Basilico — Restaurant in Millburn

I really am surprised that this restaurant has been highly rated. The positive first, the wait staff was very good and although we had no reservations there was no wait. The decor is not bad. Linen covered tables and pleasant lighting if tightly spaced. The food was quite frankly awful. I cannot understand how anyone who has ever had an Italian dish could rate this place above a single star. The bread served was the usual overly soft doughy-white semolina and some undercooked ciabatta pieces. We split two appetizers (Arancini and grilled octopus), and had the sea scallops and shrimp on Farro and zucchini for our main course. The arancini resembled miniature cannonballs. They were served on a plate with partially melted, shredded mozzarella and marinara sauce. Inside of these dense stone-like balls were some surprisingly undercooked peas. The flavor of the arancini was just as bad as the texture. Powdery lifeless lacking cheese, salt or any other distinguishing taste. Arancini made well can be an exquisite food, those served at Basilico’s are Anti-arancini. The grilled octopus was served on a strange medley of vegetables. Canned chickpeas, chopped green beans, sliced radishes and shredded carrots amongst others. The octopus itself was moderately tender although as near tasteless as possible. But the vegetables were both completely unsuited to the dish and awful. Shredded carrots are generally a bad sign. The chickpeas were semi-hard and tasted freshly poured from a can. Thick green beans without seasoning and sliced radishes did nothing to compliment the octopus which sorely needed compliment. Finally the main course arrived. Shrimp and scallops served on a bed of Farro and chopped zucchini. I had a bite of the shrimp first. Surprisingly it was both rubbery in texture and in flavor. What I imagine a tire might taste like. The shrimp was so off that i decided to avoid it. I tried a scallop. These tasted less evil but were again almost completely flavorless. If scallops were served in prison I suppose they might be like those served at Basilico’s. The Farro was not bad but had no hint of any discernible sauce. The zucchini bits were tough and lackluster and there were even some crunchy green peas here and there. I rarely review restaurants. My hope with this review is only this; that someone who really likes Italian food is not fooled by the mind boggling highly rated reviews (I was). The food served at Basilico’s is no more Italian than Olive Garden and far more expensive. They represent themselves as something of quality....

I heard about Basilico years ago (pre-COVID) from family who loved it. So when my cousin suggested we have dinner here on Saturday since it’s halfway between our homes, I was excited! I was happy to see how lovely the place looked and unfortunately, it went downhill from there.

Service was rushed and unfriendly. The waiter, although competent, looked and acted as if he was just trying to get through the night. Each time we finished a course, the busgirl would pounce on our tables and frantically remove dishes and silverware. I should note that we were there early at 6:00 so the place was not packed.

Now for the food… Appetizer: calamari was flavorless and the marinara sauce just tasted like tomato sauce. Caesar salad was edible. Wine: I was surprised when the waiter told us that they only serve half bottles or full. Half bottle selection was limited so I couldn’t order what I really wanted to drink. Main course: I ordered the sole special ($40). The fish was over cooked and the flavor was nonexistent. I couldn’t taste the garlic (which was the reason I ordered it). My daughter ordered the Fusilli con Cavolo ($25) and that had more flavor, but was too salty. Dessert: Tartufo Trio was the best thing that we ate here! I also ordered the chocolate soufflé and that was just ok. It had a side of whip when it really needed a side of chocolate ganache to give it more flavor.

I would not ever go back. Their food is overpriced, unappetizing and flavorless; and their wait staff makes you feel rushed...

Basilico is an amazing Italian restaurant. Almost anything you get there is delicious. My favorite dish is mussels. It is nice and creamy with pieces of scrumptious sausage around the inside of the dish. The only downside is that you can't bring large parties on a Friday night without a reservation. Basilico is a formal restaurant. For a family of 4 the price range is from $100 - $150. The staff is very nice. They mostly have a smile on their face. If they don't, they try their best to keep you happy. At Basilico the lights are nicely dimmed and a nice sound of conversations and utensils clattering against the plates. In Basilico there are 2 parts, the indoor and outdoor area. The indoor part is like any other restaurant. The outdoor area is an attachment to the building. Even if it is outdoor it is covered and is accessible in winters. There is an alleyway to that part where you can hang around. Basilico is a delicious and awesome place. For your next eat out, go to Basilico with your family and have some family fun.

This is written independently by my nine-year old - I agree...