Would you rather eat at ask italian or bella italia?

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The_Enchanted_Cup@reddit

ASK used to be very tasty. It got sold in 2010 I believe it was, which was its downfall. It’s quite disgusting now, sadly. I’m guessing the new owners were trying to save money, but they ruined the taste so hard.

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moonlight-and-music@reddit

Bella Italia is rubbish quality and very poor value for money. Ask italian in my experience is ok-ish so out of the two I would go for Ask. Both are poor quality for italian food

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IanWaring@reddit

Sometime in the last 3 years, Bella Italia used to appear to serve Marco Polo (Duck Pasta) from fresh ingredients but now seem to heat from frozen. That seems consistent across several branches in the last year or so. Is that the case? Always liquid in the base where previously dry…

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domsp79@reddit

Bella Italia, or at least OUR local Bella Italia is quite possibly the worst place I've ever eaten. Even my primary school aged kids who are the least fussy eaters in the world comment on how bad their food was every time we walk past. I couldn't think of a restaurant in town where I'd rather eat less.

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snazzypants253@reddit

Yep this is interesting because my local Bella Italia (Lakeside) blew me away with the food quality, service, and passion from the staff. All Italian staff and seemed proud to work there. I expected very little but it was BANGING

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Individual_Bat_378@reddit

This is the trouble, food chains at least should be reliable! Our local one is really good, they're so friendly and seem to make a real effort with the food

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Flat_Ad_6507@reddit

Is Bella Italia good in London

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WVA1999@reddit

Are you are trapped in a retail park?

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heliskinki@reddit

My wife is Italian and would begin to question my life choices if I ate at either.

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itsa_m@reddit

I doubt any Italian would eat out at any Italian restaurant outside of Italy.

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heliskinki@reddit

Doubt all you want, I live with one so let me tell you that there are many fine Italian independent restaurants in the UK. Just don’t do the chains.

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itsa_m@reddit

I am one. An independent would be better than a chain.

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davus_maximus@reddit

Dunno, but my local ASK really dropped a bollock with service levels recently and we don't have a Bella. We have Zizzis but the building is in a shit state.

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idontlikemondays321@reddit

Redditor response: I only eat Italian food in the foothills of Naples and only if they use the finest Sicilian lemons. Joking aside, I’d choose ASK if they still do the amazingly gooey chocolate bombs

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terryjuicelawson@reddit

I don't think it is *that* crazy, the standard response is that pretty much any small Italian restaurant in the local area is probably better than a chain if at all possible.

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Willing-Cell-1613@reddit

The one near me used to be opposite a Pizza Express and I remember thinking ASK pizza was super fancy as a result. I think it was just less greasy and slightly better quality but still did the inauthentic flavours primary-school me loved. ASK is really good for not-very-Italian pizza and the lemonade was great.

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Fluid-Lab8784@reddit

Just try small family run restaurants for this cusine in particular. They usually got way better vine selection and some really good food too. Its just tend to be a way better deal for the same money.

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OrdoRidiculous@reddit

I'd rather eat a pot noodle at home than go to either.

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TheDawiWhisperer@reddit

Keep going, I'm nearly there

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seeyoujim@reddit

Bombay bad boy, with a Bombay bad boy chaser enjoy!

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OrdoRidiculous@reddit

Soy sauce sachet. Waiting to be torn open until it explodes into the hot cup.

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NVision92@reddit

No wank for dessert?

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OrdoRidiculous@reddit

that would be more fun at Bella Italia.

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notverytidy@reddit

ALDI Pot Noodle + Worcestershire Sauce. Better than anything those 2 make.

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knobsacker@reddit

I know I'm going to sound like your typical redditor "I don't eat chain food and only authentic Italian" but in all honesty prezzo, zizi, ask and Bella are all shit. Id just pick a different genre of food. Wagamamas is OK for what it is. Nandos is just piri piri chicken and sides so you cant really go wrong. Turtle Bay is OK for a chain restaurant too and they do the bottomless brunch thing.

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txakori@reddit

I’d rather shove uncooked spaghetti under my toenails than either of them, thanks.

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Fluid-Lab8784@reddit

They are quite possibly the worst place to eat italian food in our city. Both very blend, overpriced and slow. Not even sure if they speak italian at all.

