Tuscano Italian Kitchen — Restaurant in Cedar Park

Update 03-05-2024

After a couple of years, finally made our way back to Tuscano Italian Kitchen. Not sure what we have been thinking, it's just a bit out of the way for us and not top of mind... what a mistake! Re-visited Tuscano tonight for a wine pairing dinner with Flat Creek Estate Winery, also a first experience for us... the evening was delightful! The food was incredible, the wine was great!

See the pic attached for the food/wine pairing for the evening... I like to write, but not through 5 courses! LOL Suffice it to say, the food paring were well done. Nice touch by Tuscano to provide a little bubbly up front! Al of the course were expertly paired with wines... food = wine ... spice = tannins ... all were well balanced.

All in all, a very good show ... we plan to check out Flat Creek soon, Tuscano we'll be going back SOON! A great wine/dinner combo, highly recommend Tuscano Italian Kitchen and Flat Creek. Get you some of that...!!!

PS Some of the "interior photos" were taken at the end of the night, don't think the place was empty, it was packed!

Prior Review

We recently went looking for new restaurants close by and stumbled upon Toscano Italian Kitchen in Cedar Park (where Gino's used to be).  We decided to give it a try on a Wednesday evening.  I must confess up front that I'm a pretty tough critic when it comes to Italian restaurants, having worked many years as a chef at an Italian restaurant.  My meal at TIK is a pleasure to review here, and I hope readers find this helpful!

The staff was warm and friendly, and we were seated immediately.  Service was great, attentive but not intrusive.  The meal starts with gratis freshly made bread and an olive oil/garlic/spice mix that was deelish!  Although we're not usually appetizer people, since this was a new place for us, we decided to try a couple of appetizers.

We ordered the mussels and the fried cheeses/zucchini.  The mussels were plentiful, and served in a fantastic white wine-butter- mushroom sauce.  We ordered a second basket of bread to sop up the extra sauce!  LOL  The fried cheese-zucchini dish was served piping hot, and included a marinara and ranch dressing for dipping.  Both dishes were fantastic!

For main courses we shared shrimp portofino, redfish portofino, and veal marsala.  The dishes came hot, the portions were plentiful, and the fish and veal were super fresh ... well prepared, expertly seasoned, and artfully presented.  We enjoyed a bottle of Justin Cab with the meal, half-price bottles of wine on Wednesdays!  For dessert, we decided on the Basque-style cheesecake, with candied pecans, hot honey and bourbon sauce.  The perfect ending to a wonderful meal.  One word describes the meal in general ... stupefacente!  (that's Italian for amazing!).

Although we sat in the dining area, we did check out the bar area on the way out.  The bar area is very well appointed and inviting.  We'll try that next time.  Very much recommend TIK, check it out the next time you're in the Cedar...

I want to share a concerning experience I had at your restaurant, hoping it might lead to improvements. I initially visited on a Tuesday night with a friend for a birthday dinner. We sat at the bar, enjoyed some appetizers and drinks, and had a pleasant time interacting with the bartender and other customers.. Everything seemed great, and I was even considering your restaurant for a company Christmas party, which I typically host elsewhere. However, my impression changed drastically when I returned on Thursday with a different friend. This time, I was confronted by the bartender, Cole, who accused me of being obnoxious and over-served. He claimed that I was too loud and had been too close to another customer( in her face) , the neighbor whom I had reconnected with after many years. I was surprised and hurt by these accusations, as I had only been excited and animated in a friendly manner. Cole's approach was abrasive and humiliating. Everyone at the bar was watching us. My friend was mortified, and the scene he created made the entire experience uncomfortable. To make matters worse, Cole seemed intent on getting us to leave, which was further evident when he didn’t offer us a menu after we ordered a drink. My distress was compounded when I later spoke with my neighbor, who informed me that Cole had reprimanded her in the past for similar reasons. I also learned that another regular patron supported Cole's perspective, which made me question the fairness of his judgment. I also Question an establishment who allows their employees to drink. We witnessed him drinking 4 shots of jack Daniels in 45 minutes, how many did he have before he reprimanded us, hence his belligerent behavior towards us. As a community business owner and a long-time nurse, I was deeply shocked by the way I was treated. I genuinely believe that such treatment is unacceptable and reflects poorly on the establishment. I would urge you to reconsider how employees like Cole interact with customers, as this experience has unfortunately led me to decide that I will not return or recommend your restaurant to others. I hope this feedback is received constructively, as my intention is to see improvements in customer service for...

I visited this restaurant as a party of one. It was very busy, which is typical for a Saturday, so I expected a bit of a wait — but unfortunately, the experience fell far below what I’ve come to expect from this place. I started with a chocolate espresso martini. Every time I visit, there's always uncertainty around whether they can make it — and this time, the drink was completely off. I didn’t send it back because the staff seemed overwhelmed, and I know this restaurant can be hit-or-miss with their cocktails. I ordered the mussels to start, which were fine. My server was kind, but understandably spread thin due to the crowd. As a solo diner, I noticed my table didn’t get much attention, which was disappointing but not surprising. After placing my main order — the creamy pesto primavera pasta — I waited close to 40 minutes. When the dish finally arrived, it was the wrong order: gluten-free pasta with salmon. I politely let the runner know, and he seemed doubtful at first, even questioning whether I knew what I had ordered. He left to check, and shortly after, my original server returned to apologize and said they’d remake it. During my wait, I couldn’t help but notice the manager walking around. We made eye contact several times — at least 10 — and though it was clear I had been sitting there without a main course while tables around me turned over, he never once approached or acknowledged the issue. That part stood out the most. Eventually, a new plate was brought to me — but it was the same dish, just with creamy pesto sauce, not the primavera I had ordered. Having just been to this restaurant two weeks ago for my birthday, I know exactly what that dish should look like. At that point, I didn’t want to continue going back and forth. I let my server know that I was still unhappy with the food but just asked for a box and the check so I could leave. All in all, I left disappointed — not just because of the mix-ups, but because of the lack of attentiveness, acknowledgment, and care. I understand that busy nights happen, but it should never come at the expense of...