ASK and you shall receive ... so when I asked Mrs B if she wanted to visit the latest Italian eatery in town I received a “yes”.
And it didn’t hurt that my request came after a bit of a protracted retail therapy session in Union Square, with my wife and little one cooing over sandals and summer dresses.
A sit down and a taste of the Med was going to be appreciated.
And that’s what Ask aims to provide, with an extensive menu that trots out the standards you would find in an Italian and then some.
I was tempted by the specials board, with its offer of garlicky king prawns or a tuna fusilli dish.
But in the end I stuck with the regular menu and its cod and pancetta fishcake (£5.25) to start. Fishcake being the operative word ... there was just the one and a bit long in the fryer at that, given the tough coating at the edges.
That said, it was bursting with flavour, the salty pancetta complementing the subtle cod. It left me wanting more.
Mrs B, meanwhile, was making short work of her mushrooms al forno (£5.25). Four big, baked ‘shrooms were stuffed with cheese and carried a big garlic hit and a hint of spice for interest.
As we were comparing starters, our wee one was happily munching on her kids’ meal, involving garlic flat bread and spag bol (£5.95 including a side salad – which they forgot – and dessert). Her only observation was that the bolognese didn’t have “that much mince”. Fair point, given the sauce to meat ratio.
I had taken the pasta route too, with the rigatoni e polpette (£8.75), promising meatballs ablaze with a fiery tomato sauce, cooked with mushrooms and chillis.
It hit the mark on the heat front, leaving me with a glowing mouth from the frankly yummy sauce and its lurking chillis.
The five (I counted) meatballs brought a big savoury spicy hit to the party too. Again, though, a bit more would not have gone amiss.
No real problem, though, because Mrs B, donated a slice of her pizza to the cause.
Her pollo picante (£8.95) was a thin-crust affair, to her delight. The sliced chicken came with a pleasing herb and spice coating that lifted it out of the ordinary, while the peppers and onions added a fresh bite.
However, a heavy hand on the slabs of mozzarella (not her favourite cheese) dampened her enthusiasm a touch.
Overall, it was a fine enough feast, if not the best or cheapest Italian cuisine we’ve ever experienced, served by friendly staff in funky, very family-friendly surrounds.
It offered a welcome oasis from the drudgery – sorry, joy – of shopping.