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Basil Leaf Kitchen & Sports Lounge
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
3 reviews for Basil Leaf Kitchen & Sports Lounge
3 reviews in English
-
Review from Martin K.
Edmonton, AB
6/23/2011
I love basil leaf. Great modern decor, comfy booths, ample parking, great service, tasty food and low prices. Not many folks seem to know about it yet, go give it a try. One of the best Vietnamese places in town.
-
Review from Kristin K.
Edmonton, AB
I checked out Basil Leaf today with a girlfriend who was visiting from out of town because our go-to Vietnamese (Golden Bird) is closed for summer holidays.
I decided to give Basil Leaf a try after reading great reviews on from Martin & Paula!
We found the location easily but were a little disappointed that it was all meter parking out front at $2.50 an hour when 2 blocks away on 97th street in China Town parking is free. Oh well... plug the meter and let's go...
Upon entering Basil Leaf, we were pleasantly surprised by the modern decor - dark woods, open airy concept, silver accents - gorgeous bathrooms and a beautiful sports bar area that didn't look quite completed yet.
We were promptly greeted and seated at a lovely booth.
We decided to order Bun (Vermicelli Bowls) with grilled meats and spring rolls and an appetizer of Green Onion Cakes and a 1/2 order of Salad Rolls.
We shared an order of cooked to perfection Green Onion Cakes for $4.50 that came with sweet chili sauce. We did have to ask for more sauce as a tablespoon just wasn't going to cut it! The table came set with 3 kinds of hot sauce and a bottle of hoisson sauce.
We also shared a 1/2 order of Salad Rolls with pork and shrimp for $3.75. The Salad Rolls tasted fresh and full of flavor! The dipping sauce was lacking a little of the peanut flavor - tasted mostly like hoisson but none the less fresh and great for a warm summer's day.
Next - the main entree: I ordered #40 - Grilled Beef Vermicelli with Spring Rolls for $9.25.
The meat was EXCELLENT - grilled to perfection, sliced thin, and no fatty or grisel spots to be found! The spring rolls were average - better than some - but certainly not the giant ones we had been looking forward to at Golden Bird. The fish sauce wasn't seasoned that came with the meal - just standard and plain out of the bottle which was a little disappointing (good thing there were 4 sauces on the table for me to doctor it up a bit!).
Over all - the meal was extremely fresh, service was prompt, and the atmosphere was modern.
I would definitely visit Basil Leaf again when my go to place is closed on Sundays or away on summer holidays.
*I've uploaded pics of the restaurant, onion cakes, salad rolls, and Bun #40* -
Review from Paula K.
1/27/2010
At least two other restaurants have occupied this location, which has been renovated, renamed, and under new ownership. The place is huge and spacious, with lots of tables and booths. The lounge area is in the middle of the establishment, and is almost like a private room with lots of comfy chairs, a flat-screen television, and also a lot of space.
We dropped in the day after Basil Leaf's grand opening. The menus still smelled fresh from the printer. You will find a good variety of pretty much everything you would expect in a Vietnamese/Chinese restaurant, like pho noodle soups, noodle dishes, sizzling platters, and lots of different combinations of noodles, rice, vegetables, and meat (particularly beef, chicken, and pork).
I decided to try a beef noodle soup, the most basic kind of pho and one I always like to try early on when I am checking out a Vietnamese restaurant. I ordered it with medium well beef. The bowl brought to me contained an ample portion and tasted incredible. It was perfectly seasoned. The beef had already cooked through, but this to me is not a big deal (although I know it is to some picky pho lovers). What mattered more to me was that the beef was lean, tender, and plentiful.
My companion ordered a stir fried beef and noodle dish. The first thing we noticed was how large the plate was. It was huge! He could barely finish.
We started our meal with green onion cakes, a favourite appetizer of mine in Asian restaurants. They were light and crispy, with just the right amount of salt. One of the best onion cakes I have had in a while. They even brought it before our meal, and waited until we were finished before our mains were brought. Quite often I end up eating my onion cake for dessert.
The service was attentive, almost excessively so. The restaurant was mostly empty as it was not quite lunchtime yet and I think the staff needed something to do. We were brought takeout menus, repeatedly asked how everything was, brought a refill of tea, and a sample of kimchi, which was a nice touch even though I am not a huge fan of the spicy, pickled cabbage.
I expect that as word gets out about how great the food is at Basil Leaf, along with the service and reasonable prices, that it will become a popular Chinatown destination. I certainly hope so.
