Basta

Mile High Dining enjoyed an evening in Boulder at Basta. It’s a casual Italian restaurant hidden in an apartment complex. Basta just received the “ Bib Gourmand “ award from the Michelin Dining Guide. The award is based upon good quality food and a good value. Pizza is the primary dish as the operation focuses on a wood-burning oven.

I enjoyed three small plates and a glass of Nebbiolo wine. The Crudo had hamachi sitting in a blood orange sauce with Aleppo chili. It was delicious. The second dish was a small bowl of smoked olives. There was plenty to share as they were a little too spicy.

The last dish was the bowl of Burrata cheese with a plate of sourdough piada. The bread was the hit of the evening. It was baked for only 90 seconds in the wood-fired oven which reaches about 800 degrees. The cheese is placed with tomatoes and onions in the bowl and the warm bread makes an excellent pairing.

I finished with a half sip of Nonino Merlot grappa. That’s Italian!

My ratings are: It’s OK, Good, Very Good, and Excellent.

The verdict ⚖️ for Basta is Good. The food was very enjoyable but the drawback of the difficulty in finding the hidden place without even a sign holds the verdict.