more »
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Review from Stacey T.
2/14/2011
Walking in you'll find that Asti is a couple of different things. In the front, it looks like a contemporary diner but in the back it is a chic wine bar. For our Valentine's date, we were in the back corner, very comfortable and cozy.
Service was attentive but not overly so. Still, she was nice and professional. The waters were refilled promptly. You even get bread while you wait on your entree.
We started with the calamari and their special app for the night, lump crab bruschetta. The calamari was quite good but the bruschetta was just OK. It wasn't really like bruschetta at all, however the arugula was seasoned amazingly.
My bf had the spaghetti carbonara and it was pretty savory. The only setback was that it was pretty salty, something I noticed with Asti's mussels when I was first there about a year ago. It came with an egg on it too, which seemed pretty authentic to Italian fare.
I had the braised lamb shank Ossobuco. It was pretty delicious, but much more like a roast beef in taste and texture. The meat fell right off the bone and topped a creamy polenta underneath. A little one note, but I didn't mind eating it. Very moist.
We did manage to save room for dessert, which was a special for the night, Morello Cherry Semifreddo. It was a perfect way to end the meal.
Given the chance, I would like to try some other things on Asti's menu. I wouldn't really go out of my way to eat at Asti though if I wanted the best food. But it's in a great neighborhood and the interior really sets it apart from upscale, traditional Italian restaurants.
Good for a low key date or gathering with friends. Not really fit for foodies, but an easy Italian meal. Can't beat this spot in the neighborhood.
Food: 3 stars
Ambiance: 4 stars
Service: 3 stars
Overall: 3 stars -
Review from Jens B.
Updated - 12/18/2010
It is interesting to me how a restaurant can change from lunch to dinner. I was excited about my new find so I wanted to take my heart throb Suzi to dinner with 3 other friends. Made reservations online which was nice since I was concerned that we would have to wait for a table.
I was a little disappointed that they do not offer the polenta bowls on the dinner menu, but never mind the Saffron Risotto with Seafood in Spicy Tomato Sauce called my name. The wifey had a pizza pie. Our guests had a pizza, the Braised Lamb Shank Ossobuco and the Briased Short Ribs & Horseradish Gremolata. We started with the calamari appetizer which was fine. Our entree's arrived and we began to get stuck in.
Unfortunately, my risotto was a bust. The risotto reminded me of porridge, although the broth was tasty and the seafood was nice. One of my friends is a great cook and I gave him a bite of my risotto in the event I had no idea what I was talking about. He agreed with me, overcooked. Never mind, I ate the broth and seafood and left all the risotto in the middle of the plate. The wifey's pizza was average, nothing to exciting at all. However the lamb shank and the short ribs were a hit.
Unfortunately, when the waiter picked up our plates, mine full with the risotto, I mentioned to him that the risotto was off. He wasn't very concerned at all, just said sorry and on he went. One of my guest's ordered the cheese plate for after our meal. This was a disappointment as well. It's not exactly inexpensive, $20 with the Parma and it consisted of a small ice-cream scoop of what looked like ricotta/cottage cheese and a hard, think wedge o Parmesan here, goat cheese.. that was it. Nice condiments went with the cheese plate, but we really expected a cheddar and perhaps a blue as well..
My gut tells me that they just were having an off night and perhaps ran out of cheese.. with Antonelli's in the hood, that would be a surprise. So I would probably not order that again. I'll be back for lunch for that polenta bowl tho!!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/2/2010
I just friggin stoked that I found Asti. It's not like I haven't heard about the location from… Read more »
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Review from Christine C.
Fort Worth, TX
4/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
The food is awesome. You will see this as you walk through the kitchen to use the bathroom. Color and odors galore.
I thought the service was perfunctory, considering the postive reviews they've gotten (and they keep them plastered all over that walk to the bathroom), so that was disappointing. I expect good service if I'm paying premium prices.
-1 star
It's also pretty tight inside. And again, while the food is good (Really! It is! Truffle oil on the pizza kind of good), expect to pay for it. Really? Lasagna almost $20/plate? Sure, it's admittedly some of the best lasagna I've ever had, but it's still overpriced.
-2nd star
/endrantbrokeassgradstudent -
Review from Sabrina O.
Austin, TX
9/7/2011
Asti is my favorite Italian food in Austin.
The negative: it is small and popular so you are likely to overhear (loudly at times) your neighbor's dinner conversations. I'm not a fan of banquettes which comprise at least half of the seating. And that's where the negatives end.
