August 12, 2011 We found some great and simple Italian food at this deli, when we decided to stop in. Finding some good Italian food lately has proven to be something of a challenge. We have tried several other locations in the area, and come away disappointed. We left Basilico NY Deli satisfied and happy with our meal, and determined that we will go back again.

We have been trying to find someplace in the Fredericksburg area that serves a decent plate of pasta for a while. While the experiences have not been awful, they have left us feeling unsatisfied. Sort of like a movie that has a bad ending. We are standing out in the parking lot going "they should have done this or that...". We just walked away feeling that we could boil the water, cook some pasta, and pour on the sauce ourselves at home for half the time and half the cost. Those were not our feelings when we left Basilico NY Deli. Instead we left thinking about stopping by for lunch sometime.

We took a look at the menu. I am a "special" kind of guy, so I decided to try the spaghetti and meatballs that comes with bread and a salad. Mrs. Alphageek settled on the chicken piccata to which she added a side Caesar salad. They have a large selection of sandwiches and salads that also appear on the menu.

Mrs. Alphageek's food is pictured below. She seemed very pleased with her combination of flavors. I took a sample and noted that the combination of lemon and capers tasted fresh and balanced and nothing at all like something that might have come out of a can. The chicken was perfectly cooked, so the sauce did not need to cover up dried out chicken. It was a perfectly balanced pasta dish.

Chicken Piccata (click to enlarge)

My dish is pictured below. I was in the mood for something straightforward and simple, and the spaghetti hit the spot perfectly. The sauce may not have been the most exciting I have ever had, but it fit the bill nicely and had a little zip of heat that always hits the spot. The meatballs were the best I have enjoyed in a while. They had great flavor without any hint of being oily or fatty. The spaghetti made for a great meal.

Chicken with Meatballs (click to enlarge)

The salads that came with the meals were nice and simple. They tasted freshly made, just for us. I had an iced tea, which tasted to me as if it had been brewed right there on the premises. The only down side was the bread, which just did not measure up to the rest of the meal. This is a restaurant that we will be checking out again in the future.

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