Delish Eats: Basin, A Quaint Sampling of Mediterranean Flavours

Restaurant history: First opened in August 2022 in SoHo, BASIN exposes a Hong Kong palate to a unique blend of French, Spanish and Italian hospitality and flavours. Strong garlicy, umami, rustic and fruity notes are expressed in every dish. Partners Antoni Bernabeau and Erik Kirakozov deliver a comprehensive Mediterranean experience.

Chef story: BASIN’s culinary all-day offerings are led by Spaniard chef Antoni in SoHo’s mega-F&B hot destination, FOCO. A native of Valencia, Spain, Chef Bernabeu has enjoyed a seasoned career curating menus for hotels and airlines in Ibiza, Spain, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi, prior to arriving in Hong Kong as the former general supervisor for Pirata Group, and chef for The Optimist.

What’s the vibe and venue like: Bright and spacious with a lofty interior, high ceilings, and soft blues and whites decorated on the seating, furniture, and drapes. Serving only ten tables of varied sizes (at the time of review), it is uniquely intimate for a lunchtime meal, without pushing for exclusivity.

How much does it cost: HK$420pp for starters to share, one main course, desserts and coffee/tea selection.

What is the menu about: We tucked into BASIN’s new three-course business lunch menu, serving a choice of starter and main with a dessert, ready to be consumed within an hour and with a menu catered to all diets.

What did we order: Cured Beef Carpaccio, Heirloom Tomato Salad, Confit Piquillo Peppers (starters to share), Especial Chicken Supreme, Slow Cooked Beef Cheek, and Smoked Madeleine & Whipped Mascarpone.

Cured Beef Carpaccio, rocket pesto & parmesan: Dry aged for two days and imported directly from Spain, the beef slices preserve a delectable umami flavour that teases the tongue and are met with a fruity and sharp pesto mix.

Heirloom Tomato Salad, tuna belly, red onion, olive oil, sherry vinegar: I wish the sherry vinegar made a stronger impression with the olive oil that infused in the tomatoes. The tuna belly had a faint peach-like flavour which was pleasant, as opposed to its natural ‘fishy’ taste.

Especial Chicken Supreme, corn risotto & orange glaze: This main course is a recommended dish from Kirakozov, carrying a cute fruity combination of the corn kernels and orange juice reduction wrapped over the chicken. A salty coating on the skin of the chicken could be suggested to prevent each bite to be limited to just a honey flavour.

Slow Cooked Beef Cheek, beetroot puree, sweet potato mash & jus: Cooked to perfection for 12 hours, each forkful of the beef cheek is rich in umami and salt, that is well matched with the soft dollops of caramelized beetroot and mash that bring sweet notes into play. It is a salty dish so enjoy carefully!

Smoked Madeleine & Whipped Mascarpone: Light and simple, the madeleine is a good ending note to the lunch that acts as a canvas to rid the palate of any overstaying strong salty taste. I also enjoyed the mascarpone that was light and frothy on the tongue.

What we liked: Three months in, BASIN performs well for an efficient and flavourful business lunch menu balancing sweet and salty notes. In its infancy, the restaurant looks polished, and the service is professional and sweet. Each dish is rich with thought behind it.

What we didn’t like: With three out of five main course dishes skewing to meat, one fish, and another vegetarian option, we wish there were more options for vegetarian eaters and vegans.

What you should order: Slow Cooked Beef Cheek, Black Angus Rib-Eye, Homemade Gnocchi Pasta.

Location: BASIN, 3/F, FOCO, 46-48 Cochrane Street, Central, Hong Kong

Contact details: +852 2362 2699

This food review is based on a complimentary media tasting provided by Basin in exchange for a truthful review and no compensation. The opinions expressed within represent the views of the author.

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