Breaking the curse

There’s a strip mall near my home in La Mesa that seems to be a black hole for restaurants. They seem to disappear almost as soon as they open. Some of the places that have failed include the Chicken Nest and a Mexican restaurant whose name I can’t remember that closed quicker than the time it takes to say, “Two beef tacos, rice, and beans por favor.”

I’m optimistic that Cucina Basilico can break the curse because already the locals are telling each other about the excellent pasta dishes (many of them vegan or gluten-free) and reasonable prices.

Take the lasagna ($14.95). The sauce is an authentic Italian bolognese. In America, bolognese is basically a meaty marinara, but the Cucina Basilico version is more of a meaty gravy. Both can be delicious, but the Italian version favored by Basilico has an outstanding mouth feel. It practically melts in meaty juiciness. It matches well with the cheese and that homemade pasta. It reminded me of a bolognese I had in — where else? — Bologna on my honeymoon.

The Insalata di Barbabietola ($7.55) is also a treat. The greens are fresh, the goat cheese is tangy, and the beets add the right amount of earthy sweetness. The salad is served with either a balsamic dressing or a lemon dressing (I preferred the balsamic, but not by much). The salad was perfectly sized to feed my daughter, wife, and me.

My wife was happy with the evening’s pasta special, a Spinach Pappardelle ($11.95) that she topped with a garlic olive oil sauce that came with whole garlic cloves, which my wife appreciated. She was able to get the flavor without it being overwhelming. Me? I took those delicious roasted cloves and mashed them into the homemade rolls. She made me brush my teeth three times later.

I was pleased with the arrabbiata sauce ($11.95), a garlicky tomato sauce with hot peppers. I like it hot and spicy. The owner recommended I have it with fettuccine. So I did, as well as with the homemade sausage ($3 extra), which was served as chunks, not links, on top of the bowl. The sausage was mild in heat but full of flavor.

For dessert, my wife and daughter couldn’t decide between the $4.95 panna cotta with berry sauce ($4.95) or the tiramisu ($5.95), so we got both. I liked the smoothness of the panna cotta custard, and the coffee-kissed tiramisu worked well.

Cucina Basilico is the type of spot I can imagine spending a Friday night with my family while imagining my return trip to Italy, the place where we honeymooned.