| This is the type of weird and wonderful restaurant that makes New York the restaurant town it is: Italian food executed by Japanese cooks. A branch of a Tokyo-based chain, Basta Pasta takes Italian cuisine and makes it, as expected, smaller and more efficient. Walk through the kitchen to get to the dining room---it's simply part of this storefront space, sinks, refrigerators, pastry station and all. Pastas, which are most reflective of the restaurant’s light fusion style, include homemade herb pappardelle with daikon radish and stewed ox tail ragù, or the linguine with sea urchin and basil in a pink sauce. Clearly, it’s antithetical to the classic New York red-sauce joint, although the grilled lamb chops are done in a close approximation of that style. Save room for simple desserts like flan and warm chocolate cake, which aren’t as leaden as their Little Italy counterparts. |
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