Le Basil

Superior to it's surroundings is Le Basil, set at the end of a
neighborhood shopping center. It's unadorned interior sets a
simple, but classy tone, while the pressed paper menus and live
orchids that sit strikingly on tables are the details that many
restaurants overlook, or don't want to invest in, but every customer
notices. Earth tones and healthy greenery make pleasant
surroundings for a stress free lunch, while added candlelight in the
evenings creates a romantic mood. Plum Wine, Cold Saki or an
amazing glass of Fresh Coconut Juice are all great beginnings.
Much of the food is timid, needing the attention of salt, but there are
a few dishes that deserve their place on the menu. One being the
Garlic Salted Shrimp, breaded and fried till golden, then lightly
sauteed with garlic, scallions and sliced jalapenos. It's an excellent
dish, but meager on the portions. I recommend that any meal here
should include the Table Grilled Beef or Shrimp which turns the
whole meal into an event. A small hibachi grill is lit at the table,
followed by a neatly arranged plate of raw meat, sliced onions and
pats of butter. Another plate is piled high with lettuce, julienne
carrots, cucumbers, mint leaves, bean sprouts and cilantro, and still
another with extremely fine rice paper. Those participating prepare
the hot grill with butter and add the meat and onions. Meanwhile
the rice paper, which is a bit cumbersome to separate from the rest
of the stack, is carefully laid out on your plate, and vegetables of
choice are put on next, and finally the grilled meat and onions. It's
then all rolled up and dipped in "Nuac Chom" a light, flavorful sauce,
and a necessary part of this tasty appetizer. Grilled Shrimps is also
a good choice, served over thin patties of vermicelli noodles topped
with scallion oil and sprinkled with ground peanuts. With the liking
I've taken to salt lately the Crab Claw Wrap was the perfect to place
to sprinkle it on, only if you order it with the sweet & sour sauce
they use to serve it with rather than the peanut sauce they pair it
with now. The crab claws are wrapped in shrimp paste, breaded and
deep fried. The Curry was very good, a creamy sweet soup style
dish with yellow curry, coconut milk, sliced onions, chunks of potato
with a choice of chicken or tofu. Seared Scallops with Shrimp Chips
were tender and sweet, but robbed of the flavor that a searing at a
higher temperature could have offered, but the shrimp chips were
tasty. The Stuffed Squid pan fried and filled with minced chicken,
mushrooms and bean thread noodles really needed salt, but my
husband gave it a thumbs up as well as the Le Basil Steak,
marinated and sliced, set on a bed of lettuce and covered in onions
and a light clear sauce. I didn't like at all the Chicken with
Lemongrass, Chicken Sate, Pork on Skewer or the Chicken Teriyaki.
I don't know what it's going to take to remedy them, but the meat in
all of these dishes were so dry. Other dishes that didn't impress me
included the Grape Leaves Rolled with Beef, Sweet and Sour Pork
and the Chicken Salad which had a great dressing, but was rather
boring and could have used the crunch of fried wonton strips. Cha
gio - Deep Fried Spring Rolls were a bit dryer than I've enjoyed at
other places. The hot and crunchy spring rolls are to be wrapped in
lettuce with a sprig of cilantro or mint leaves and then dipped in the
nuac chom. The Rice Vermicelli with Deep Fried Spring Rolls - Bun
Cha Gio, fresh raw vegetables, nuoc cham sauce, and ground
peanuts is tasty as well as healthy and though the Le Basil Fried
Rice had a variety of meats; chicken, shrimp, barbecue pork and
Chinese sausages, I like better the Com Chien - Fried Rice which is
stir-fried with onion, scallions, egg, snow peas and soy sauce and a
choice of meat, I order mine with only those sweet Chinese
sausages, which elevates rice to new heights, trust me on this one!
Probably my most favorite thing here and isn't on the menu is Phad
See You with extra wide flat egg-noodles sauteed with scrambled
egg, broccoli and choice of meat in a deliciously deep sauce. I like
mine with just egg and noodle, no meat or broccoli. Man is this
good! This needs to be a regular menu item. Desserts aren't a
highlight here, but a light Flan does the trick. All in all the dishes
here are made with much reservation, needing more salt and spice,
but the ingredients are fresh, the presentation wonderful and it's
served by such a pleasant staff. I keep coming.

Open for lunch Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and
dinner seven days a week starting at 5:00 p.m.

An extra bonus for locals, they deliver! Though there is no delivery
charge on orders over $30, be sure to still tip that 15-20%.

Located at 1574 Barton Road in Redlands.

Telephone (909) 793-7337