Sweet Basil Bistro
1866 Upper Water St
About
Of the waterfront's many highbrow and lowbrow spots, Sweet Basil might be my very favorite. It has the casual feel of a local trattoria, but the elegant menu transcends the limited regional offerings you might expect. The chef somehow manages to meld Thai influences, pasta, cream sauces, and local seafood cooked in fusion style without going overboard, resulting in truly interesting creations: a bouillabaisse of lobster, scallops, mussels, shrimp, and haddock, for example; pork tenderloin with a crab-apple butter; pistachio-crusted chicken breast with chèvre, pears, and basil cream; a Guinness-brined rack of lamb; vanilla-poached salmon; a cocoa-and-chili-dusted steak with brandy cream; and a partridgeberry-stuffed duck breast with a white truffle demi-glace. Desserts such as a warmed apple cake, Nova Scotia blueberry cheesecake, a caramelized banana split over a coconut macaroon, a raspberry mousse torte with white-chocolate shavings, or a Grand Marnier-flavored chocolate pâté make very fitting finishes. A recent addition to this winner is the weekend brunch, from 10am to 3pm Saturdays and Sundays: Look for crepes, breakfast burritos, egg dishes, fish cakes, and a hearty brioche French toast filled with pears, walnuts, and brie -- all for just C$10 (US$9/£5) per person.
