Quanto Basta

 Located at 680 West 4^th Street in Downtown Winston-Salem, Quanto Basta offers Italian cuisine from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday (closed Sunday-Tuesday). There are nightly food and drink specials. Online ordering and family takeout meals are available.

 

Classier and pricier than a neighborhood red sauce joint but more modestly priced than Cibo, Quanto Basta is a solid option that unfortunately falls into the “looks better than it is” category. The downtown location is convenient, and the restaurant offers an attractive, intimate space. However, the acoustics and table placement are such that it can get loud when it’s near capacity. As Quanto Basta doesn’t do reservations, your best bet is to arrive early.

 

The menu here is short but well-rounded. It features salads, antipasti/appetizers, pasta dishes, entrees, and pizzas. Your classics (caprese, spaghetti and meatballs, eggplant parm, etc.) are accounted for, but you can also opt for the less expected such as parmesan and pork belly crab dip or short ribs with gnocchi, charred carrots, and tomato jam. The wine and drink offerings are similarly versatile.

 

Our group of four went with caprese and focaccia al forno starters and then shared stuffed peppers parmesan, eggplant parmesan, sausage & clams, and baked ziti with meatballs, followed by a tiramisu trifle for dessert.



We didn’t have long to wait for the food – service here is attentive and efficient – and the caprese was beautifully plated. However, it could have benefitted from salt. Flavors in general were understated even in dishes that were otherwise well-composed and satisfying. The sausage & clams came with a delicious hunk of herby focaccia, which QB would do well to offer as a side. Tiramisu in trifle form (layered inside a mason jar) is a concept whose novelty exceeds its practicality. It tasted great (if you like mocha), but by the time we got toward the bottom, everything was soggy.

 

Quanto Basta’s menu and décor are winners, but the food itself was a mixed bag. I wouldn’t rule out a return here though it wouldn’t be at the top of my list.