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Prices range from just $10 to $12 per glass,
or $30 a bottle. There are also some higherend
choices for those seeking to indulge with
a nice Barolo, super Tuscan or Meritage. Of
course, there are also plenty of wines suitable
to accompany the restaurant’s signature
menu item: hand-tossed, Neopolitan-style
brick-oven pizza, which Mattei recommends
pairing with a dry, red Malbec. (This explains
the extensive selection of a dozen Malbecs on
the wine list.)
Although some menu items remain consistent
throughout the year, Basil is also known
for switching things up with a variety of seasonal
selections. Their spring 2018 menu will
feature grilled octopus, homemade squid ink
pasta, grilled fresh fish selections served over
arugula and chef DeSantis’ much-anticipated
roasted lamb, a favorite during the Easter holiday
season.
“We season the lamb with white wine and
fresh rosemary,” Mattei said, "and we let it sit to
infuse the meat with flavor. Then we roast it in
the brick oven so that it’s crispier outside, but
still juicy and delicate inside.”
Another exciting dining option set to return
this spring: starting in March, Basil will resume
its Passport to Italy Tasting Dinners. The restaurant
will host a series of customized dinners
featuring a four-course tasting menu (appetizer,
pasta course, entrée and dessert), highlighting
the cuisine from a different region of
Italy each month, and each course paired with
a different wine or spirit that perfectly complements
the dish. First-time attendees receive a
realistic-looking “passport,” and earn stamps
FOOD + DRINK