ASTI Trattoria

Lunch this Thursday was at ASTI Trattoria, the trendy Italian eatery in Hyde Park. With me was new Veg Out! Austin correspondent Ms. Pseudon. We got there at 1PM at the end of the lunch rush.

BEN: I've always liked ASTI, but I'd not been there for lunch before, so it was a treat to order from their lunch menu, a bit lighter fare than their evening courses.

MS. PS: ASTI's interior is nicely done with a cool, contemporary motif, with a dash of feng shui on the side. It's easy to feel comfortable and at home while dining. The lighting during the day is perfect, done with large glass paned windows, while in the evenings, every table is candlelit.

BEN: We were greeted when we entered and placed at one of the front tables, and our waiter arrived quickly, taking a drink order and presenting the daily specials. Of note was an salad of string beans, butter beans, spinach, red onion, a touch of goat cheese, and a tangy cream vinaigrette dressing. We shared this as an appetizer, and it was presented nicely along with freshly ground black pepper.

MS. PS: Even though the wine-by-the-glass section is extremely tempting, the Austin standard hibiscus tea is mandatory for lunch. Rumor has it that the polenta was marvelous, so I selected the grilled portabella and eggplant polenta which was served with gracious equal portions of polenta, homemade marinara, and coarsely-chopped sautéed portabella mushrooms. Topping all of that was a fresh and tart blend of goat cheese and rosemary that added a creamy touch to the dish. It was non-traditional but very enjoyable; it's not your mother's Italian cooking.

BEN: I had the asparagus and fennel risotto, a creamy rice-like pasta dish served with a parmesan-based sauce and field peas. The portion was large, and the texture was complex, with crisp asparagus, firm peas, and thick risotto. I usually prefer spicier dishes, so pepper helped it out a lot. I liked it, but next time I'll probably order their Rigatoni Amatriciana (hold the pancetta) on my next trip. I've had it at dinner, and I loved the tomato sauce with ample garlic and pepper.

MS. PS: While we didn't get desserts, a glance at the menu was very tempting. In the past, I've ordered almost all of their decadent options, and I couldn't complain, not even once.

BEN: The meal was on the high-end of my usual lunch range, but you get excellent presentation, high quality ingredients, and great service. It you're looking for someplace special and hip, I'd recommend this highly.

MS. PS: Its location in Hyde Park makes a nice break from the usual downtown or suburban eateries. ASTI is still a well kept secret here in Austin.