Allison's Restaurant: So Close, Yet So Far Away

We had been to Allison's once before and were underwhelmed. We returned this time because there was a 2 for 1 coupon. We probably won't be going back again, but not because it was a horrible dining experience. It's simply ok, which to me, means not worth it. The post title has a double meaning. Take One. Allison's is just a few miles away from our house, but far away in that we probably won't go back. Take Two. Allison's could be a good restaurant; it's not horrible and with a little tweaking could be a lot better, but it's oh so far away from being my idea of a good restaurant. At some level, it seems like Allison's is struggling with its identity. It's not exactly Italian, but has a heavy concentration of Italian dishes (Americanized Italian) on the menu, although tonight's special was catfish with fries. Again, don't get me wrong. Allison's is not an unpleasant dining experience, it's just mediocre. Where to begin. I guess I'll start with the all-important coffee. The coffee, like the rest of the meal was okay. It was bland -- not weak, but bland, like it was brewed from Folger's. To its credit, the coffee was a good strength and tasted like it had been brewed fresh in a clean machine.

The bread came next. Normally, I wouldn't write that much about restaurant bread, but it was odd. The bread basket had a mix of cornbread and what appeared to be Italian bread. Usually, Italian bread comes in thick slices, but the slices of Italian bread were about a quarter-inch thick. The bread was extremely ordinary, and was like something that came from a supermarket. There were about 4 pieces of cornbread, and when I say pieces, I mean cubes of cornbread that were only slightly larger than large croutons. I'm not saying that we needed more bread, but it was a strange way to present it. It was served with a nice, sweet butter.

As an appetizer, we ordered the portabella/shitake mushroom ravioli ($8.95), which came in a lobster ginger sauce. This dish was the meal's fleeting flash of brilliance. I have to admit -- one of the reasons I ordered the mushroom ravioli was because I have recently been reading the Twilight series (those who have read it will understand). The filling had a nice texture and was complimented well by the sauce, which, while tasty, didn't have any visible lobster meat in it.

The main courses were so-so, and actually more like something you would get at an Italian deli rather than a sit-down restaurant. I ordered the lasagna ($12.95) and my husband ordered the spaghetti with meatballs. Actually, it should have been called spaghetti with meatball, as it only came with one meatball. While I'm all for portion control, I feel like there should have been at least two meatballs (even if they were smaller), just for appearance's sake. Sadly, the meatball had an overly mushy texture and was a bit short on flavor. On the brightside, the marinara was good. It tasted fresh, and the chef used the all-important fresh parsley. The lasagna was just okay. It was uninspired and overly cheesey (I rarely ever think that something can be over-cheesed). The cheese overpowered pretty much everything else. The lasagna was accompanied by a side of sauteed zucchini, mushrooms, and onions, seasoned with what tasted like dried oregano, rosemary and parsley. Dried herbs are out of place on sauteed veggies, especially at a purported fine dining establishment. The chef should would have been better off with simple salt and pepper. Despite being unimpressed with the main courses, we decided to get dessert so that I could write a complete blog entry :) We asked for the server's recommendation between the tiramisu and the triple chocolate cake. He recommended the cake ($6.95), which was disappointing to say the least. It tasted slightly stale or fridgy and was not worth the calories. It was boring, and again, akin to something at a grocery store bakery. The strawberry garnish was either marinated or an old strawberry. I couldn't tell. So, was this horrible? No. Would I tell people to avoid this restaurant? No. But would I call it good or tell people to try it out? Again, no.