ASK Italian - Edinburgh — Restaurant in City of Edinburgh

Subject: Feedback on Recent Visit to ASK Italian

Dear ASK Italian 9,13 Shandwick PI, Rutland Ct, Edinburgh EH2 4RG

I hope this message finds you well. My name is Aj, and I am a Senior Sous Chef with 15 years of experience in the culinary industry. I frequently visit Scotland, where my family resides, and recently dined at ASK Italian with my family.

Unfortunately, our experience was not up to the standard we expected. Upon arrival, we requested a table for four, and although we were welcomed with drinks, we were informed that some items were unavailable. We placed our order verbally, which included two garlic breads, two chicken dishes, two zucchini fries, a margherita pizza, a chicken pizza, one red wine, and one additional drink, along with a risotto.

After waiting for 35 minutes, we noticed that our order was incomplete; we were missing the garlic bread, one drink, and the risotto. My uncle, who is an experienced chef with 52 years in the industry, approached the floor manager to address the issue. Unfortunately, the manager's response was dismissive, offering only a brief apology without taking any further action to resolve our concerns.

As a professional in the culinary field, I believe that customer service is paramount. The manager's attitude and lack of attention to detail were disappointing, especially in a restaurant setting where guest satisfaction should be a priority. It is essential for staff to be trained to welcome guests warmly, take orders accurately—preferably using a notebook or an ordering app—and to acknowledge and apologize for any mistakes respectfully.

Regrettably, this experience has left us with a negative impression, and I am reluctant to recommend ASK Italian to others. I hope you take this feedback constructively and consider providing additional training to your staff to enhance the overall dining experience.

Thank you for your attention to this...

This is my local Ask Italian and usually our visits to this restaurant are seamless, however on this occasion we left very disappointed.

The food and drinks were lovely, however the service was terrible. Two out of three of our mains came out wrong, although this was quickly fixed. What was unacceptable, however, was the staff’s attitude when asked about Blue Light Card discount. I had a Blue Light Card discount code, which offered 50% off mains. The T&Cs of the voucher clearly stated that it can be used in this restaurant and it is to be used between 18/08 and 25/08. When I asked our server if I can use it, he very quickly said that we can’t use in August. I showed him the T&Cs to clarify, however he cut me off and bluntly said that we can’t use in August and didn’t even bother trying to scan the QR code. I paid the bill but asked another staff member on my way out for more details, it then transpired that we could use the voucher and the voucher was definitely applicable to our bill.

Another staff member, who I think was the manager, came over and said that she will refund us the difference. I was happy with the solution, but the attitude we received when she was processing the refund was incredibly blunt and cold. There was no apology for the mix up and it felt more that we were treated as an inconvenience for making more work for them (due to their own mistake).

I really like Ask Italian but I’ll think twice about returning to this venue, as I don’t want to be treated like an inconvenience as a...

It’s been a while. Sometimes I wonder where time goes. Over five years since I last ate at this centrally-located Ask in Edinburgh.

I remembered it as noisy, busy and a bit chaotic. Half a decade on, had it changed much? No. Not really….

The branch itself isn’t huge, it’s at the end of Princes Street, so a bit of a tourist trap. Lots of windows, yet the inside seems quite dark. It’s very noisy - there is nothing to absorb the sounds of people eating and talking. Nice and buzzy in one respect, but you do have to raise your voice to talk.

Service was good, the staff were really busy but doing a good job of working as a team to get through everyone efficiently. Food arrived quickly and all was correct. Well done.

The food itself was decent - there is an open kitchen so you can watch it take shape. I had the mushrooms al forno to start - this was good. I do sort of wish the bread under the mushrooms had a little more about it, but it’s perfectly fine. A pizza for my main - chicken and mushroom. Inoffensive, well cooked. Fresh chilli would have improved it. Or maybe a whole burrata.

No dessert for me as I was full. They do tiramisu though, and you can’t go wrong with that.

Overall, a decent, if unexciting meal. This location is convenient for the end of Princes Street. I imagine it might be a bit forlorn in winter, when raining. I got...