ItaliAsia

My husband and I dined here a few months ago and it was by far one of the worst experiences we have ever had and we go out to eat A LOT! The ambience was bad from the get go, when we walked in the place was empty and we pretty much seated ourselves. Our drink service was very slow along with actually getting our food, and when the food arrived it was not good! At this point we were so ready to leave, but due to the service being so slow it took us nearly 20 minutes to get the check dropped off at the table. We made the decision to dine here because we bought a Groupon for it, so you can only imagine the extra time it took to process our credit card with having to account for the Groupon first. All in all, not a good atmosphere, not good food, and not good service. Will never go back here.

We went to ItaliAsia because we had a certificate. Saving $ 10 – 15 is always nice but we are fortunate enough that that doesn’t predicate our choices. The fun of certificates is discovering new restaurants. Sometimes to great results. NOT THIS TIME.
The concept sounds great. Southeast Asia and Italy. It is not necessarily complex and it is certainly not innovative but there is, in the hands of a good chef, potential in this particular fusion. A few area chefs are still rocking this concept. It was not ridiculous to think that a small chain might provide a savory meal with a well-​figured out structure to menu and staff. This experience makes me rethink that entire previous statement.
It IS a hotel restaurant and I did see that in my online research. I wasn’t put off because this area supports much business travel (located within 2 miles of an International airport) and 2 other small chains in the area are at the height of providing delightfully composed plates based on local agricultural choices as well as sushi grade seafood and house-​made sauces and seasonings. Sadly, not here.
First we ordered the «Deconstructed Seafood Rangoon.» I’ve had this old favorite, nicely reimagined before and enjoyed it. Here the menu description promised shrimp, scallops and lobster. The dish arrived on a plate but appeared to be a soup. Perhaps the cream cheese based sauce was supposed to be a thin one. However, if that was the idea, there was no spoon provided. After a few minutes of trying to take bites of the bland, dripping, small freezer shrimp (maybe one piece of lobster, no scallop), we just gave up and left the rest of the sopping mess on the plate. It was very difficult to eat and there was nothing that tasted good enough to entice us.
For entrees we ordered the Italian Angus Burger and the Yellowfin Tuna Salad sandwich.
I was not only excited about fresh Tuna Salad (ecstasy when truly fresh) but the described combination of capers, egg, etc. on tomato focaccia with Asian Slaw seemed like the light but comforting meal for which I was hoping. In theory, it is why I still enjoy fusion restaurants. Sometimes an individual chef’s takes on such dishes works. Sometimes, it doesn’t. This time, I didn’t even have the luxury of what a chef’s idea might have been. They were out of this dish. Out? A dish that is relatively inexpensive to make, can be almost fully prepped hours in advance and, anything leftover at the end of the night can become something else the next day as an inexpensive app special… out? OUT?
Fine, I quickly peruse the menu and choose an entrée that I cannot even recall. All I can remember is that the server told me they were also out of that. Again, I cannot recall what it was but it was a top tier, highly featured entrée. I was, at that point, shocked.
I ended up ordering the «Garden Sandwich.» We are talking about a basic portabella mushroom sandwich, very easily made fresh and, while boring, a hearty and delicious vegetarian option. Alas, no. It was soggy, salty and sadly unseasoned, not under-​seasoned, unseasoned. I think one would have to try to so thoroughly destroy this king of mushrooms. I then think that perhaps the «Asian Slaw» and «Sweet & Spicy Pickles» that the menu claims come with every meal might dress it up a bit. I realize there is not any slaw on my plate. There is a pickle. It is limp and in no way «Sweet» or «Spicy.» It has been living in a jar somewhere for the last few years before it made it’s way to my pathetic plate as a water-​logged piece of old cucumber. I asked about the slaw and the server, looking embarrassed, came back with a small bowl of shredded red cabbage. No seasoning, no oil or mayo/​aioli or vinegar or garnish. Nothing. Seriously. In the meantime, my fries were very overcooked. There was nothing on my plate to eat and I was still hungry.
As for my partner’s burger. The middle was cold. Cold. From the freezer. Gray and cold. He stopped eating about the time I did and asked if there were any leftovers at home. The promised Prosciutto that was part of this burger was, as he described it to me, a piece of salami wrangled from the cellophane of some bottom shelf brand.
When we asked for the check, the server, still looking quite sheepish, pointed out that we hadn’t made the certificate minimum. He suggested dessert then immediately added that they didn’t have any of the desserts on menu but had cakes. Cakes? (No Crème Brule? No Cannoli?) We told him to bring us whatever looked best. He brought a slice of something with red in it and I recognized it as one of the pound cakes that had been listed as ‘on sale’ in a local grocery store circular that week. I didn’t want it then and I didn’t want it now. We tipped the pathetic but well-​meaning server as nicely as possible but the fact is we had just spent an hour and half (yes, there is that too: we waited for everything) in a restaurant that seems within weeks of closing. Please close, ItaliAsia. You have nothing to offer.