I recommend reservations. It makes life easier because they are always busy. Also, I prefer to eat early here if we will have a party of more than 4 simply so that the din is lower than at rush hour and specials are available. If it's 4 people or less we'll go for rush hour sometimes but it is compact so moving around and truly processing conversation is a challenge. Just sayin'
The menu: Everything is good. You would like the tagliatelle this evening? It's excellent. The duck perhaps? Fabulous. Please note that the food is not only outstanding but consistently outstanding throughout the menu. They feature a seasonal menu featuring local produce and meats and their wine list is well-chosen. -
Review from Jessica H.
Austin, TX
4/27/2011
I went to Asti with a co-worker during lunch. We went for lunch and fully expected to get a pizza but instead decided on the Nizza Salad. The tuna was cooked perfectly, the proportions were spot on, and the size was exactly appropriate for lunch.
The server was very passionate about the food that was on the menu and had good recommendations for us.
This was my first time here, and I will defiantly be back! -
Review from Brittany J.
Austin, TX
1/31/2011
Asti is a solid four! My husband and I visited Asti after wanting to try it for a very, very long time this past weekend. The house-made pappardelle with Parmesan cream sauce, mushrooms and rosemary is fantastic. Really, truly delicious to the very last bite (and I did eat every last bite, oops!). The lasagna bolognese was also very, very good, but less unique than the pappardelle. We visited on a Saturday night at 6 pm (to make it to our 8 pm show) and were immediately seated. I think a wait began soon after we arrived, however, and when asked if we had reservations and I saw how many tables were already full, I would recommend making reservations for weekend nights if you're not going for an early or late dinner.
The service was very good. Our server was very knowledgeable about the menu. I thought Asti had a very NYC feel to it. The tables were a bit close together a la Manhattan, and the prices were right about what you'd pay in New York for a nice dinner at a neighborhood restaurant. Which is to say more than you would normally pay at an Austin neighborhood restaurant, but not an unfair price for the ambiance, service and more sophisticated menu with a city feel! -
Review from A M.
Austin, TX
8/15/2011
Insanely overpriced for small portions and a limited menu. That said-me and my boyfriend still would like to go there when we lived in Hyde Park. It is not worth driving to though, especially with the very limited parking.
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Review from Jo S.
Austin, TX
9/23/2011
Had such a great meal earlier this year but the last couple of times have been mediocre at best. Still wanted to give the place another chance. Last night's dinner was horrible. The bread was refrigerated and cold. The crab bruschetta was a mess of watered mayonnaise and what tasted like canned fish, and the bread itself was black. One of us had shrimp which tasted like bleach and the salmon was tasteless and overcooked. Our waiter acted like he could care less if he was there and when we asked about items on the menu we got nowhere. Such a shame because I really loved this place.
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Review from Gabe M.
Austin, TX
10/19/2010
Ate here with my girlfriend for dinner tonight, after picking up a heavily discounted $25 gift certificate from http://Restaurant.com. It's too bad that you have to spend a minimum of $50 (not including alcohol) to use those certs, as we ended up having to order way too much food for two people. Not sure what if anything could be done about that, so I won't really hold it against them.
Thing is, we were both stuffed and $4 short of the minimum by the time we were ready to get our to-go boxes, I asked if they could just charge us $50 for our $46 meal and call it good, but our server didn't think that could be done. I imagine if I had pressed the issue they would have let me, but I just ordered desert instead. Other than that the service was fantastic.
As for the food:
The bread sticks are quite salty but not overly so, and are very delicious. The Caesar salad was yummy, and the white pizza was outstanding. I added mushrooms which were a perfect compliment to the white truffle oil. The chocolate mousse canoli was sweet and decadent, the crispy part was great but the mousse seemed a little thick for my taste, almost like eating chocolate frosting.
I think we would go back sometime, but probably only on special occasions as it is on the high side of my price range right now. -
Review from Mer S.
Austin, TX
To all of you silly heathens who gave this restaurant anything less than 4 stars, I address this inquiry: What were you smoking? Additionally: May I have some of it?
Anyway. I've been watching The Next Food Network Star lately and noticed the fabulous and adorable Brad Sorenson in fact works at a restaurant in Austin. Woah. So I started begging my dad to take me to meet him and try his food. And today my dad surprised me and drove me over there for lunch on a whim. Luckily, Brad was there and I got to talk to him about the show and related stuff. He's a really nice, fun guy. Not as shy as he appears on TV.
For our meal, we started with the calamari which was on the house courtesy of a friend of the family who works there. It was a tad salty but very tender and crispy. All together pretty good calamari. For our entrees we couldn't decide between the Tuesday special which was a calzone or the white pizza with truffle oil. We settled on the calzone and the trout, which is a permanent menu item.
