Basil Pizza and Wine Bar has been open for a couple of months now, and I am surprised that there have not been many reviews on Yelp.  Normally by now I’d expect at least 10 reviews for a restaurant of this caliber.  So I’m wondering if, like I was, people are hesitant because they are not sure if the establishment is “for you”.   Well here’s my story.

I have to admit that I was shamefully nervous about entering Basil for first time – would I, a black woman, feel “welcomed” or even comfortable in the establishment.   Nostrand Park had received a special invitation to attend a grand opening of the restaurant.   I jokingly laughed to my friend, “I wonder if they realize that I am black.” In any event, when I got there, I must have walked around the exterior of the restaurant a good 7 minutes contemplating my entry – trying to see if I saw anyone who looked like me that might ease my tension. Eventually one of the hosts of the night’s event, Yossi, spotted me and pulled me into the restaurant.  His perfectly friendly gesture reassured me that I didn’t have anything to worry about.

The first thing that I was struck by was how beautifully done the restaurant was, both the exterior and the interior. (See pictures). Very upscale with clear thought that went into the details and finishes.

Now that I was in though, the question was, where the heck should I sit. There were a number of Hasidic families sitting around. Surely I couldn’t be so bold as to just plop myself among them and just start chatting. Then I spotted a mixed group of women including a couple of women of color at a large open table.   Instinctively I beelined it right to the table.  Shortly after, the owner, Danny, came up to the table and introduced himself.

We broke away from the group, and I asked him point blank – I told him about my trepidations about even entering and wondering whether I would feel welcomed or comfortable.  Danny said quite emphatically and genuinely “This place is for everyone.  Jewish, black, white, new, young, old. I want this to be a neighborhood restaurant, where everyone feels comfortable and enjoys.”  And when I looked around at his staff, I could tell that there was truth to what he was saying.  His staff was a variegated mix of people – different races (all very attractive I might add).  Danny proceeded by giving me a personal tour of the restaurant and all of its marvelous features – from the wood burning fire, the open kitchen, the enormous wall of wine, and the open cafe window.

After my awe-inspiring tour, I made my way back to my table – now totally comfortable in the space (though admittedly I did get some not so friendly stares).  I went to snap a picture of the jazz band when a Hasidic woman at the table next to me turned to me and proudly declared “the drummer is my husband.”  She and I chatted it up for a good 15 minutes like old girlfriends as her husband and his cronies played away.   Once their set was up, her husband came over to the table to join the conversation.  I asked him what genre is his favorite to play to which he laughed “Whatever pays the bills.  Jazz, hip-hop, polka, whatever.  You name it, I’ll play it”  Ha!  We all had a laugh.

Now in terms of the food (a discussion which I saved for the end of this post, because for me, my visit to Basil was about a lot more than the food).  The only savory dishes that I had was the pizza and these little cheese balls.  The pizzas were mini bite sized pieces – innovative in the flavor combinations, but I wasn’t completely sold on them.  I love cheese, and these pizza bites were light on the cheese and heavier on the bread.

The desserts, however, were quite tasty.  One in particular – the basil panne cotta.  Danny offered me some coffee and assured me that it would rock my world, but unfortunately I am not a coffee drinker, and I declined the offer.

In any event, I think folks will find that Basil is a welcomed addition to Crown Heights’ culinary scene.  If you, like me, are not sure if you would feel comfortable or welcomed, just get a couple of  your friends and check it out.

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