The olive oil and spices were great, but if you call yourself an Italian place and you can’t get bread and oil right, you don’t deserve to be in the business. Thus, two stars. Stay in the business, but make improvements.
When my meal started, my mouth was watering and my hopes were high. Well, as high as they could be in a hotel restaurant. It was a Groupon, so how much could I really expect?
Perhaps this restaurant should choose one type of cuisine or the other, but by wavering between Italian and Asian, my palette was left desiring more. My fiancé and I both ordered from the Asian side, but what was delivered on our plates was something I might as well have dropped out of a frozen food box. The consistency of my chicken was General Tso chicken was mush, and my entire dish lacked any significant flavor. I highly recommend Lemon Grass Thai Kitchen if you’re in the mood for Asian cuisine.

I don’t know if I hit the right night or if there is new management.
I ordered the NY srip steak with polenta fries and broccolirob. There is a picture of this plate. The steak was superb, well seasoned and perfectly cooked and I am a steak snob. Better than Outback and the expensive steak house next door to Italiasia. Polenta fries, crisp on the outside, tender on the inside and not greasy. Not a typical menu item, but they do it well. The broccolirob was grilled and toped with olive oil.
Oh, the meal started out with terrific sourdough bread, nice & warm with a nice crisp crust. The bread was served with a delicious zesty prsto with olive oil for dipping, totally awesom.
My friend had the pasta Bolognese. Quite different, but I will stand behind this fusion dish. Beef, pork and veal browned with spices creating a wonderful meat flavor, one that is not achieved in a few minutes, the depth of flavor was awesome. There was no sauce, it was served with wide egg noodles and toped with green onions and freshly shaved chese. This is an exceptional fusion dish.
Neither ofusf could finish our meals, as the portions were so large. Service was great, maybe too many servers. And then the story behind the lovely tin of absolutely yummy cookies we were given with our packaged leftovers.
The restaurant and bathrooms were spotless. I even checked the dirty door someone took a picture of and it will show the door is now spotless, they must be taking Unilocal opinion to heart.
What’s a girl to do? Tell the truth and find a perfect martini.

I made a terrible mistake by not checking Unilocal before buying a Groupon for ItaliAsia.
The highlight of the meal was the rolls served with basil and olive oil.
We ordered the Bruschetta Appetizer as a starter. It came out iced cold. It reminded me of a Pillsbury Refrigerated Italian Bread that was not completely baked and then covered in tomatos and balsamic vinegar. We sent it back.
I ordered the Mongolian Tenderloin. Had I not been wearing rubber souled shoes I would have thought that I was chewing my shoes. The meat was about as tough as it can get.
My wife had the Bolognese Pasta. She said it was very starchy and had no taste.
We left over most of both dishes.
In an effort to try to appease us our server sent us home with a tin of DoubleTree Cookies.
Oour server, Jane made a great effort to make things right. However, when the food is this bad her task was impossible.
This restaurant will never see us again. It needs to close.

