The Basin

11/11/2008 Posted by pcraigdaniels

The Basin is consistently great - both the food and the service. The owner Andrew keeps the place humming along.

06/08/2008 Posted by acsmith67

This past Saturday evening (6/7/08) I held a private 50th anniversary dinner for 23 in The Basin's warmly-lit private back room. I arranged the whole party from Los Angeles with owner Andrew whose kindness and attention to detail were evident from his emails. I told Andrew we would have 18, and at dinner time we had 5 extra people -- without hesitating, our main waiter Bruno snapped up another two tables, fit them into the room, and seated us without ever losing his smile or patience. Custom menus were printed for our party, delighting the guests of honor. The food reminded me of the authentic flavors of Spain I'd enjoyed only a year ago: Croquetas, jamon serrano, olives, warmed nuts, and Spanish cheese started our adventure. I had the cream-free carrot-ginger soup and a savory line-caught Sea Bass with perfect texture and lovely plating. The steaks ordered by some of the guests are the thickest I've ever seen, and I've been to Ruth Chris, folks. These were better. The Dungeoness crab pasta had a little kick, perfect with the red wine being served. Exacting standards of flavor from the chef were balanced for everyone all around -- a true symphony. The food arrived quickly, the wines were outstanding, and Andrew and Bruno's leadership of the team helping with our party made the evening a night to remember for the rest of our lives. Hats off to this unassuming five-star gem, worthy of a visit from the folks at Michelin.

Pros: Psychic staff, passionate chefs, led by a great owner

Cons: parking is tricky -- maybe a valet would help?

05/06/2008 Posted by whalematch

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04/04/2008 Posted by BrendaKashuba

This is our favorite Saratoga restaurant. The food and ambience is great and the owner, Andy, makes everyone feel like part of the family. It's sort of "Cheers" with great food and fun. It's quite small though so seating is really tough if you don't have a reservation. A lot of people go there before the Mountain Winery concerts so a later reservation might be a good idea.

05/18/2007 Posted by romanee

I never used to be a fan of mushrooms until I experienced mushroom nirvana at The Basin. This dish (described as a signature dish) was chalk full of exotic, wild mushrooms such as chanterelles and morels, plesantly light cream sauce, and al dente rigatoni pasta. Our waitress was knowledgable and food savvy. She explained that the meat and produce come from organic and if possible sustainable local farms. The fish is rod and reel caught and they could even name the fishing boat that it came from! The beautiful skirt steak is hormone, chemical free and grass-fed. The owner greeted everyone that walked through the door, gave hugs to his well known guests as they left and shook the hands of the patrons he did not know. The restaurant was full of positve energy and was obviously a delightful local hang out spot for anyone looking for an epic glass of wine (or even better a bottle), a pint of beer or a good stiff martini.

Pros: excellent food at even better prices

Cons: I wish I didnt have to fly across country to visit the basin

03/22/2007 Posted by chrisfrank98

went here tonight and was dissappointed in the crowd. The food was okay and the beer was good, but I like people watching and this place was dead on a wed night. Not a place for a great scene.

Pros: good beer

Cons: bad scene

01/28/2007 Posted by stevenvu

A group of my friends and I decided to dine one night due to a friends graduation. We weren't very knowlegeble about food or wine so we decided to search restaurants online and came around to The Basin. The main dining room was lit with a very soft lighting excluding the beautiful candles on the table. Andrew, who I believe to be the owner of the establishment was very generous by letting us have dinner without reservations. He mentioned that next time we come back reservations would be a good idea. The service was great, our server helped us paired our food with our wine and was extremely helpful with the descriptions of the food/wine. The pork chop was phenomenal. It wasn't dry at all! the bourbon whole seed mustard sauce was to die for.. thinking about it makes me want to come back for more. Overall, it was probably the finest dining experience I have ever came across. Thanks to the staff of the Basin and Andrew for a great time!

Pros: variety of wine and overall staff

Cons: the food is addictive!

10/10/2006 Posted by hinafs

We went there based on several different recommendations, and were sorely disappointed. The service was good, the prices were high, and the quality of food was mediocre. The paella was one of the worst I have ever had, and the foie gras tasted horrible. We also had the chicken, again mediocre, the ahi tuna which was ok, and the lamb shank which was nothing to write home about. All in all, a very average restaurant, one would expect a lot more, just because of the quality of neighboring restaurants, if nothing else. Would not recommend, unless you have absolutely no other choice. Definitely not worth the price or the reputation

Pros: Location, intimate setting

Cons: Definitely not a "fun" atmosphere, overpriced, food quality average

08/18/2006 Posted by Ripped2598

We went to The Basin to celebrate finding out we were going to have our first baby. I made the reservation and we have a very good dinner. The service was good, steaks were very good and to top it all off they remembered I had just made a simple request to have a nice table as we were celebrating. At the end of dinner they made a nice gesture to us and my wife and I appreciated it. Thank you for a wonderful evening.

Pros: service, special occassion dinners, food

05/16/2006 Posted by ladyluck_5

I must say that my first dining experience at The Basin was nothing less than spectacular. I was greeted by the gentleman at the front door, I believe to be the proprietor, and felt welcomed from the moment we walked in. Our server was very knowledgeable about food and wine to make our experience even more special, this is what dining out is supposed to be like. The ceasar salad is one the best that I've ever had! Hands down the fresh Seared Ahi and Grilled Alaskan Halibut will keep me coming back for more. The fresh ingredients and sauces were out of this world. The atomsphere and service are warm and welcoming, I look forward to sharing this little slice of heaven with my friends and family.

Pros: Amazing Food, Service, Atmosphere