After 40 years, Sweet Basil still delivers

Last year, a lifelong friend asked if I had been to Sweet Basil lately. I admitted I hadn’t as my last visit had been underwhelming.

She encouraged me to give it a try as she felt that their kitchen was putting out some of Ottawa’s best Thai. I took her advice, and off I went.

I arrived to a quiet room with just a few other tables occupied. It was a pleasant space designed to transport you to warmer climates.

The Tom Yum soup I'd ordered came out piping hot. It was a clear broth and as a lunch time version came with fresh slices of chicken breast. Other proteins are available at dinner.

It was curiously clear without the orange aspect you expect. Tom Yum is traditionally cooked using roasted shrimp shells for flavour and colour. I was told, “we use only chicken stock”, so that explained it.

The menu indicated that it was seasoned with the traditional lemongrass and galangal but I couldn’t find those flavours in the broth. Rather than lime, I detected lemon juice, but the mushrooms were perfectly fresh and that was a rare moment. Too often old, funky mushrooms are used.

It was a nicely made soup, just not a traditional interpretation of a Thai classic. That was out of step with how good everything that followed would be.

The minced chicken spring rolls were fine and came with a house-made sweet chili that elevated the experience. I was served a side of Thai chopped chili sauce that I would pour over my Pad Thai. 

This sauce is called Prik Nam Pla and consists of fish sauce, lime juice, shallots, garlic, red and green bird chili and a tiny amount of sugar. No other Thai restaurant in Ottawa comes close to making this sauce so well. If you enjoy spice, you can buy bottles of this from Sweet Basil for home use. It goes well with everything, including breakfast eggs.

As mentioned, I do enjoy a little heat on my Pad Thai, but the version in front of me was so flavourful, that it didn’t need a boost.

They used a narrower, box-shaped noodle of superior quality that retained its toothsome resistance. When asked, they did admit that they use “small amounts of ketchup” in the sauce but I asked for it to be made without it. 

They were very accommodating and having been traditionally made, it turned out to be one of the better interpretations I’ve had in Ottawa. I strongly recommend you order yours this way as well. Get yours with prawns and be glad with how fresh, sweet and large they are.

I’m not accustomed to seeing lamb on a Thai menu, so I dove in with the spicy lamb sauteed with vegetables. 

The lamb was tender and robustly flavoured but I had the sense that some vegetables, notably the eggplant, had spent time in a pre-cut state, and had taken on a fridge taste.

Generally it was a good-tasting dish, but that off-taste was distracting. All that’s needed is greater care in prep work.

Next up was my favourite of all Thai noodle dishes: Pad Woon Sen. This is a noodle dish made with mung bean noodles, sometimes referred to as “glass noodles”. 

Strangely, it’s difficult to find Pad Woon Sen in many Thai eateries so when I see it, I need to give it a try.

I ordered mine with beef and while the flavour was nice, it was a little too firm.

The reason that I typically order such dishes with prawns is that it’s not common in Thai cuisine to velvetize proteins such as beef, chicken or pork. As a result, the meats tend to be tougher than I like. 

The rest of the dish was completely on point. The noodles had taken on the seasoning of the wok, giving them a smoky element and the vegetables were colourful and crisp.

Not long ago I had these same noodles at one of my favourite Thai places in Burnaby, B.C. – Chad Thai. The version served to me at Sweet Basil was just that much better. 

After 40 years Sweet Basil continues to impress with well-executed, bold and flavourful Thai food that doesn’t take a backseat to any restaurant in the category.

Their menu is diverse and adventurous enough to warrant repeat visits and if you’re going for that famous national dish, remember to request “No ketchup”.