Hmm - close but no cigar sums this up for me?

Confetti a party decoration ? Not really
Pasta dishes ? Again not really - two are types of pasta but not actually dishes, two are types sauce but not actually dishes - Spaghetti Carbonara is a dish.

They hang together as groups but not as you define them…

I’m not keen on Tomato in its group either - very loose and Bulgaroctonus is plain fiendish ( which is aloud :) )

Had the makings of a very nice grid - just misses out for me on the detail !

Basil...

FAWLTY
BRUSH
THAT RUSSIAN KING MAYBE
ST BASIL'S CATHEDRAL - ONIONY PALACE IN MOSCOW

Lots of love,
Your friends
Ronda, Dingbat and Chub-on

Basil…. Thanks tho.