Curiously enough, I don't have much to say about Basta 23. The décor is more sha3by, less chic. The wait staff seemed a little frazzled, but that's a given since the place is new. It caters mostly to the weekenders at Durrat al Bahrain. Durrah for short, is group of weirdly shaped alien pod islands on the south-east coast of Bahrain. It takes a while to get there but it's quite a splendid retreat.
What we loved about Basta 23 was the trompe l'oeil 'dukan' mural, the drinks menu (think Tang, Vimto, and Rose syrup etc.), and the little old ladies making fresh kebabs and sweets on the 'dewasheg'. My tip: order anything those ladies make, as it is so full of love and authentic Bahraini-ness. The little morsels of 'khanferoush' (fried sweet dough) were so crisp on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside; we loved them so much we ordered another batch. This stuff always reminds me of Eid al Fitir mornings at grandma's... The perfect accompaniment is their chai karak! It was actually very very good. Props! Honorable mention: the cheesy khubiz khabaz from an actual tan'noor!
The salt shakers on the table are not only cute, they are also functional. Don't be shy to use them if the main course may appear to be a little bland. Which unfortunately in my case it was...particularly the lamb and okra stew (a personal childhood fav) so that was a bit disappointing. I hope the kitchen can sort this out, or it would be quite a shame for such a genuinely great concept. (Prices were super reasonable! So yay for that :)
Overall, the meal at Basta 23 had its hits and misses. But we would always stop by for some karak after a long walk by the beach.
Basta 23
Durrat al Bahrain
Petal 3; next to Abdulwahab
Every Tue-Sat (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
T: 77772323
Insta: @basta23bh
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