Panini du Fat

I’ve compiled a list of Austin restaurants that I’m trying to hit over the next few months. My mom is always open to trying new places, so I drug her along to Asti last week. I’ve been wanting to try this restaurant for awhile now, especially since fellow schoolmates and graduates work in the kitchen.

Asti was much smaller than I anticipated, but was nicely decorated, with an open kitchen and a menu primarily consisting of French fare. The waiter arrived to take our drink order while we pondered the menu. After much debate, because everything sounded delish, we decided on two different entrees so that we could share and compare. My mom opted for the Penne with Grilled Chicken and Spinach and I went for the Prime Rib Panini.

Our food arrived swiftly and looked great! My mom sunk her teeth into a bite of the creamy pasta and immediately said, “Mmmmm!” On the other hand, I bit through the crunchy bread of the Panini and got a mouth full of fat. I opened the sandwich and was shocked to see that each bite size piece of meat that covered the bread was nothing but fat. The sandwich was completely inedible, so I munched on the bread and accompanying veggies.

Normally I would have brought this to the attention of the waiter so that the manager and kitchen would be aware of the problem, and could correct it if they so desired. That was problem number two. The waiter came to our table twice – once to take our order and once to drop off, I mean throw, the check. He was either having a BAD day or should find a new job that better utilizes his people skills.

Despite the yummy pasta, the service and Panini incident was enough to deter us from ever visiting this restaurant again!