Hello everyone - today it's another restaurant review from me, and today I'm reviewing AskItalian in Newcastle Eldon Square. I knew that I was craving a good pizza before I even booked this, but instead of going somewhere I've been before I wanted to give somewhere new a go - so I booked AskItalian for me and Greg.
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To drink I went for a good old appetiser - I didn't fancy anything alcoholic, and whenever I don't this is usually my go-to alternative at a chain restaurant like this. They also gave us a little tester of a lemonade on their menu when we were seated, which was nice, but I'm not sure I would have wanted a full glass of it - traditional lemonades are little too bitter for my liking. We were waited quickly, by a very friendly waiter who kept checking back up on us to make sure everything was ok, when we wanted to order etc. A candle to the table was a nice, romantic touch - particularly so because we came here for our valentine's day meal, and when it burned out the waiter realised and replaced it without us having to mention anything.
Like I said earlier, I already had in mind that I really fancied a pizza. I went for a classic marghertia which I know seems a little bit boring, but when you really fancy something it's just got to be done. Although a margherita is considered simple, I still think it takes something to make it a truly delicious one - and this was one of the best I've had yet. I love a thin, crispy base - and there was a good balance of cheese, I hate it when there's too much on their it can get a little sickly. Greg went for the Pollo Calzone which he also really enjoyed.
For desert I went for the Chocolate Amore which was honestly the nicest chocolate cake I've had so far. I'm such a chocolate lover, so the fact that I'm giving up chocolate for lent is a real struggle (these pictures were taken on valentine's - so don't worry I'm not cheating). If you love an indulgent, gooey chocolate cake then this desert is for you. Greg was in such a dilemma of whether to also go for the Chocolate Amore, or the Honeycomb cheese cake - he decided to go for the cheesecake and that we'd share a little of each other's - but because we enjoyed our deserts just too much we didn't even get round to letting each other have a try - oops.
The prices and value for the meal I thought was really good - particularly considering how much I loved the food. When it came to paying, they gave us a little packet of love heart sweets, which was so valentine's day appropriate, and provided us with an offer code for if we came back which was a nice touch. I found the service to be quick, which I was impressed with because I know how busy valentine's day can be. And the staff were very welcoming and friendly, I definitely want to make a return to Ask Italian.
What do you think?
Shelley x
