My experience at the Italian Bistro left me with the same feeling I get searching for radio stations on cross-country road trips. While the spontaneity can be enjoyable for its own sake, and the anticipation of finding the perfect song heightens the suspense, sometimes there is no replacement for grooving to my usual station.
I had my heart set on my Seattle perception of Italian dining: Buca di Beppo, Olive Garden, Vince’s and even Cucina Cucina. While the Italian Bistro certainly had its charms, the expectations of a quasi-Olive Garden meal were sadly not met. The home-style restaurant masquerading as unique, ethnic cuisine simply did not justify the high prices.
The Environment
Located on 1528 E. Isaacs Ave., the Italian Bistro is nestled behind a dimly-lit parking lot just a few miles off campus. We arrived at 7 p.m. and were greeted by a hurried hostess who quickly took down our name and ran off to bus tables. As we waited to be seated, we could not help but notice the apparent recent redecoration, a mix of antiquated glossy furniture and oil paintings of Tuscan vineyards, traces of the past establishment that the bistro had just renovated.
The restaurant lacked a certain continuity that made categorizing the bistro a difficult task. We wondered if it would offer great, home-style cooking that simply lacked frivolous sophistication, or if the restaurant used the guise of an “Italian bistro” to capture the intrigue of restaurant-goers otherwise headed to a local diner. It was hard to tell.
Although the lights were slightly dimmed, several families slurped Italian sodas. A faint stream of upbeat Italian music played in the background, but several cell phone interruptions and boisterous tables did not seem out of place. Classy, garnished place settings and wine glasses decorated every table, but they rested atop cheap paper placemats.
The restaurant was at peak capacity, with tables being turned by rushed waitresses and hostesses stepping in to wipe booths. We appreciated our waitress’s honesty in admitting that she was busy, and she was easily forgiven for multiple mistakes on the order. The apparent stress of the staff as they discussed the rush and what needed to be done in the kitchen in front of the guests, however, ruined any hopes of achieving a calm dining atmosphere. Our group felt that we were being bussed, not waited on.
The Cuisine
The menu certainly offered an unparalleled quantity of options, which seems fitting for a restaurant that heavily advertises their catering and delivery services. Any palette could be matched with an appetizing dish: pasta, steak, salads and vegetarian options. The bistro also offers an extensive wine and beer menu that promises to couple well with their signature dishes.
We decided on bruschetta as an appetizer, which ended up being the best-tasting dish from the kitchen that evening. For over $6, however, the 7 oil-brushed baguettes accompanied by a small dish of seasoned tomatoes was barely enough for two. The side salads were a medley of rinsed lettuce and bland Italian dressing. The cup of clam chowder was mediocre.
Our group decided to indulge in traditional Italian dishes, sampling both marinara and alfredo sauce, seafood and chicken. The entrees provided very generous portions of pasta, well-garnished on large plates.
Unfortunately, they absolutely lacked in flavor what they offered in quantity. The alfredo tasted like melted butter and the mari
nara like spicy pizza sauce blended with uncooked chopped onions and tasteless mushrooms.
The scoop of chocolate gelato, an attempt at recompensing in sweet what the savory lacked, was freezer burnt in several areas and looked like it had just been scooped out of the container, although it set our bill back another $5.50.
The Italian Bistro deserves accolades for unusually prompt delivery of every dish. Additionally, the manager kindly greeted our group to box up our leftovers and teased that, for such a steep price, we had better be full and have leftovers. The management’s awareness was appreciated, although the group had already unanimously decided to stop eating our meals in hopes of snacking on something else.
While the bistro does offer a selection of dishes unique to the Walla Walla dining market, the diner feel and mediocre food does not deliver the quality that such high prices demand.
Our group’s consensus was that $5 each at Sweet Basil would have been enjoyed far more.
