Calgary Hidden Gems – Green Basil
- June 21, 2016
- By Cody Battershill
Calgary Hidden Gems – Green Basil
Instead of a restaurant review I have chosen to name Green Basil – a Vietnamese and Thai fusion restaurant on Macleod Trail SW – one of Calgary’s hidden gems. Why, might you ask?
First things first; this food and drink establishment is about as hidden as it gets from the main street, being tucked away beside Marquee Nightclub and behind another building so you don’t see it driving by on Macleod Trail at all.
Hence, this place is for sure a hidden gem you have to check out – literally. Also see our Best Calgary Vietnamese Pho Restaurants today.
Location
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Green Basil is definitely one of the best pho restaurants along Macleod Trail between Chinook Centre and downtown Calgary. Also see the Best Calgary Shopping Malls today.
With that said, it is well worth a drive north from Chinook a few blocks, and even to hop off the LRT at 39th Avenue SW station and walk a few blocks south to indulge in its cuisine.
It’s best if you turn right onto 46th Avenue SW heading north on Macleod Trail and drive straight east for a few hundred feet – you’ll see it on your left. If coming south, turn left onto 46th Avenue SW and you’ll be in the same standing.
Our Order
#23 – Sate Beef Noodle Soup (Large) - $9.95
A generously sized bowl of the house spicy sate beef pho soup, rice vermicelli, onions and strips of lean beef served with bean sprouts, basil and lime slices.
I really enjoyed the quality of the beef in this bowl of soup. Some restaurants are hit and miss when it comes to the beef that they use, either because it is over cooked or simply low quality, but Green Basil had the beef down pat.
#33 – Charbroiled Pork, Sate Beef, Chicken & Spring Rolls on Vermicelli - $11.95
Vietnamese bun (dry dish), served with lettuce and fish oil sauce as a topping.
My lunch partner was ever so gracious to let me try a few bites of his #33. A few things I noticed was the freshness of the spring rolls – almost as if they were just handmade and fried (maybe!) – as well as the quality of the chicken and sate beef.
Absolutely no gristle and entirely lean! Mixed in with the fish oil, rice vermicelli and lettuce at the bottom of the bowl, this is the perfect healthy meal rich in nutrients, protein and moderate carbohydrates.
Other Food Options
Vietnamese isn’t the only authentic cuisine you’ll find on the menu at Green Basil. Of more than 150 items, I’d say about 100 or so are Vietnamese and the rest Thai. Throughout its pages you’ll find Thai classics like:
- (#12) – thai spicy salad with your choice of meat (chicken, beef, shrimp)
- (#87) – beef with mushroom, zucchini & onion in black pepper sauce
- (#94) - cashew chicken with pineapple, pepper and onion entrée
Thai cuisine is known for its bold spicy and fruity flavours – I highly recommend trying any of Green Basil’s Thai dishes that get your taste buds watering. Each is displayed in their distinctive Thai name accompanied with an English description below.
All in all, Green Basil’s menu is one of the most all-inclusive ones I have seen at any Vietnamese restaurant in the city.... you got to check this Calgary hidden gem out!
More Hidden Gems
Green Basil
- Address - 4640 Macleod Trail SW, Calgary, AB
- Phone Number – 403-287-2622
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