A Restaurant in Columbus, Among Us
Columbus, Ohio is a city of large, fast-paced chain restaurants. I had the pleasure of “cutting my teeth” at the Columbus Fish Market as a first job after high school. I was often in over my head as I worked the sauté station, helping to churn out 400 plus covers a night.
We knew of large, high quality restaurants in Columbus such as Columbus Fish Market which offer good food, atmosphere, and service. We were also pleasantly surprised when our Aunt Suzie and Uncle John took us to dine at Basi Italian, opening our eyes to a side of Columbus that is a little smaller, quieter, and more local.
Basi is located in the Victorian Village neighborhood in Columbus. With it’s entry on an alley between the old Victorian houses, it may be easy to pass by, but should definitely not be missed. Upon entering the restaurant you get the feeling of being transported into a hip New York Italian trattoria. The food and service is just as good as in New York (though slightly more laid back, which is a definite plus)!
Amanda and I enjoyed the company of our Aunt and Uncle as we dined on wonderful wine and food. A rustic atmosphere with worn wood floors, low light, and view of a small open kitchen helped to put us at ease, as well as the server, who was professional, polite, and personable. She even took the time to chat with our table a little, as well as making great wine recommendations.
The word around town is that Basi’s is a chef-driven restaurant. This is apparent in the artful presentation of the Beet Salad where beets are fanned out beside greens, walnuts, and goat cheese, and in the Caesar Salad in which quartered hearts of romaine are lined up among bits of anchovy, crouton, and dressing. The Zucchini Pronto appetizer Amanda ordered had sliced zucchini and toasted almonds which were quickly sautéed and mysteriously enshrouded thin sheets of pecorino cheese which was gently warmed by the heat of the dish.
The other factor that drives this restaurant is an all-star cast of stellar ingredients. Beautiful peas, peppers, cheeses, beets, zucchini, swiss chard, asparagus, and varieties of mushrooms tasted wonderfully fresh; adding life to the dishes. The veal was luxurious and rich and the trout firm and flaky beneath it’s golden breaded crust.
A vegetarian would also feel at home here. Our party tried a couple of the vegetarian entrees. Amanda had a studded gnocchi, a wonderful preparation of tender potato gnocchi encasing fluffy cheese centers tossed with peas and mint. Aunt Suzie had pungent Porcini mushroom ravioli tossed with parsley, Parmesan, and peppers.
We struggled over which desserts to order. We wanted to try something but we were stuffed from dinner and decided to share just two items. After some help from our sever, we ordered a blackberry tart and a simple panna cotta. The tart had the crispy crunch of the shell and a warm filling made of hazelnut custard, loaded with fresh blackberries served nice and warm. The panna cotta was served with a sweet blueberry sauce, and was refreshingly chilled and had the perfect texture. We dove into the dishes before we even thought to take a picture to share on the blog. Oops!
With so many good restaurants in Columbus, it’s easy to find a good meal at a good price. Many of the larger restaurants consistently deliver in a big way! Our experience at Basi Italian turned us on to a side of Columbus that is family owned, heartfelt, unique, local, and delicious.