Someone recently mentioned that I shouldn’t miss Hot Basil—precisely what nearly happened on a recent deep, snowy evening.
“I know it’s around here,” I said to Tastebud as we kept driving dizzily throughout Rosana Square.
“There it is,” she careened in a whiplash moment, pointing to the sign. This place certainly wasn’t by the vacant movie house but wedged discreetly between a tanning salon and a liquor store.
We parked easily.
“It looks a lot like a nail salon,” she said wandering in. The similarity ended there.
Owner Leechai Hall, who used to work with Thai Palace’s Ann Liberda, wanted to start small. Apparently that wasn’t on Liberda’s agenda, but that’s another story. He learned exactly what he needed and finally decided it was time to launch his own recipe for success, “Authentic — not fusion cuisine from all regions in Thailand.”
The surprise is not another dreadfully spare or overblown red and gold dragon palace but a simple, sophisticated room with soothing pearl-gray-colored walls and starched, white tablecloths.
“Fancy schmancy,” I thought.
Mallory, one of Hall’s three children, immediately sat us according to her familiarity with the weather. “Sitting on this side of the room avoids the draft,” she noted as we followed her to our west-side seats.
Looking over the extensive menu with numerous Indian and Thai dishes, Tastebud, who calls herself a “Flexitarian” (depending on the evening), was entranced.
“There’s all kinds of veggie dishes, but I’ll be able to have seafood if I want…and maybe a little chicken,” she trailed off bemused as I ordered coconut shrimp ($7.95) for starters.
With a minimum number of closely knit tables, this isn’t the place for a hushed rendezvous. As I thought this very thought, the beautiful splay of five crispy shrimp arrived.
Bolstering the five tails was a clutch of fried sweet potatoes swaddled in a nest of fresh cabbage.
“This is heavenly…the shrimp and sweet potatoes are in the lightest possible batter. It’s like
eating sea air,” Tastebud recounted, dipping into the accompanying sweet chili sauce repeatedly.
We couldn’t decide among the list of dinner favorites.
“I was told to order the Phad Thai ($9.95), Tiger Cry Beef ($6.95) or Moon Flower Roasted Duck ($16.95), so I’ll try the Phad Sea Eaw ($9.95) with chicken,” I said nervously.
Tastebud, exclaimed, “And I’ll try the Panang curry ($10.95) with shrimp!” apparently suffering from an acute case of vegetarian amnesia.
“Tea?” asked Mallory, commenting that business has been very good. “Especially since October,” she purred and poured. “My dad is very happy.”
Soon, a huge bowl of sauced-up peanut Panang accompanied by an equally large mound of white rice appeared.
“Ouuuuuyum,” Tastefood uttered dousing the velvety shrimp stew with a rain of rice.
My Pad Sea Eaw was anything but ewww. Fat, silky rice noodles stir-fried with broccoli, bok choy, a sweet dark soy and roasted garlic was now replacing my former fav, Phad Thai.
“Are you kidding me?” I thought.
Too good…and too much food, Tastebud and I concluded.
Mallory was attentive, surprising since the room was hopping.
“So many regulars are here,” she perused.
“I’m one,” a lady eating solo piped up at the next table, proudly holding up a beautiful mango mousse cake.
“Or those two over there, a mom and daughter who always order our Gang Jued [native soup] ($9.95),” Mallory continued.
Pretty soon, Leechai popped out for a quick walk-around just to check and make sure everything was copasetic.
Four cups of tea later, Mallory insisted we try two desserts.
“Of course,” I said. “One coconut custard ($4.95) and one chocolate mousse rangoon ($6.95) coming right up.”
Scooping up the warm custard, almost akin to sweet kugel only sans noodles, I was right back in my Bubbe’s kitchen. The six rangoon were sugar-dusted crisp and artful, “With a bit of French flair,” Mallory added, checking in.
“Some ‘goons,” Tastebud muttered smiling. “What’s almost better is the raspberry, peach and strawberry reduction alongside,” she drizzled, polishing off the last of her allotment.
“Are we done?” she asked as the last of the crowd finally filtered out.
“Oh yeah,” I said with a nod toward Mallory and Leechai, whom I toasted with my final cup of tea.
Hot Basil is a little gem that should be on your radar – reasonable, fashionable and exceptional.
words: Gloria Gale
photos: Steve Puppe