WHERE TO EAT - Bermuda 2012 - page 114

Pasta Basta ITALIAN This is the larger of two Bermuda restaurants that serve the
same cafeteria-style pasta-and-salad combination. Pasta Basta's Italian cuisine seems
almost utilitarian, ranking far below those restaurants already recommended, and
there's virtually no romance associated with the place, but its prices are very low.
In a summery setting, customers are offered two kinds of salad (tossed and Caesar)
and about a dozen varieties of pasta. Served in full or half portions, they include two
kinds of lasagna (one is meatless), plus a frequently changing array of pastas topped
with a choice of meat, seafood, and vegetarian sauces. The daily special is likely to be
shells with sausage and onions, in a pink sauce. This restaurant is a great place to fill
up on decent food at a reasonable price. Note: No wine, beer, or alcohol is served,
and local licensing laws do not permit you to bring your own drinks.
1 Elliott St. & 441/295-9785. Reservations not accepted. Pastas $9 half portion or $16 full portion. No
credit cards. Mon-Sat 11:45am-11pm; Sun 5-11pm. Bus: 1, 2, 10, or 11.
Portofino ITALIAN The warm and inviting decor of this trattoria, complete with
hanging lamps, evokes northern Italy. We think Trattoria Café (p. 115) will feed you
better, but this place has its devotees, and some locals insist that it's the most
romantic-looking Italian restaurant in Bermuda.
You'll find well-prepared, reasonably priced specialties, including classic mine-
strone; three kinds of spaghetti; freshly made pastas, including lasagna, ravioli, and
cannelloni; and 18 varieties of 9-inch pizzas. There are also familiar Italian dishes
such as Venetian-style liver, veal parmigiana, chicken cacciatore, and beefsteak piz-
zaiola. Some members of the long-lived Italian staff have been here longer than virtu-
ally anyone can remember, adding to its sense of stability and charm. Your best bet is
one of the freshly made daily specials. There's a limited selection of Italian wines.
20 Bermudiana Rd. & 441/292-2375. Reservations recommended. Pizzas $13; main courses $11-$25.
AE, MC, V. Mon-Fri noon-3pm; Sat-Sun 6pm-midnight. Bus: 1, 2, 10, or 11.
The Robin Hood INTERNATIONAL Woodsy-looking and percolating in a sense
of nostalgia for Merrie Olde England, this is a comfortably rustic tavern that has
evolved into the local watering hole for many of Pembroke Parish's nearby residents.
No one will mind if you drop in just for a drink or two, and many of your fellow elbow-
benders traditionally do that many nights until the closing bell. But if you're in the
mood for food as well, you'll find the kind of fare (pizzas, burgers, steaks, and curries)
that goes well with liquor and suds. Menu items include jalapeño nachos, spicy buf-
falo wings, Caesar salads with shrimp or grilled chicken, and pizzas (including a
“porker” that's topped with bacon, ham, ground sausage, pepperoni, and hamburger
meat). Main-course platters include sweet-and-sour chicken, pastas of the day, and
curried versions of chicken, beef, and shrimp.
25 Richmond Rd. & 441/295-3314. Lunch salads and sandwiches $8-$13, platters $10-$16; dinner
pizzas $10-$27, main courses $13-$25. AE, MC, V. Daily noon-11pm. Bar Mon-Sat 11am-1am, Sun noon-
1am. Bus: 6 or 7.
The Spot Restaurant BERMUDIAN/WEST INDIAN Set on a street run-
ning downhill into downtown Hamilton's harbor, this local diner offers a welcome
alternative to the high prices you're likely to find in many other nearby restaurants.
Originally established in the 1930s, it attracts a clientele of off-duty police officers,
construction workers, nurses from the local hospital, residents of nearby self-catering

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