basi italia

not gluten free friendly.... our previously favorite columbus restaurant proved a disappointment this visit. i have been a vegetarian for years (i do eat fish and dairy) but am newly gluten-free. generally restaurants are quite accommodating, but not this time. i don't believe there was a single gluten-free entree, so i had to order off the top of the menu. the waitress acted put out with me (although i was trying very hard not to be too demanding), and suggested the tomato bisque and mozzarella with tomato and fried basil. the soup was nothing spectacular, and the second dish was a giant piece of cheese with a tiny tomato and one basil leaf--with a piece of bread. it was tasty, but a poor recommendation for a meal, and i was shocked about the bread on top--kind of felt like a slap in the face from her. the waitress was pretty negligent, hardly stopping by or filling our drinks. i feel like the waitress we've had before (the blonde one) would have been much more accommodating. this girl (brunette) just seemed like she didn't want us there at all.


-----02 may, 2011-----

fantastic!. we came to basi on a strong recommendation, so we had fairly high expectations. fortunately, they were exceeded!

the place is fairly inconspicuous, tucked in a side street in quaint victorian village. and the restaurant itself is very small, but cozy and friendly. our waitress was knowledgeable and sweet. and the food.... delicious. i had the fresh pea risotto with lump crab meat and baby carrots, and my mom had the rigatoni salumi. we both savored each bite, and even packed our leftovers on ice for the 6-hour drive home--worth it. the dessert was to die for, but i can't remember the name. probably best to just try it all.

basi italia offers much more than basic italian cuisine. nestled in the heart victorian village, basi is a secret spot that you don’t want to share with a mere casual acquaintance. the building basi is based in began as a carriage house long ago. over the

amazing food,service and atmosphere. everything was delicious the roasted beet salad and zucchini salad were great. the pistachio flat bread was unlike anything i've had it was fantastic! the scallops and trout were great entrees and the desserts were to die for. the outdoor patio is charming and our server was really attentive. we will be back!!

it's been awhile since i've visited basi, but it is such a little gem tucked away in the victorian village. this tiny restaurant has a romantic and cozy vibe which makes it perfect for date nights. as far as the food goes, you cannot go wrong! everything on the menu is fresh, inventive, and downright delicious.

great place for date. beets, flatbread, egg parm, trout all wonderful. can't beat atmosphere. overwhelmed by delicious menu. must go back and try more.

a group dinner that was amazing from start to finish. our server and guide dave was extraordinary. superb food. unique. memorable evening. great flavors.

portabella tortellini from the specials board. very tasty!


-----04 sep, 2014-----

nouvelle italian cuisine. enjoyed eating at basi this past week. good food and great service. charming small restaurant that all but transported me to new york. recommended.

total disappointment. i had heard good things about basi, so we decided to check it out for our anniversary. the first disappointment was when we arrived, only to find the valet was $5 and they literally parked your car right around the corner. now, i have absolutely no problem with paying for a valet; however, this place is not like most of the restaurants along high st. in the short north - there is plenty of parking in the area. had i known, i would have just kept driving and parked right around the corner. the wait would have been much shorter than using the valet. upon entering the restaurant, we weren't really greeted. no "hello" or "i'll be right with you," instead, the staff just kind of stared at us for a couple minutes, as if they were waiting for me to say the secret password. after finally being seated (on the patio, which was very cramped). our waiter didn't seem very amicable, and i felt rushed to look over the menu, which didn't seem very "italian" at all. we decided to start with the charcuterie plate, which was a special. the meats on the plate very ok, however the bread ratio was totally off. only three small pieces of bread? for two people? also, it seemed very overpriced ($20) given the small amount of meat. for the main course, i ordered the lamb meatballs and my partner ordered the scallops. while waiting for our main course, our water wasn't refilled at all and i had to flag someone down twice (as a side note, we were outside it was in the mid-90s this day, even still late in the evening when we dined). the food portions were quite small, given the price. my meatballs were served in a mini cast iron skillet, which wasn't even hot (seemed to be only for decoration). there was a bottom layer of ricotta, which was cold, and the sauce was only lukewarm. additionally, there was a weird metallic taste, likely because acidic things, such as tomato sauce, shouldn't be served in cast iron! any chef worth his/her salt should know this! my partners scallops were alright, although they had neglected to remove the small chewy muscle (the "foot"), which the scallop uses to attach to the shell. rookie mistake. also, the flavor of the scallops were overwhelmed by the strawberries, which were much too sweet. overall, we were very disappointed with our experience, especially given that we had heard such good things. definitely not worth the money.

great food. this place is small so make reservations. great non-traditional italian with a few classics. menu is small but we had no trouble finding multiple items we wanted. great care in preparation.

a little bit pretentious. we went here on good reviews from the computer and some friends, boy do they have different taste? this place is cool looking and has the vibe, but when you are served by a guy who looks homeless compared to the other staff you start to double think. the menu sounds really good, but the food (from what we had) is fairly tasteless and under what you would call a good sized portion. also we found the staff rude when i noticed them laughing at us when sorting our bill, i'm guessing because they thought we had no money and not because how disappointed we were from the moment we first talked to our homeless looking waiter. this place is a real disappointment for anyone who wants good italian food, this menu is kind of italian but trying a little to hard to be fancy/unique with the semi odd flavors they offer to actually hit the mark.
also as a wine lover i found the choice quite limiting for anyone who likes a big bold red, especially by the glass.
i would say this place gives off all the right vibes of a good restaurant but just cant deliver in service or flavor, but give it a go if you want to............
really disappointed.

best italian. one of the best places for couples in the city. you can always count on authentic italian food- actual italian mind you, not red sauce laden americanized stuff. great flavors and great wines every time we go

roasted zucchini with toasted almonds, covered by a large blanket of thinly shaved pecorino is not a dish to be underestimated.

delicious and charming. had dinner last saturday with three girlfriends. it was absolutely delicious. the service was great and the food was incredible. we all got different first and second course dishes, and all were prepared perfectly. the only slight disappointment was that dessert didn't live up to the quality of the main courses. i love the tiny charming atmosphere, it's like being in new york. this was my second visit, the first, about 2 years ago, was also great. i will definitely be back - hopefully soon!

columbus underground voted it the best fine dining restaurant in columbus for 2011 . i think they might be right. it was tiny and romantic and delicious.

we did have a wonderful meal, though i enjoyed some dishes more than others. david raved about his veal ravioli, and i still think about the tender barbecue pork cheek i ordered.