Restaurant Review: Pizzeria Basta - Wow!

Basta! Wow!

Mark and I went to Pizzeria Basta last night, and we were impressed far beyond our best expectations. I had read the rave reviews, but I confess I'm very picky and I often read similar items and then tend to be disappointed. Located at 3601 Arapahoe, in the newly developed Peloton, the size and layout of the restaurant are just perfect. As the name Basta suggests, everything about the place is just 'enough'. I loved the fact that nothing felt pretentious or overdone. Simple, modern, classy and exciting in vibe, the atmosphere was comfortably crowded and hopping, yet the acoustics were just right. I appreciate being able to enjoy the company I'm with, have a conversation, hear the music, and I want just the right amount of interaction with my waiter (but not too much) while enjoying my meal, and Basta supported the perfect balance of all of these. Being vegetarians, we asked Justin, our waiter to guide us through the Basta experience. He was super-helpful and friendly, went above and beyond our expectations, yet he didn't overtake our family time.

Now for the meal itself - Oh My. We began with the pickled veggie plate and assorted bread plate, which were both fantastic. Pickled veggies included beets, red peppers, carrots, parsnips and fennel - all pickled in-house. The bread selection was diverse and delicious, including house-made breadsticks and crackers, pizza dough bread, and a rustic olive focaccia bread. It should be said, for carnivores out there, that Basta also specializes in Lardo appetizers which have also had rave reviews. Next we tried two lovely salads, a green salad with ripe green olives, oven-grilled tomatoes, capers, and lemon and olive oil, and another exquisite salad of wood fired vegetables, radicchio, crouton & grilled balsamic vinaigrette, which even my kids loved. Mark was in love with that one. The cipollini onion and woody mushrooms of the day, personally speaking, really made this dish extra special. By the time we got to the salads I realized the feeling this food gave me was like it was made especially for me by someone who really cared. Oftentimes restaurants seem to formulate recipes that leave the soul out, but here I felt that attention and care were put in. 

Our pizzas came next, and they were beautiful, simple, and delicious, like everything else. Fresh mozzarella, (hand-stretched in-house) and ricotta cheeses blended with basil, olives and plenty of olive oil on one, and a tomato sauce (different!) base and veggies gave the pizzas excellent flavor, but the crust is what supported the ingredients and truly blew me away. I have lived in Boulder for 10 years now, and I've often complained that good bread is a rarity here. I even have a friend who is a European-trained pastry chef who explained to me that at this altitude and in this climate breads just can't be the same. She has now been proven wrong! This dough was magnificent, light and chewy, with the right amount of crunch and flavor. While many restaurants over-salt their food, Basta offers the ideal amount of salt, which doesn't detract from the natural flavor of the ingredients.

It didn't end there, either. Tiramisu for dessert isn't my first choice typically, but this one was so good! I loved it. The ones I've had have often been over-saturated with alcohol, and they're often soggy and too strong. This was light and fresh and delightful. We also shared a butternut squash pastry with a praline sauce that was very different and yummy.

The energy of the food was right on, and I don't just say that because I'm a Boulderite! Basta is now at the top of my list of favorite restaurants in town, and I will take family and friends there confidently. This is the place to go for the best pizza in town, no question, and there's much more than just the pizza! The overall experience is superb, but please don't go with just pizza on the mind, as the name suggests. This is a place to experience Italian food, as non-Americanized as you can find it in Boulder. 

Basta! Enough with this article... you just have to go. Buon Appetito!

UPDATE: You can now see their beautiful video http://www.metroseen.com/metro/profile/pizzeria-basta

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