Basso56
“The lobster crepes were stuffed with huge chunks of lobster and did not disappoint!”
“Your seafood risotto, so creamy, overflowing with sea delicacies, it is heaven in my mouth and what I dream of back in Dallas.”
“The baked burrata (buffalo mozzarella) wrapped in speck & the grilled calamari were to die for.”
Basso56
Takes Reservations: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$$ Price range $31-60
8 reviews
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The restaurant certainly has some memorable dishes. I was only fortunate enough to try 3 of them. My boyfriend and I started off with the calamari and arugula and it was really good. Usually when I order calamari, it's a dish with fried squid and maybe a few fried squid heads. This restaurant, on the other hand, didn't dip theirs in batter but instead, what I believe, grilled the squid allowing one to better taste the texture and quality of their seafood. For entree, I believe I ordered the seafood risotto which was good but can't say i will order it again. However, I do recommend getting the lobster crepe, this too was different from anything I had ever had before. They wrapped lobster mean inside a crepe. The crepe was crispy and a great complement to the lobster. Serving it with crepe instead of pasta, made the dish not as heavy and much more enjoyable.
Environment: 5/5
Employees: 5/5
Food: 5/5
Drinks: 5/5
Cost: 4/5
Total: 24/25
Synopsis: My old Professor from Dominican University with her mom and two adopted younger sisters. I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into because I heard a few things about the family….crazy, but I never knew that it was "uber" crazy. Not the insulting crazy, the fun kind! Of course I was the last person, but the waitress didn't mind and to my greater delight wine was waiting. Dama by Montepulciano D'Abruzzo 2011. I believe that's correct. Based on Vivino it was rated 4.3! The dishes we had were: Grilled Squid, melted mozzarella wrapped in prosciutto and I the special seafood risotto! The winning dish was the melted mozz wrapped in prosciutto for the evening!
Employees: Our waitress, Olga, was superb. Utmost professional that made the dining experience more magical. Her presentation and mannerisms was the cherry on the delicious food we consumed.
Environment: Definitely a fancier place. I wish I dressed up to the par my professor and her family was done up. I want to bring Kevin here on a date, but shhh…he doesn't know yet. When you first enter, it leads you straight to the hostess with a small bar to the right and tables to the back. You may be aback and think to yourself, 'Am I at the right place.' If so, then you ARE in the right place. More of a rectangular-ish restaurant and the best part, I never felt cluttered like most of the restaurants in New York City – crammed 10 people in a 1 x 1! 5/5
Food: Complimentary Bread – The fact the restaurant offered both wheat and whole wheat bread was satisfying for me. In addition to the olives, flavor olive oil and balsamic vinegar, the combination inspired me to go back for more and more. 5/5
Mozzarella wrapped in prosciutto – The combination of the melted mozzarella and salted prosciutto was an amazing combination. Instead of the extra chewing, it felt more of a salted cream going down your throat. The flavor isn't complex, but you do it more for the texture and hint of cheese with a high sodium content. Once you're done with that, they were nice enough to have alongside the dish, salad with dressing. A refreshing touch to a heated appetizer. 5/5
Grilled Squid: Nothing note-worthy or something you cannot find anywhere else. I wouldn't say it didn't bring delight, but I could definitely try something else next time I come back. 3/5
Seafood Risotto: Definitely a go-to dish if you like seafood with cheese. I'm pretty sure you can find this somewhere else, but the flavors was balanced enough to be enjoyed by an array of people. 4/5
Drinks: Access to the Dama by Montepulciano D'Abruzzo 2011 elevated the dining experience. After a week of work a WINE-down is an order. With an already high rating in Vivino, I gave this wine a 5/5.
Cost: The price is steep here. You're definitely shouting out some money, but highly recommend that you go in a small group (no greater than 6) and share small dishes to bring the cost down, but still be able to try layered meals. When comparing cost to taste, I would give it a 4/5.
I went to lunch today with a group from my office and had a really lovely experience. My colleague had made a reservation for 7, and we were seated immediately about midway of the narrow dining floor. I noticed a group of about 14 people. Although this place is small, groups aren't a problem here as long as you make reservations.
Upon being seated, we were given menus. After a minute, they offered us water and asked if we preferred tap or bottled. Once we were served our tap water, the waiter told us the specials of the day – a soup (lentil), a ravioli (spinach and cheese), and the fish (trout). After we ordered, they gave us bruschetta on the house, along with olives in oil and bread for dipping.
Most of us ordered from the pre-fixe menu ($18.98 for an app and entree with choice of soda, coffee or tea or $22.95 for an app, entree, and dessert with choice of soda, coffee or tea). I ordered the fried goat cheese over mixed greens, the pacherri pasta with eggplant, tomato sauce and dried ricotta, and a slice of chocolate cake. Overall, everything was delicious, and my group was happy. The goat cheese was warm and slightly crisp but the lettuce was wilted because it was placed on an eggplant purée. The main course was simple but good, and I cleaned my plate. The portions were the perfect size! I tried my co-worker's mussels app and it was good as well but nothing special. Plus, the mussels were huge and each one was nicely opened!
The chocolate cake was very dense and fudgy. It wasn't overly sweet but I could only take a few bites. Same for my colleagues. Another coworker ordered sorbetto. She received a scoop of chocolate and what looked to be a scoop of vanilla, along with a few slices of green apple. We also each ordered coffee and tea, which was included in the prix fixe.
Two minor mistakes occurred during our meal. They brought a bowl of the lentil soup to my colleague when she ordered the goat cheese app. It arrived just a few minutes later. Then, when everyone ordered their coffee and tea, they completely overlooked me, and I ordered my tea after everyone else had received theirs.
The restaurant has a nice atmosphere and is perfect for holding a conversation (music is low). The staff is friendly and very accommodating. I'm happy to give them four stars because you definitely get some bang for your buck! Lunch made with quality ingredients for less than $20 in Midtown. You can't even get that at Olive Garden in the city!
Very very good Italian restaurant. They were super nice and accommodating too because we were a big party and some people were 45+ minutes late.
We tried their calamari which I thought was just okay. I have definitely had better and then I had the most amazing pasta. I had their pasta with shrimp and asparagus. It was in white sauce, but it was truly amazing.
Authentic Italian food with great service and reasonable prices. Party of 4 we had an order of fried calamari and an order of artichokes for appetizer and lamb chops, veal chops and 2 orders of home made pasta with seafood for dinner. Portions were large but doable and we had room for the triple chocolate cake and espresso for dessert. Great place for that all important third date. Reservations are a must.
You will never go wrong by ordering the seafood risotto, and here proved that fact once more. On the other hand, the striped bass was a little bit plain…didn't have enough appetite to try their dessert, however the tiramisu looked delicious across the table.
The food here is delicious, but expensive! Three scallops cost me $19. True, they were damn good scallops, but 19 bucks is steep. The seafood risotto was tasty, but far from the best I've ever had. The waiter was kind enough to offer me substitutions when I said I didn't like some of the things in my risotto. Many places don't allow that. Customer service was great. Everyone was friendly and accommodating.
Very accommodating, sampled many wines before selecting one, even went across the street to get one our finicky ladies liked. Many specials to choose from to keep you coming back. Ask for a recommendation. They will be honest and detailed. Great timing on our large party, everything was delicious. Doing things right in a sea of competition. Well done!