I'll tell you what. Best. Trout. Ever. The skin was crisped and the fish was tender and perfectly cooked. It was served over a delicious cold salad of fregola (similar to Israeli couscous) with a Meyer lemon aioli. The salad had some parsley, red onion, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and a delicious vinaigrette. A little bit of the cold fregola, some Meyer lemon aioli, and the hot crispy fish is like a perfectly balanced textural explosion. Smooth yet country. Firm yet fluffy. Refreshing yet rich in flavor. Highly recommend it. The calzone isn't my typical kind of dining at lunch. Heavy and hearty. Good flavor from the ricotta and olives and sausage. The red sauce was fabulous and fresh tasting and the dressed arugula added the perfect bit of bitterness to curb the creamy richness of the calzone. Well balanced and constructed, just not my personal favorite as far as lunch dining goes.
For dessert the restaurant owner recommended the brûlée of ricotta. It was freaking delicious. My god. Creme brûlée doesn't stand a chance against this ricotta. Get it. It's awesome.
The interior design of the place is surprisingly fresh clean and modern for Hyde park. The tables have a diner- flair and the bar reminds me of an old luncheonette. But not in a bad way.
The waitress was a little bit spacey but very sweet and willing to comment on the menu should we ask. Overall a wonderful experience. Plus they have Italian Cokes!
Give this place a shot. It's not as bad as it's been labeled as. I was certainly pleasantly surprised given the negative reviews I read. If you don't like it, at least try talking to Brad. The dude's a hoss.
Happy dining! -
Review from Jeff L.
Round Rock, TX
8/27/2011
The wife and I tried Asti tonight and we walked away unimpressed.
The other reviews have said the gist of the location: small and cramped. The back of the place had nice ambiance but the front section where we sat had uncomfortable chairs and tiny tables. My back is still unhappy. And it was very warm, although it is hard to blame Asti since it was 105 degrees out and they have a lot of windows.
We were in the mood to share, so we each had a salad and shared the appetizer sampler and the bruschetta in addition to the drinks. The salads were good. The sample was not that great and we did not finish it. The bread felt oily and the breadsticks were definitely more oily than necessary. (The white bean hummus was good, tho)
Perhaps if we had a full entree each we would have come away with a better feeling, but for now, it is certainly not worth the drive. -
Review from Wendy L.
7/9/2010
Figured I needed to start writing about place I've been to that I thought were just A-ok and this was one of the restaurants that instantly came to mine.
Came here with the bf because we had a http://restaurant.com coupon and we left knowing we would probably never come back. The food was just mediocre and for the price you can definitely find better.
To start we had the stuffed mushrooms with fried breadcrumbs and truffle oil, which I thought was delicious and made me want to like this place. As for the main courses, my bf had the seared scallop where the taste was just meh. Nothing to write about really and I wish I could write something about it but it just didn't leave an impression. As for my main dish, I had the seafood risotto which was good but I've definitely had better and wasn't all to impressed. Also the portions are small so if you're a big eater you probably won't get full here.
Overall the place was just average and not worth the price, which is depressing because I really liked their FINO restaurant. -
Review from Eunice B.
Austin, TX
9/2/2010
The staff and service at Asti was tremendous.
Food (linguine with clams and trout) was good, not outstanding. If the prices for the dishes were maginally cheaper, I would then rate this place as a great local to pick up a bowl of pasta. However, as it seeks to deliver more than this we were underwhelmed. -
Review from Chris R.
Austin, TX
5/6/2011
Best Rigatoni Ive EVER had, Get it with the sausage! Great service too. My coworkers and I split the Tiramisu and the Polenta cake. Both were YUMMMMM! One of the best Italian restaurants Ive found in Austin!
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Review from walker f.
Austin, TX
9/22/2010
I wish we hadn't already eaten because the menu looked tasty, albeit expensive. Alas, we simply had a glass of wine. Our waiter was very helpful and was able to pick a perfect white wine for me in just one shot. He asked me a few questions then brought me a taste - it was perfecto.
The layout of the restaurant was long and narrow, with the bar (backing up to the open kitchen) along one side, tables on the other. It very much reminded me of a place or two San Francisco. ..it seems more....sterile than it's sister Fino (though menu set up and pricing is very similar) but the smells and the colors (rich reds, etc) make it inviting. you could dress up or dress down and feel at ease here.
A nice addition to this little Hyde Park cluster and I suspect I will visit again for dinner!
