Update: These seasonal dishes are no longer available.
The main courses at Basillico can feel a like the under appreciated younger sibling in the family next to the buffet. While most people will know about the generous $50 lunch buffets, their a la carte menu is a mysterious yet wonderful land of true blue Italian cuisine. Eatbook explores the latest additions for their summer menu.
The new menu is priced at $88 which includes an appetizer and dessert buffet along with a main course of your choice.
Note: We had sample portions for the dishes. Actual portions will be larger in size.
Risotto and Ossobuco (veal shank) go hand in hand when it comes to Milanese cuisine. The risotto proved to be a hit at the table with its deep intense flavour and surprising lightness. The Ossobuco was tender, rich and a great accompaniment to the risotto.
The dish also came with bone marrow which is typically a love letter that goes straight to my heart. The gremolata gratin gave the marrow an added dimension of flavour, but I felt it was underseasoned in general which was disappointing for me.
This dish is made of salted cod on a sauce of onions, milk and garlic. It’s a traditional method of preparation from the Vicenza region of Italy. The dish was a forgettable one for me. While much of the dish didn’t leave much of an impression on me, the roasted baby beets and turnips were something truly special. The intensity and uniqueness of its taste was the mark of quality produce, and I wolfed it down without a second thought.
This is a sirloin cut rolled with pecorino cheese and a fava bean puree. While the beef was tasty, I didn’t feel that it lent itself any flavours that stand out from other braised beef dishes. What stole the show for me was the fava bean puree which was light for a bean puree and very savoury. I was motivated to ask for the recipe after trying it!
Orecchiette is a type of pasta that is shaped like little ears and is often found in the Southern regions of Italy. The pasta was coated in a broccoli ragu flavoured with garlic, anchovies and chili which resulted in a lighter, more refreshing ragu than I was used to.
The dish also came with fresh tiger prawns and sea urchin. The sea urchin surprised me – I expected a fishy taste but the flavours were well balanced and sweetened with the addition of prawns.
Baba is a traditional rum cake and in this case, it’s served with a vanilla ice cream. The baba unfortunately was not to my taste. While the textures between the the ice cream and cake was heavenly, the taste didn’t live up to expectations and could have used a little more of the limoncello’s flavour.
A bonet is basically a chocolate custard with a crumble. This bonet was too rich for my taste and a little too dense. Although I did really like the flavour combination with the Almond crumble.
This review was adapted from The Smart LocalÂ
Summary
Basilico is a pretty hard restaurant to review. There’s so much that I like about it and various elements that stand out really well, but there were some shortcomings as well, particularly with the dessert. But it’s a great value considering what’s on offer for $88, go in with an empty stomach.
Address: 1 Cuscaden Rd, level 2
Opening Hours:
Breakfast: 6:30am – 10:30am (Mon – Sat); 7:00am – 10:30am (Sun)
Lunch: 12 noon – 2:30pm (Mon – Sat); 12 noon – 3pm (Sun)
Dinner: 6:30pm – 10:00pm