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I_ALWAYS_UPVOTE_CATS@reddit

>Not even sure if they speak italian at all. Of course they don't. They're British chains in British towns with British staff. Were you expecting all the waiters to be imported?

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Fluid-Lab8784@reddit

Sorry, I didn't know the British had something to prevent you from speaking other languages. Also, it didn't help that my wife, who is hungarian, works in an italian restaurant where she learned basic italian whilst working there. None of them are from Italy. Only the pizza guy worked in Italy for a while, but it was too hot or something.

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I_ALWAYS_UPVOTE_CATS@reddit

Of course British people can learn other languages if they want to. My point is it's not exactly surprising that the staff working in Britain for a large British chain don't speak Italian, and shouldn't really be a criticism that's levelled at the brand.

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Fluid-Lab8784@reddit

That is why I segregated it away from my criticism, to imply that it's a light-hearted joke. Sorry that I(a random person on the internet) have the audacity to dislike your liked stuff. I had crap experience in those places, and I had to pay the same money that i paid in way better places. Staff were distant and lazy, and the food was average at best. Not something I'd recommend.

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I_ALWAYS_UPVOTE_CATS@reddit

ASK is actually alright. Of course it's never going be 'like my mama used to', but we're not in Italy. I find it's consistently decent enough and reasonably priced. I think there are plenty of people on reddit who are terrified of going outside but like to pretend they'll only eat Italian food from a tiny village deli in Tuscany where they're on first-name terms with the owner. I imagine the same is probably true of Bella Italia, but my personal experience hasn't been so good there. I went once with my uncle, and when he sent his pasta back for being too mushy, they told him there was nothing they could do because it comes in pre-cooked.

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Euffy@reddit

This for sure. It's not my favourite top tier Italian but it's definitely okay!

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AnythingPeachy@reddit

ASK Italian. It's nice enough, you're not going to get dirty looks if you go in with kids and it works out cheaper than McDonald's if you have a taste card. Every Bella Italia I've gone to has been like a cramped dirty cafe that sells watery pasta.

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Starboard_1982@reddit

ASK.. Went to Bella Italia years ago (when it used to be Bella Pasta or whatever), my dad found a giant elastic band in his food. The staff were so unapologetic you got the impression it was the sort of thing that happened all the time.

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cankennykencan@reddit

Rather a kebab and a can of coke

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Omega_Warlord_Reborn@reddit

I'll answer you when i stop...*raises hand in air, then to mouth, pukes* nooo i can't answer this question

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HumanHuman_2003@reddit

Bella Italia cuz it sounds fancy

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ComposerThen6483@reddit

Neither, though Bella Italia is infinitely worse.

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starfallpuller@reddit

I've never heard of Ask Italian. But Bella Italia is awful so I'll choose the first one.

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katie-kaboom@reddit

No thanks.

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RoyalCultural@reddit

Both shite

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KookyFarmer7@reddit

I’d rather save the money and just cook seeing as I could do better than either at home

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Plum3725@reddit

Ask Italian.

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blamordeganis@reddit

Haven’t eaten at ASK since we went there for a works Xmas do several jobs back, and the food took two hours to come out and had been microwaved so hard it was glued to the plate.

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Specific_Tap7296@reddit

Last went to a Bella with my parents ~20 years ago. Popped to the gents and missed Tim Henman collecting his takeaway... or so my parents have claimed ever since.

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cherrybitez__@reddit

i think i’ll just starve….

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FunkulousThe55th@reddit

I’d simply give up on life

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a4991@reddit

Anything that’s not Bella Italia.

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brightnessalert@reddit

I'd rather eat McDonald's

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jeremyascot@reddit

Probably best

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brightnessalert@reddit

or water crackers

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Fluid-Lab8784@reddit

I would roll the dice on the random kebab shop.

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stercus_uk@reddit

Is there a bin in the street outside?

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ooh_bit_of_bush@reddit

No, no I would not.

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Our-lastnight@reddit

Ask Italian for sure

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Harrry-Otter@reddit

Are they the only options?

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YchYFi@reddit

Ask Italian. Food is nicer.

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