La Basilicata

I went out in search of something different tonight — the unexpected find. The telltale signs would be — not packed, but not empty and a curious or seemingly unfortunate location.
For me, the south end of Rue de la Gaité has always been somewhere I found myself on the way to someplace else. It is a curious collection of strange bedfellows — restaurants, a kebab shop, a hamas sauna (whatever that is), adult toy stores and x-​rated video arcades. It’s clean and cheerful, free of vagrants, but not where I would expect to find good food.
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Enter La Basilicata. Clean, cozy and inviting from the outside — I walked in just after 9pm. I was quickly greeted in convincing Italian by the owner/​manager and I chose to sit outdoors. The weather was perfect and trust me, Rue de la Gaité makes for world class people-​watching.
The table was clean and nicely set. It’s a casual place, but it felt as though there should have been white tablecloths. It would’ve been a nice touch. The wait staff and the proprietor were cheerful and attentive.
I decided on an Insalata Bresaola starter — lettuce, arugula, mushrooms, dried beef and Parmesan flakes. All the ingredients were fresh and it was light and tasty with a little oil and vinegar.
They featured several 37.5 cl wine selections which is nice if you’re dining alone and want something more than a glass, but less than a bottle. I chose a Granaio Chianti Classico. At € 14, I was pleased. In the interest of full disclosure, I have no idea what I’m talking about when it comes to wine. This chianti, however, tasted great and complimented my meal nicely.
My entrée was the ravioli of the day — a wonderful mixture of both flour and spinach ravioli in a pomodoro sauce with chopped eggplant blended in. There were both meat and spinach fillings. The pasta was done perfectly and all the ingredients were fresh. To my delight, there was enough sauce for a few bonus swipes with the warm, moist bread that accompanied my meal.
I almost didn’t have dessert which as it turned out, would’ve been a mistake. I ordered the Café Gourmand — three mini pastries accompanied by a piping hot espresso. Delicious and just a taste of each — exactly what I was looking for.
By the way, as I was waiting for my desert an elderly man with regal bearing, long white hair and sporting an ascot walked out of the adult video arcade across the street. This seemed oddly appropriate as only someone old enough to find ascots in fashion would not know about porn on the internet. I told you the people-​watching was good on Rue de la Gaité.
If you find yourself in the Gare de Montparnasse, Cimetière du Montparnasse, Blvd Edgar Quinet Market triangle, stop in. The food is great and the entertainment is free…