Basso by PXK — Restaurant in Town of New Castle

As a long time X2O customer, my wife and I had to try out Basso. We have had countless brunches at X2O, had my mother's retirement party there, anniversary parties, baby shower, celebrated New Year Eve, engagement party, and even got married at X2O, so we are well acquainted with Peter Kelly's work. However going to Basso by PXK you kind have to remove ever notion of X2O you had food wise and re-calibrate it towards a totally different genre that he never really served at X2O, Bully Boy, or Restaurant X, which were much more new American with fusion flare. Sunday we went for brunch and went at 1:30pm and it was packed but by the time we were sat the brunch crowd was simmering down. At your table you are greeted with an Italian themed charcuterie of Soppressata, chunks of Parmesan, walnuts, a tangerine, grapes, olives, and Italian bread. Again, very different than the baguettes and blue cheese biscuits of his other restaurants. Unlike X2O where the meal was a three course menu of your choice, the meal consists of ten small portions of salads, pasta, fish, and meat, with a mixture of shared desserts at the end. The portions are tasting portions, so small but over 10 courses you are stuffed. My wife's biggest qualm was you are given one single plate, so her OCD of mixing food was heightened. My qualm was, while I enjoyed the tasting aspect of the meal, you could never lock onto one thing you loved. Granted you could also come back and order the full entry and I am guessing this style of brunch was done because it's so much more profitable and economical for the restaurant than making separate three courses, which surely was loss leader at X2O. Speaking of the money, the brunch is still a value like X2O at $42 and you will not leave hungry by any chance, but unlike X2O tea, coffee, Bellini and other Prosecco drinks and soda are note included and again margin leaders like soda, coffee, and alcohol are pretty high priced, ie $3 for a Soda no refills, $6 coffee, and $18 cocktails, although Prosecco drinks were priced at a reasonable $5. The highlights for me were the mushroom risotto which was insanely creamy and flavorful albeit just a tad too Al dente, the roast pork, the alfredo, and the Roman style steak had to be one of the most flavor and tender steaks I have ever had. One of the few misses was the salads, in that the Cesar was just blank with no richness to be found from anchovies, egg yolk, and cheese. It simply tasted like a bottle light version of Cesar dressing. My only assumption this was done to keep the first course very light. The same with the mescaline salad, which again was just okay with a very basic vinaigrette. Not to get too personal, but I believe Kelly in his previous restaurants sacrificed profitability for consumer access and while Basso's brunch is not the value X2O's was, at $42 in Chappaqua, with $5 Prosecco drinks, and kids under 8 eating for free I will save this Peter Kelly still catering to the masses and allowing as many people from every backgrounds eat his amazing food. Well done chef. We...

If you're looking for a dining experience that will leave you feeling absolutely satisfied and delighted, then look no further than Basso56.

Alex and the family, for years have been achieving great success in the restaurant industry. So happy to witness their transition from Midtown Manhattan to Chappaqua in the best way possible. The ambiance of the restaurant is simply stunning - from the tasteful decor to the soft lighting, everything is designed to make you feel comfortable and relaxed. The menu is equally impressive, with an array of dishes that showcase the creativity and talent of the chef-Paolo Catini.

We had the pleasure of trying several dishes during our visit, and each one was a true masterpiece. The flavors and textures of each dish were perfectly balanced, and I found myself savoring every bite.

The attention to detail at Basso56 is truly remarkable. Even the drinks were thoughtfully crafted, with unique and creative concoctions that perfectly complemented the food. And let's not forget about the desserts - they were absolutely heavenly!

But what really sets this restaurant apart is the exceptional service. Alex, Aldo and the staff were very attentive, knowledgeable, and truly cared about making sure you have a memorable experience.

In short, Basso56 remains a true gem, just in a different location. It's the kind of place you'll want to come back to time and time again, whether it's for a special occasion or just a night out with friends. I can't recommend it enough - it's truly an amazing restaurant that's worth...

Just an honest opinion about Sunday brunch special. I didn’t expect much for a pre-fix menu of ~42$, but would never comeback even for dinner. The food was awful to my liking! Pre-set on the table was a basket with bread (fresh +) and a plate with few pieces of Parmesan cheese, 3 olives in olive oil, 1 orange and 1 vein of grape’s. No honey or butter. First salad/first course was just some old salad leaves with olive oil, nothing else. Caesar salad came next with mayo based garlic sauce, pretty terrible. All the pasta dishes were ok, but mostly in heavy cream based sauces. Chicken Parmesan was a piece of hard chicken breast in soggy breadcrumbs with semi melted cheese on top. Pork shoulder and steak pieces were swimming in olive oil and garlic. Mushroom risotto was way too overdone. Every course was very heavy on garlic, overcooked and just lucked of any flavour rather than garlic, olive oil, heavy cream or there was 1 dish (shredded chicken and potatoes) very spicy. Dessert was small uneven cut pieces of tiramisu, lemon tart, chocolate sausage, apple pie bread pudding and 2 scoops of ice cream. Nothing special or to grave for. All together, a lot of food, but more like canteen food. The restaurant is small and very loud. On the positive side, the tables had clean tablecloth and napkins. The service was great, everyone was polite and friendly! All depends on your dinning preferences, some people like that...