Where Japanese Meets Italian
Basta Pasta
New York is a city that hosts many Italian restaurants, but did you know there is one that comes from Japan? Basta Pasta first opened its door in Japan in 1985. After several years of success, the Japanese-influenced Italian restaurant opened its Chelsea location in 1990 and has since been serving to this day.
Basta Pasta, the three-decades-old restaurant, is just around Union Square and Flatiron District, prime locations tourists and locals can access easily.
The moment you enter the restaurant, from the bar, the open kitchen, and the seating area, you’ll see everything all at once. Its spacing design allows customers to enjoy the taste and making process of the foods.
Basta Pasta is perhaps most famous for Fusilli con Prosciutto e Parmigiano. As they serve this dish, the waiter will push a cart with a whole wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano on it over. They’ll then put the fusilli in the cheese, mix it well and serve it on your table. You’d think that stirring the pasta inside the cheese would make it extra rich, creamy, and savory, but that is not the case. The pasta tasted surprisingly refreshing and complemented the flavorful prosciutto.
You could tell how the chef incorporated Japanese elements into their menu. One of the appetizers we had, Tonno Fresco Scottato, was seared tuna featuring wasabi tartare sauce. It has a fairly subtle taste. You wouldn’t even register that it is Japanese-influenced. Yet it’s a different palate profile from the Italian cuisine you knew. The same goes for pasta. Spaghetti con Uova di Pesce features ingredients such as Tobiko (flying fish roe) and shiso, which are common in Japanese cuisine.
What I find most impressive about the foods here is their pursuit of the authentic flavor of ingredients. While it may not be as “flavorful” as most restaurants out there, the exquisite taste is what welcomes customers, new and returning, over and over for more than 30 years.
Considering its long history in the city, Basta Pasta has got to be on your New York bucket list. The staffs are professional and accommodating. The taste and the presentation of the dishes are outstanding. Basta Pasta embodies the spirit of omotenashi, which in Japanese hospitality means looking after guests wholeheartedly. For three decades now, offering authentic yet creative Italian dishes and hopefully continue to do so in the future.
