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MELBOURNE | Basta is a new Italian restaurant housed in the space that was previously home to Casa Ciuccio. Basta means ‘enough’ in Italian, and reflects what the new owners are trying to achieve – a simpler, pared back experience compared to what was here before. Being big fans of Italian food, we were keen to see what the new owners had done with the space when we were invited in for a visit.
The space has several distinct zones – a small dining area at the front, bar dining at the open kitchen in the middle, and a courtyard out the back. For group dining there’s an upstairs dining room and another room, the Stables. It’s all very homely – low, warm lighting, exposed brick, and wood.
Basta is all about authentic Italian flavours, handmade pasta and locally sourced ingredients. Many Italian restaurants trade on the fact that they use lots of ingredients imported from Italy to make them authentic, but at Basta it’s local ingredients that are used as much as possible. Their philosophy is that the use of local produce is one of the things that authentic Italian food is all about, and we’re inclined to agree.
Head chef Piera Pagnoni (ex Ladro, St. Domenico, Rosetta) hails from Bologna, and regional influences from that part of Italy do appear on the menu. For starters, all pasta is hand made fresh on-site, the traditional Bolognian way without any machinery. The squid ink gnocchi we tried was beautifully light and fluffy, with mussels, prawns & smoked tomato sugo combining for a very tasty dish. For those looking for something extra indulgent, try the mozzarella in carrozza, a fried golden crusted southern Italian sandwich filled with oozing fior di latte & smoked ham and a side of sugo to dip it in. Despite being fried and full of cheese, it’s a lighter dish than expected and not at all greasy.
The free range rolled roasted pork porchetta is beautifully tender and flavoursome with a tasty, crispy crust and served with mixed roasted vegetables while the polpette – braised beef & pork meatballs with potato, are a simple comfort that provide exactly what you want when you order meatballs.
For dessert, the dolce del prelato is basically a Bolognian take on tiramisu with chocolate and rum, and is delicious. The torta di mele, Nonna’s Apple cake served warm with cream is equally simple and tasty.
The authenticity of Basta extends to the drinks list, with predominantly local wines and beers, along with some international drops too. The wine list is extensive, and the wine store next door (now called “The Donkey) still exists, but we were surprised to see a decent craft beer selection, featuring mostly local brews. Not only were we able to pair our meal with a Mornington Peninsula Nebiolo, but also a Boatrocker Saison du Bateau.
Basta is all about “enough”, and after the great night of food, stories, and fun we enjoyed there, we’re happy to report that they’re doing more than enough to make the restaurant a venue worth visiting. In fact, we’ve already planned a return.
Basta
15 Gertrude Street
Fitzroy
Victoria 3065
Australia
Telephone: (03) 8488 8150
E-mail: [email protected]
Website
Open
Tue – Thu: 5:00pm to 11:00pm
Fri – Sat: 5:00pm to 1:00am