"Ask" Italian Restaurants - have you tried one?

[Speicher]

No I don't like that, and will add it to my list of places to avoid. I must admit to frequenting Macdonalds, twice in the last twenty years. I could provide mitiagting circumstances - in Dusseldorf and to my eternal chagrin - Basle it was too late at night to find anywhere else, that did not require a second mortgage.

 

[thomas]

Is that per slice, and including wages? (Never been to a "Hut").

per pizza. I don't know about wages.

To be fair though, what is pizza mainly? Flour, water, tomato and some topping. 13p doesn't surprise me as the would be able to buy massive quantities.

 

[walker]

if you been to Zizzi's it's the same company

 

[Fab Foodie]

I'm willing to bet they still make a profit on the quid...and you have to buy a full price meal anyway.

For instance, a Pizza Hut pizza costs them around 13p to make...

Where they claw-back their money on these deals is on the drinks. So, you choose to eat at 'Ask' because you have a voucher to take a friend at a discount, they only have to discount 1 meal, but get a full price meal and drinks (where profit is vast) in return whereas without the voucher you may not have stepped in the door. Simples!

BTW, if I weas taking somebody that mattered to eat Italian in Oxford, I'd at least do Carluccios in the castle complex, Jamies or Brasserie Blanc in Jericho. None of them cost a kings ransom (on top of the Ask price) and the foods better.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

BTW, if I weas taking somebody that mattered to eat Italian in Oxford, I'd at least do Carluccios in the castle complex, Jamies or Brasserie Blanc in Jericho. None of them cost a kings ransom (on top of the Ask price) and the foods better.

I can vouch for the Brasserie Blanc too. Eaten there a few times, first rate - food and service!

 

[Brahan]

Their pizzas are yummy......washed down with beer.

 

[Speicher]

FabFoodie and TBM, if I try one in Oxford, it would be just me out for the day.

The "Ask" is in Malvern, where my friend lives. Nearest other Zizzi is Cheltenham.

 

[Arch]

I don't know about the one in Malvern, but Ask often try to set up in a historic building - ours is the old assembly rooms, so there are massive chandeliers and columns and so forth - that can be a nice 'extra', if the surroundings are posh looking.

I've never been disappointed in their food - it's chain style Italian, but nonetheless ok for that.

 

[grhm]

I've eaten in the Ask in Malvern. It's not a historic building - it the end of a terrace of shops - Ask knocked the last couple of shops together and refurbished when they moved in. Fairly nice inside - but generic restaurant nothing outstanding.

Make sure you get a table away from the back door (car park enterence) as we found it cold and windy.

Food wise it's alright. Standard pasta/pizza fayre - our group (about 11 of us) all enjoyed the food and they managed to serve us all in quick order with hot food - no waiting for other food to arrive or food gone cold - arrived at our table as quick as our waitress could carry it from the kitchen (this was lunch time - no idea what evening service is like - maybe avoid the pre-theatre rush if you can) . I really liked my dish - a spicey pasta thing of the day's specials menu.

I'd say give it a whirl

 

[User482]

I can vouch for the Brasserie Blanc too. Eaten there a few times, first rate - food and service!

I had a good meal in the one in Bristol. The set menus (with a glass of wine included) are very good value, considering the quality of the food. I've not eaten in Carluccio's but the one in Bristol got slated in a local newspaper review.

 

[Arch]

I had a good meal in the one in Bristol. The set menus (with a glass of wine included) are very good value, considering the quality of the food. I've not eaten in Carluccio's but the one in Bristol got slated in a local newspaper review.

My Mum goes to Carluccios in Leicester and it's generally good, although last time the tuna salad was very oily. But she says their lemon tart is beyond compare!

 

[dellzeqq]

Standard stuff - and, as FF points out, they make their money on the booze.

I'm afraid Carluccio's drives me to distraction. I now refuse to go there because there is a good chance that if I do I may garotte one of the waiters. They are not the brightest.

A few years ago I worked on the second floor of a building. Carluccio's had the 4th floor. They used it for inducting waiters. There was a sign at ground level showing what was where, and signs at every floor. Every day of the week a confused specimen would wander in to our reception and say 'Carluccio's?' We would point them toward the fourth floor. They'd leave, completely bewildered.

The same with the restaurant. The waiters walk around very quickly, almost in a state of panic, with absolutely no idea where they are going. They stop. They ponder. They retrace their steps. Without a clue.