basi italia

not gluten free friendly.... our previously favorite columbusrestaurantproved 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 therestaurantitself 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.

it's been awhile since i've visited basi, but it is such a little gem tucked away in the victorian village. this tinyrestauranthas 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.

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 smallrestaurantthat all but transported me to new york. recommended.

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 goodrestaurantbut just cant deliver in service or flavor, but give it a go if you want to............
really disappointed.

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

basi italia is a tiny, local ingredient (whenever possible) driven italianrestaurantowned and operated by chef john dornback and his wife trish. john is jovial fellow beaming with excitement about his establishment. they opened in 2003 to much fanfare and the following for their simple, rustic cuisine has only grown in that time.

going down. use to love the place. they sat us outside in the "heated" patio. don't fall for it, it was cold as hellllll. the wine was good. there was no bread service? is this an italian restaurant?? pretty much every singlerestaurantin that i have have been at in italy serves bread with meals.

the food was good, but, cold due to the cold room. calamari needed flavor desparately. both the oysters and the zuchinni were good. the lamb pasta was very good. all in all , mixed bag, unfortunately not consistent.

lovely -- with some serious caveats. premier valet charges you $5 literally to pull your car around the corner. do not pay -- just park in the neighborhood, which is what premier valet does, anyway. it is totally ridiculous that the valet service charges to park your car 50 feet from the restaurant. i live in this neighborhood and would of course prefer that the valet service actually park your car where they have reserved spots at the giant eagle parking lot, but since they don't, please don't pay them to do what you can surely do yourself.

the food is a bit oily but very tasty. i particularly recommend the zucchini / pine nut primo dish.

i've read others' criticisms of the pasta with meat sauce -- but the sauce is terrific! fennel, raisins, etc!

finally: do go either early or late in the evening. during their rush hour, the place is packed. it's uncomfortably crowded. i'm a normal (well, i'm thin) person and am kind of disgusted by having to sit practically *in* the [often very sizable] lap of someone sitting next to me. i wish therestaurantwould spread tables out a bit. although they wouldn't be able to sit as many people at once, it would be much more comfortable for *everyone*.