Carina Lounge Opens March 25 in the Old Basta Space in NW Portland

Last December, Basta’s Marco Fratteroli announced that after 25 years, he was shutting the doors to his Nob Hill restaurant. But just a couple of months later, it became apparent that he wasn’t ready to call it quits just yet.

Rather, Fratteroli partnered up with former Lucy’s Table owner, Peter Kost, and former Lucy’s Table chef, Michael Waters, to open Carina Lounge, a Mediterranean-inspired small plates and cocktail Lounge, which opens tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. in the old Basta space at 410 NW 21st Avenue.

The remodeled 80-seat spot will be anchored by a horseshoe bar in the middle of the dining room, with banquette seating lining the room’s perimeter.

Kost says that Waters is still putting a few finishing touches on the food menu, but he says that part of the menu will be dedicated to old-school Basta and Lucy’s Table favorites, including braised pork rib in a marinara sauce and a trio of pizzas from Basta. Goat cheese ravioli, sautéed calamari, a grilled Caesar salad, and chicken taleggio with leeks, polenta, and pancetta will all get the resurrection treatment from the old Lucy’s Table menu.

Four local draft beers, wines from Oregon and the Mediterranean, and signature cocktails round out the list.

Kost says that plans are also in place to launch a happy hour menu (by the end of next week), to create a covered open-air patio (in the old Basta private dining room), and to possibly launch a weekend brunch program (maybe by June).

And if you frequented either place in the past, you’ll also see a lot of familiar faces, too, as Kost, Fratteroli, and Waters have hired on 11 former Basta and Lucy’s Table employees.

Carina Lounge: 410 NW 21st Ave., 503-274-1572; Hours: 4:30 to p.m. to midnight, daily

Carina Lounge [Official Site]