Basilico Eastlake — Restaurant in Horizon City

Wanted to check out this new Italian spot for about a week, and I finally made the drive out. I knew it was making its way from our sister city, Juárez, so my expectations were high, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. Nestled in the booming Eastlake area, location is everything. As soon as you walk in, you get smacked in the face with that fresh, stone-oven baked aroma, hmmmm. Seating for two took about 3 minutes, and we were placed near the bar. The place is a little small, so make sure you call ahead or arrive early because once word gets out, it’s going to be packed. Even while we were there, every table was taken, I counted about three two-tops, a handful of four-tops, and two areas set for bigger parties. They handled a group of six and another of ten with no problem. For entrées, we both ordered the Fettuccine Alfredo with asparagus, and added mushrooms and spinach. For drinks, I had the Mezcamica (they were out of Jamaica, so they swapped in strawberry), and my wife had a spicy pineapple cocktail (apologies, the mezcal smoke dome had us too busy enjoying to remember the exact name). Both drinks were on point, but that Mezcamica… wow. The mezcal arrived under a glass dome filled with smoke, and that smoky flavor hit perfectly, pulling out every note of the drink. Between the food and the drinks, we were taken straight to flavor town. They also have a solid wine selection if that’s your vibe. The atmosphere is a nice mix, a little fancy, but still cozy and homey at the same time. Everything just fit together, and every bite tasted like WOW. Don’t just take my word for it though, check it out yourself. I promise you’ll walk away glad you did, and you definitely won’t be...

After long last, Basilico has come to El Paso, and was it ever worth the wait! I normally hyper critical of Italian restaurants and their food, but Basilico gets a resounding five stars. When we got there, the place was packed; every table and even every seat at the bar was taken. Victor (the GM) immediately greeted us, and let us know we could order cocktails while we waited for a table to open up. I order the Piccione and was blown away by how perfectly their mixologist blended the essence of Italian and Mexican spirits together. Victor got us seated before we had finished our first drink, and we had the pleasure of sitting next to the kitchen where we could see (and smell!) the amazing food that was being plated. We ordered a pepperoni pizza, the Fettuccine 3 Formaggi, and the Spaghetti Bolognese. Finished the night off with the Tiramisu (you NEED to try it) and the Crème Brûlée. Everything was to die for!

Quick shoutout (and thanks!) to one of the waitresses, Miriam. While we were waiting for our food, I choked on my drink, and she immediately came over with a glass of water asking if I was okay. The service here is phenomenal! El Paso needed a great Italian restaurant and Basilico is it. Can’t wait for our next...

The food itself was great, good location and good atmosphere. The reason for such a low review is due to the shadiness of our server. We went in during lunch and ordered off the lunch menu. While pointing at the lunch menu drink section my wife and I asked if they had any flavored teas or if it was plain iced tea to which he responded they had shaken tea and explained what it was. My wife and I agreed and ordered that and at some point a refill. He conveniently failed to mention that the shaken tea was not a part of the drinks included with the lunch menu nor that the refills were also an additional charge. He also came by and asked if we wanted more bread and also conveniently forgot to mention that it’s an additional charge for more bread. Paying for what we consumed is not an issue and I get the whole upsell thing to get a bigger tip but the way he went about it was completely shady. Not sure if it’s standard practice at this restaurant or just the one server but beware of these tactics if you’re planning on dining here. Also there is no kids menu so it’s not the most...