Located on High Street in the heart of downtown Hamilton, Basil 1791 has been a community staple for the past nine years. Hite, having been there since the doors opened, has watched the restaurant grow and has led her team in adapting alongside the city.
Originally focused on Pan-Asian comfort dishes, classic stir fries, fried rice, curry bowls and a full sushi lineup, the restaurant has added a weekend brunch featuring dishes like peach cobbler pancakes, French toast casserole and breakfast fried rice with goetta — a change driven by Hite’s innovation.
“In today’s world, you have to pivot and add new concepts alongside your core dishes to make things work and keep the business running,” Hite said.
The addition of brunch became so popular that Basil 1791 was a finalist for the Best Brunch category in the third annual Best of Butler County competition in The Journal-News this year, something Hite and her team are very proud of.
The vision for Basil 1791 was shaped long before the restaurant opened its doors in Hamilton. Tony Ly, whose parents have operated Pan Asian restaurants in Ohio for decades, helped build the concept around approachable comfort dishes, sushi and flavors inspired by Pacific and Southeast Asian cooking.
His family opened their first restaurant in Canton, Ohio introducing diners to a cuisine still uncommon in the area.
As the business expanded, so did their portfolio of restaurants, which now includes Basil Asian Bistro in Canton and Wooster, Lucca Italian restaurant in downtown Canton and Basil 1791 in Hamilton.
Ly remains closely involved in the family’s Canton operations, where he resides, and says he is grateful for Hite’s leadership in Hamilton.
“I am so thankful for Monica. We would have been done years ago without her,” he saod.
Head Chef Carlos Cervera brings that same sense of dedication to his work.
“I grew up in a Mexican household where the food was always amazing. That feeling you get from a home-cooked meal stayed with me and inspired me to start cooking. I want to give people that same feeling,” he said.
That commitment comes through in the way he prepares the dishes at Basil 1791. Cervera focuses on execution, ensuring each dish leaves the kitchen vibrant, flavorful and true to its roots.
Curries are rich and aromatic, stir fries are cooked to order with bright vegetables and sushi rolls arrive plated with color and care.
One dish Cervera especially enjoys preparing is the green mango grouper, with lightly battered filets topped with shredded mango and fresh basil.
Viewing cooking as a science, Cervera loves how the menu at Basil 1791 usess such a wide variety of spices and makes Asian food accessible to a wide audience.
“I hope that guests leave here having tried something new that they haven’t had the chance to experience elsewhere,” Cervera said.
The ambiance
Beyond the food, Basil 1791 offers an atmosphere that matches its comforting menu. Warm lighting, bookshelves in the private booths and a glowing fireplace create a cozy backdrop, especially during the holiday season when the restaurant is fully decorated.
A grand staircase leads to the second-floor event space, which can accommodate up to 150 guests for weddings, reunions, bereavements and weekly gatherings. Hite oversees all event bookings and says the space allows the restaurant to serve the community in an even more personal way.
The banquet menu offers additional options that aren’t offered on the restaurant menus including soups, salads and pastas.
HOW TO GO
What: Basil 1791
Where: 241 High St., Hamilton
Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Fridays, 12 p.m.-10 p.m. Saturdays, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sundays. Closed Mondays.
More info: basil1791.com or (513) 883-1019
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