Basta

Located in the quaint neighborhood of Cranston, Rhode Island is Basta! Basta has been around since 1989, but it has changed some over the years to continue changing with the times. Apparently there is some family drama with the owners, but I only know things from hearsay. Anywho, my friend took us to this spot since he lives down the street! Now, I have been friends with him for over a decade and in that span of our friendship he has introduced me to so many delicious Rhode Island spots – he is a Rhode Island native and he knows what is up, so I trust him (usually lol). We didn’t have reservations, but we went on the earlier side of dinner. Luckily it wasn’t too packed so we were able to get seated right away. I feel like Basta is one of those places that people regularly go to, but it isn’t 100% packed every night if ya feel me.

As is in Rhode Island, their menu is loaded with delicious and fresh seafood options like a fancy seafood tower, calamari, Branzino, swordfish, and a luscious salmon. They are also an italian restaurant though with plenty of Italian classics and non fish options. Freshly made pastas, saltimbocca, pizzas and more. Their menu does change based on seasonality, local ingredients, etc so that you may not always see the same things on there! For dinner, I ordered the pesto cavatelli with roasted tomatoes and added grilled shrimp. The pasta was tender and chewy, but maybe a slight bit overcooked to my liking. The pesto was super creamy and vibrant though with just enough saltiness to have a bite but not overpowering. The tomatoes also added a nice cut to the creaminess of the dish and made it pop. My friend ordered the special for the day which was a whole roasted fish (I can’t remember the type of the fish for the life of me – maybe a black bass?); but this also came with scallops and a side of creamy risotto. I am never one to order a whole fish, but I tried a bite and it was so flakey and butter without an overpowering fishy taste. The risotto was also done beautifully, it still had a bite to it instead of just being mush.

While Basta wouldn’t necessarily be my first choice for a place to dine, I was pleasantly surprised with my experience here. I would go back and enjoy another meal there for sure!