Lao heaven at Holy Basil, Canley Heights

The destination:

Cabramatta’s quieter cousin Canley Heights for Lao/Thai food at Holy Basil.

The vibe:
Let’s just say this place could have been transported straight from Crown Street, Surry Hills to far flung suburban Sydney. Gorgeous, mod-Asian decor (gold buddha statues, a wall of mortar and pestles, splashes of hot pink), a bar, open kitchen, outdoor seating for a post-meal Toby’s Estate…If this is the new face of southwest Sydney, I think some more weekend excursions are in order!

The eats:
The menu features Lao specialities with some old faithful Thai dishes (yum, but yawn). We ate nam tok (a Lao beef salad laden with fresh herbs), kai yang (Lao charcoal grilled chicken), Lao sausage and steaming hot sticky rice served in individual baskets.

The verdict:
The price is right though some say high for the area (most dishes are in the $10-15 range), the decor is gorgeous, the service swift and the food, amazing. The soft Lao sausage fragrant with lemongrass and kaffir lime was my favourite. If only it was a little closer to home. Closer than Laos, at least!

Holy Basil, 233A Canley Vale Road, Canley Heights, tel: 02 9727 7585

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6 Responses

  1. Travel Tips for Asia September 3, 2011 / 11:38 pm

    Kai yang is incredible, but how does the Canley Heights version compare to a little village on the Mekong? Up to scratch?

  2. devoured September 5, 2011 / 2:38 pm

    A bit less rustic?! Tastewise, up to scratch! Just a different type of ambience πŸ™‚

  3. thang@noodlies September 27, 2011 / 8:37 am

    Oooh you’ve been to Holy Basil.. it’s kinda my local πŸ™‚

  4. devoured September 27, 2011 / 8:46 am

    Thang – lucky you, you get to go all the time! It’s one of the best places I’ve been in ages, I absolutely loved it.

  5. excusemewaiter October 20, 2011 / 9:14 pm

    Holy Basil has amazing fried icecream – you should try it out next time!

  6. devoured October 21, 2011 / 10:00 am

    thanks for the tip – we didn’t have dessert but will next time!

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