It was an eerily familiar setting. There was a bar with circular seating, a dining area reminiscent of a ‘60s diner and the iconic front window that lets all of Marshall Street catch a fleeting glimpse of Syracuse history.

A new restaurant, Sweet Basil, resurrected the old building where Cosmo’s Pizza & Grill, sadly, served its last meal. But while the bones may be the same, the soul of the restaurant is very different.

I was pretty much the only customer in Sweet Basil when I went for lunch this week. Even though it was early for lunch, I wouldn’t blame people for walking right past this place. I did. Other than the Sweet Basil sign sitting where the old Cosmo’s sign used to be, there isn’t much to help distinguish this place from the other stores on Marshall Street.

Inside, everything was exactly as it had been previously, except that the color scheme was toned way down with black and dark red just about everywhere. The nightclub feel was enhanced with the music, which was either a Vietnamese or Thai melodic tune. Other than some bamboo curtains on the back wall, there wasn’t much else to give Sweet Basil its own identity.

I had scaled back my expectations before even walking in. Sweet Basil just opened up on Marshall Street in the beginning of September, after moving locations from Mattydale. Over the past four years, it had acquired a strong and loyal following, serving tasty Thai and Vietnamese cuisine. With this move, SU students now have an authentic Southeast Asian restaurant at their doorstep.

But for this next week, it is still somewhat of a soft opening. The new staff is being trained, the decor adjusted and most significantly, the menu is abbreviated.
There were only 11 items on the menu, including three drinks: Vietnamese coffee, hot tea and soft drinks.

Items that made the menu were standard Thai and Vietnamese fare: fresh basil spring rolls, barbequed meat satay, a Vietnamese sandwich called banh mi, pho and three different curries. With limited options, I opted for the banh mi, pho and gaeng-keow-wan.

A bahn mi sandwich is a beautiful marriage of French and Vietnamese. French bread and homemade mayonnaise are paired with pickled carrots, daikon radishes and long strands of cilantro. Cucumbers alleviate the saltiness brought on by the main attraction of the dish: pork. Sweet Basil put pan-roasted pork, Vietnamese sausage and grilled pork together in perfect harmony. The sandwich was perfect and a good introduction for the rest of the meal.
The pho, a rice noodle-based soup with meat and herbs, was also pleasant. Sweet Basil makes its broth from beef bones, flank steak, charred onions, ginger and spices. The broth had a flavorful punch, similar to a good ramen broth. As for the meat, the soup had brisket and meatballs, which were covered by the garnish of Thai basil, bean sprouts and onions. The dish came together nicely and was very substantial.

The final dish was a delicious green curry. Coconut milk and green curry paste made up the sauce, with carrots, tofu and beef rounding out my entrée. Served steaming hot over rice, there wasn’t much wrong with this dish.

My only criticism is that the rice and curry could have been served separately. I like to mix curry and rice together by myself, just to control the proportions of each. I also think separating them would have made more room in the curry for vegetables. But spot-on flavors and taste made up for these small blemishes.

The entire experience, which was already enjoyable, was brought home with friendly and accommodating service. The wait staff struck up casual conversations, and always seemed to have a smile on their faces.

What makes Sweet Basil exciting is that so far, I’ve only had a cursory glimpse of it. A menu with a handful of selections wasn’t too exciting, but every dish was perfect. It’s too early to tell, but Sweet Basil could be a hit. And given the previous tenant’s track record, I have a feeling it may be around for a while.

Published on September 22, 2014 at 12:01 am

Contact Rohan: rythakor@syr.edu