Sad about Sweet Basil? A former owner has just opened her own Italian place in Wichita
Many fans of Italian food expressed sadness on Monday when I reported that Sweet Basil, which has operated at 2424 N. Woodlawn since 1991, had closed for good.
Coincidentally, a former co-owner of Sweet Basil — who ran the kitchen there for 25 years — just opened a new quick-service pasta restaurant, and many of its recipes are reminiscent of Sweet Basil’s.
Diem Phan, who was partners with Charli Singh at Sweet Basil for 20 years leading up to its 2014 fire, just opened Pasta Express at 4100 E. Harry, in the spot recently vacated by the short-lived Flavors Wing Company.
The new restaurant offers quick-service pasta dishes that all cost less than $10. They’re sold in to-go containers, even though there’s seating for 41 inside. People order at the counter and then wait for their food to arrive at the table.
The large menu includes angel hair, penne, spaghetti and fettuccine dishes with toppings like Alfredo sauce, marinara sauce, meat balls, Italian sausage and chicken. There’s also lasagna and manicotti as well as salads and minestrone soup and appetizers like Mozzarella cheese sticks and toasted ravioli. There are also a few chicken dishes, including chicken teriyaki with rice, and salt and pepper basil chicken, which features little chunks of fried chicken and has a spicy kick.
Phan said she ran the kitchen at Sweet Basil for two decades, but after the 2014 fire, she sold her shares to Singh. Shortly after she left Sweet Basil, she announced plans to open a similar restaurant in Old Town Square next to Hana Cafe. But it never happened. Instead, she took a job with Kansas Star Casino, helping run the buffet.
But she got bored, she said, and she decided to go for it and open her own place.
Sweet Basil regulars have been slowly finding Pasta Express, she said, and many have been asking her to offer a version of Sweet Basil’s famous Italian lunch buffet. But her new restaurant isn’t big enough, she says. Pasta Express may start delivering soon, and Phan said she also hopes to begin catering soon.
The hours for Pasta Express are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. It’s closed on Sundays.
For more information, call 316-358-7320.
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