Thursday, May 29, 2014

Holy galanga root: Let's eat at Hot Basil

Three Thursdays ago the club gathered for our May outing. Becky picked Hot Basil, a Thai joint out in Overland Park. I won't hold the Kansas against them too much.

Luke and I were the first to arrive with Grandpa and Beth right behind. We were led to our large table for eight, which was in a room all by itself. The vibe wasn't anything to write home about, but it is Kansas after all (sorry, I have to get in a few jabs).

The service was outstanding. Our server was attentive and informative, and best of all, our water glasses were consistently refilled--a must for spicy Thai dishes.

Several folks treated the group to different appetizers. Like Beth, I really enjoyed the spring rolls. The fried tofu and crab rangoons were good too.

At Thai places, I spring for the Thai iced tea. It's delicious--dessert in a glass, really--and serves as an effective extinguisher against the spicy heat. Hot Basil's version was terrific, and Luke must have agreed since he drank a quarter of mine.

Hot Basil offers lots of entrees, making for a difficult choice. I settled on the Thom Kha soup with tofu. The broth had a coconut milk base and was perfectly creamy and silky. Our server explained that medium-level hotness is what they consider "American spicy." I ordered the medium but felt a little weak (bring on the Thai hot! I can take it!), but it ended up being the right choice.

I have to say I've never had galanga root before: it floated in the soup and looked like shreds of bark. The soup was delicious so it must have provided great flavor.

I gave Hot Basil four stars.

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