Situated in the downtown of Amherst, MA, this Italian restaurant is two floors of nice kid friendly atmosphere, while still perfect for a first or second date. A good wait staff with attentive servers that will joke and still know what everything is on the menu. For a little place they have an excellent affordable wine and beer listings that pairs well with the rich and filling Italian foods.
As with most American Italian dishes- they are plentiful and rich with cheese. This meal was no exception, except the bread. Bread as a rule is the fresher the better... this bread however was a frozen and then re-baked which just doesn't cut it. There was a pleasant roasted pepper olive oil which was paired with the bread, but it was not enough to mask the hardened twice baked bread. (I would recommend consulting with the Black Sheep across the street for some fresh daily artisan bread or even ask them as a partner solely for updating the bread.)
For the main course the ricotta cheese with beef manicotti. The manicotti was everything I wanted it to be- rich, filling, fresh, and best of all there was a peppery kick at the end that was comforting and made me want to snuggle down with the rest of my white wine.
My partner had the white wine angel hair pasta with chicken and mushrooms. The sauce was not as flavorful as anticipated which was regretful, yet the chicken was well cooked and plentiful. The chicken was offset however by the mushrooms and cooked red bell pepper which didn't make the dish flow together. Good try, but a miss.
Overall, it was a good experience, as the waitstaff out performed the meal and I look forward to giving this spot another chance to make me eat my words.
( 3 1/2stars-***)
Pasta E Basta
26 Main Street
Amherst, MA 01002
(413) 256-3550
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