I understand the 2 star reviews, but I’m going to go a bit better here. Yes, the website and menu makes it sound much better than it is. The food is eh — not great, not bad — but the service was good and we got free cookies.
Honestly, I’m giving it 3 stars because we got free cookies.
I bought a groupon for this place and my girlfriend and i decided to check it out. This was our second attempt. The first time, the restaurant was closed for one reason or another. This time, the restaurant was closed again, apparently because the hotel (its at a Doubletree Hotel) was mostly empty and they had a private event. So if you are going to check it out, call first, because they seem to be closed more then they are open).
The fact that its at a Doubletree hotel is deceiving since I don’t remember ever seeing that on their website. But I digress.
Anyway, when the restaurant is closed, they allow you to order off their full menu from the hotel’s sports bar, which we did. We got veggie spring rolls as an appetizer, and I got a shrimp and pepper pasta and my girlfriend got Lobster Risotto. The spring rolls were supposed to be «flash fried,» but they seemed deep fried to us. They were okay, just not anything special. That’s exactly how to describe the pasta, too. I was expecting something spicy, but it was more sweet then spicy due to the fruit in the sauce. My fault I guess for not reading the menu closely. My girlfriend’s risotto was just bland. She barely ate it, but we brought it home and mixed it with some more seasoning and stuff the next night and it was 1000 times better.
The service was fine. Our server was attentive and the meal was timed well. The fact that the restaurant wasn’t open… again…takes some points away from the service overall, but that wasn’t the server’s fault in the sports bar.
Finally, the manager brought us a tin of the Doubletree chocolate chip cookies for coming in that night, which is why I am giving the third star. Firstly, I got cookies. Secondly, at least they tried to do something nice for us.
So like I said, this is an understandably 2 star place if you’re expecting a gourmet stand alone restaurant and get a mediocre hotel restaurant. I can’t fault the other reviewers. That said, even though our food wasn’t any better then other people’s, the cookies saved the day.

I stayed here for work last night. I had the player’s signature salad with a blackened grouper fillet in the late night bar that was amazing and huge. This afternoon I ordered a Chinese Chicken Salad to-​go from the on-​site ItaliAsia restaurant that took 45 minutes to make (after I was told 20 – 25 min) and was ready just as I had to rush out the door to the airport. I opened it to check it out on the airport shuttle. Chinese Chicken Salad menu description: «romaine, napa cabbage, carrot, chicken, snow peas, green onions, mint, red pepper, edamame, grilled lime, hoisin vinaigrette.» What I got: 6 tough small strips of chicken, shredded iceberg lettuce, a few strands of carrot & purple cabbage & teriyaki sauce for dressing (see picture). I paid almost $ 15 including tip and have written hotel asking for a refund. I tossed it uneaten at the airport and bought overpriced replacement food for my long flight to CA. Eat somewhere else, like Charlie’s Steak House next door.

Don’t waste your time. There’s nothing fusion or gourmet about this place. The appetizers are subpar (not to mention listed at the wrong price), the salad definitely disappointed — which you would think is hard for lettuce and shredded carrots. Dinner didn’t even meet expectations and I definitely wouldn’t be sad if I never made it back. The only reason I have this place even one star is because of the service — the server was okay, although I had to hunt him down for lemon.
Save your money and go elsewhere.

Our server was attentive and very friendly, so I really appreciate that aspect of our visit. The black and blue salad and the calamari were very tasty. The downside is that our food took way to long to arrive. We received our apps. right away, however, our entrees came out half hour, if not more, after this first course.
As for the entrees: The fiery chicken was salty and had way to much sauce. The dish reminded me of mall food. The server took this off our bill and in its place, I ordered the chicken pesto which I also did not eat. The «foccia» was so overwhelming and oily it was not worth eating. I’ve had the salmon on a previous visit, it had a weird sweet and chunky glaze and was overcooked. The chicken Milanese was just an odd mix. The chicken way dry and the udon noodles were tasteless.
I don’t think I’d return– if I do, I’ll stick to the «bar menu» as the concept they are trying to pull off just does not work.

‘It comes prepackaged’
This is all i needed to know about the calamari or anything else made at this chain food store. My product arrived and was eaten, I paid and left.
Eat product here, not food

Was hoping for … well something. Stopped here randomly on my way to Sa Ri One and decided to give it a shot. Was sub par. Not sure where the «fusion» was. Typical hotel restaurant. My recommendation keep going down the street to SaRiOne!

Great spot with something for everyone, both Italian & Asian menu items. I wouldn’t call it fusion but a restaurant that serves both styles with some fusion choices. Personally I don’t really find that the cuisines compliment one another but its a nice way to please everyone in a small group. The interior is a little too classy/​cheesy for my tastes but the prices are very reasonable. I had the Sausage Fennel Pizza & Wife had Mongolian Tenderloin both were tastey.
If your reading this your probably staying at one of the local hotels, so forget about the billboard that says $ 10 Lobster tails at Charley’s…read the fine print «With purchase of an Entrée», and the entrees are $$$. Go to ItaliAsia unless you really need a steak.