To try and decide each week where and what to eat around the basin can be a challenge — there are so many amazing choices. In this feature we’ll dive into dishes that will surely satisfy those hunger pangs and leave you wondering where to go next. 

While it’s not a 100% confirmed fact, Italian food is consistently ranked as people’s number one type of food. I’m sure pizza skews that a bit (and for good reason), but a good ol’ spaghetti dish certainly helps tip the scales as well – just like this week’s feature. 

Base Camp’s Classic Tomato Basil is one if its o.g. menu items, which means it’s been putting a smile on patron’s faces for over 20 years. That’s not by sheer coincidence. Their signature meat sauce is simmered low and slow with garlic, basil, and tomatoes as the main stars of the show. If you want to bump up on the protein, you can also add meatballs for a classic pairing, but for a little twist you may also consider chicken or shrimp. 

The sauce dances around the plate with spaghetti and topped with shaved Parmesan and freshly julienned basil. Yes, it’s simplistic. Yes, it’s classic. Yes, it’s delicious. 

This is everything you want in a spaghetti dish. It’s fresh with clean flavors throughout with the sauce’s deep flowing layers permeating every bite. And with the salty punches from the shaved Parmesan, you not only get those peaks of flavor, but also texture against the perfectly chewy pasta. The fresh basil adds the punctuation mark. That subtle peppery and anise flavor combination is like a shot of serotonin. 

Spaghetti dishes have probably been in our lives since birth, which may be reason for why we all can relate to the dish. If looking for a trip down memory lane, or just want a tasty plate of pasta, you need to look no further than this dish. Gustare! 

Base Camp Pizza Co. is located at 1001 Heavenly Village Way No. 25a in South Lake Tahoe. For menu and more information visit them online at basecamppizzaco.com or by phone at 530-544-2273.