This deservedly popular Italian restaurant is part of an attractive off-street complex in the centre of Oranmore, which includes (in common ownership) The Coach House Hotel and a bar/bistro where a shorter version of the Basilico menu is served, offering stone baked pizza, burgers and pasta from the restaurant kitchen all day.
Since opening in 2008, owners Paolo Sabatini and Fabiano Mulas - executive head chef and restaurant manager respectively - have worked hard to create points of difference in their restaurant, which is given a sense of occasion by the décor and, particularly, original art works by Fabiano which add atmosphere and make a great talking point.
Families are made especially welcome in both the hotel and the various eating areas, and Basilico has earned a particular reputation for their pizza which, along with authentic Italian bread, is made every day by in-house baker and pizza chef Marco Tommasi. Speciality Italian ingredients are used in the baking of course, and an impressive supplier list includes a number of respected Italian companies.
The main Restaurant menu is extensive, listing sections on appetisers, antipasti, salads, crab claws and prawns, pizza and pasta dishes in addition to meats (lamb, beef and chicken) with side orders extra; here well sourced seasonal Irish ingredients are used, and suppliers include many trusted names such as Castlemine Farm, Roscommon; Achill Mountain Lamb, Mayo; The Friendly Farmer, Athenry; and Gannet Fishmonger, Galway.
Supporting local producers has always come naturally to Paolo, who is a member of the chefs' association Euro-Toques, but since Fabiano and his wife Valerie bought a farm nearby in 2018, many of the fresh seasonal supplies such as salads, tomatoes, kale, potatoes, onions, and herbs have been produced even nearer the restaurant. Home grown produce is topped up by supplies from trusted suppliers, including Beechlawn Organic Farm at Ballialsoe, who have also been very helpful to the team on their journey towards becoming commercial growers.
Menus offer a wide ranging choice of Italian favourites - starters, nibbles and antipasti like mixed olives, ciabatta, bruschetta, calamari, cured meats and salami; a wide choice of pasta dishes and risotto; mains including all the popular meats, poultry and fresh fish - and with gluten free, vegetarian and vegan dishes included in the mix. A speciality vegan dish, for example, is based on Valerie's organic leaves from the farm, together with cherry tomatoes and roasted chickpeas, grilled baby artichokes, capers, toasted almonds; finished with a lemon vinaigrette dressing, it's served with gluten free flat bread.
A 2/3 course ‘Mid-Week Special’ offers particularly good value, and the well priced mainly Italian wine is carefully selected to match the food. It inckudes many respected names - Nero D’Avola, Greco Nero, Anfisia Bianco, Anfisia Vivace, Greco Bianco among them - and many more imported from their friends at Cantina Lavorata in Calabria.
This is a deservedly popular, comfortable restaurant serving authentic Italian food based on a combination of Italian speciality products and the very best fresh local produce. And, not only is their support of local food producers commendable but, true to their sustainable philosophy, they have introduced a number of measures to reduce waste, including using waste food to make compost on the farm, and also shredding packaging and other paper waste to use as bedding for farm animals.
