Basi is a great italian restaurant, a great neighbourhood restaurant and only a block from my house. I don’t go there enough. I have been meaning to eat there since the Flying J dinner and was reminded anew when I saw John and his wife at Lisa’s dinner last week.
I thought halloween would be a good night to go without a reservation, in the hope that people were busy handing out candy and dressing up. The restaurant was still busy, but it was such a beautiful evening that we were able to sit outside at the patio bar. They have heaters and blankets, so we wouldn’t have been cold anyway. The patio is a great space and I wish I had made it there over the summer.
Basi has an interesting cocktail menu – I had an irresistible mixture of gin and ginger. I can’t remember the other ingredient and their cocktail menu isn’t online. They also have an extensive wine list.
We shared a starter of shrimp and white bean salad, with celery and sweet peppers which one of my friends ate and recommended last week. It was really tasty and a generous portion so I was glad we were sharing. I was also glad that we had lots of bread to soak up more of the delicious dressing at the end.
Given the economic climate and its impact on the restaurant business, Basi have added more pasta dishes to the menu in an attempt to stay busy. I was tempted by the butternut squash ravioli, which is made on the premises, and seemed appropriate for halloween. But, when John described the specials I was sufficiently tempted by the pork cheek ravioli to change my mind, and I could equally have opted for another special, the tuna steak with puttanesca sauce over pasta. The couple seated next to us at the bar recommended another special, the tomato soup.
The pork cheek ravioli was in a veal sauce which was wonderful but very rich. My compatriot had the hangar steak which had an interesting and delicious rub and was served with crispy grilled polenta and spinach. It was pronounced excellent. 
We didn’t have dessert – unless you count the halloween candy I begged from my neighbors, and wandered over to High Street to check out the Halloween High Ball.
