April 6, 2011: Sweetness Basil

Cindy in addition to I were swanning roughly South Yarra in addition to took the chance to endeavour out Cheap Eats' recommended vegetarian house for the inner-south: Sweet Basil Thai Cuisine. Unlike many Thai places where 'vegetarian' may good hateful "includes fish sauce in addition to shrimp powder", Sweet Basil are on move past times of our meat-free requirements. They've got a specific vegetarian department inwards their carte du jour amongst to a greater extent than than 20 options to direct from.

The house itself is fitted out amongst a fighting to a greater extent than flat than the fluoro Ying Thai (or indeed many of the inexpensive in addition to cheerful Thai places roughly Melbourne). They were really serenity past times the fourth dimension nosotros turned upward in addition to then the service was highly attentive - H2O spectacles were topped upward equally presently equally we'd sipped from them in addition to everything arrived speedily.

We decided to only convey an entree in addition to a top dog betwixt the ii of us, starting amongst the the Tofu Tord (lightly fried tofu served amongst a crushed peanut in addition to plum sauce, $8.90).

The sauce that came amongst this was an fantabulous combination of sweet, tangy in addition to peanut flavours, but I would convey liked to convey it soak into the tofu a fighting to a greater extent than somehow. Dipping didn't actually move that good - the frying of the tofu chunks had given them a crispy in addition to impermeable skin.

We went amongst faux-meat for our main, if solely because it's rare to detect a Thai house that has anything other than tofu (aside from the fantabulous Peace Harmony inwards Sydney of course). The mock-duck served inwards a cerise curry sauce amongst vegies in addition to lychees ($21.90) was in all likelihood only adequate.

Wu-Chung canned duck, in addition to the curry itself was a trivial on the sweetness side for my tastes. The lychees were an interesting demeanour upon but I recollect I'd to a greater extent than frequently than non prefer a slightly sharper flavor than what Sweet Basil were serving up.  To endure fair, nosotros didn't specify a spice flat in addition to then they were in all likelihood going slowly on us only inwards case.

Sweet Basil is the virtually veg-friendly Thai house we've been to inwards Melbourne in addition to is clearly shooting for a classier Thai sense than virtually other local options. Still, at $20+ for a main, I was hoping for something a fighting to a greater extent than impressive. We'll in all likelihood laissez passer on it some other shot, if solely to sample from the broad array of choices.

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There's only i spider web log review of Sweet Basil out there, a positive write-up from A-Pluz.

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Sweet Basil Thai Cuisine
209 Commercial Road, South Yarra
9827 3390
licensed amongst BYO vino only
veg entrees $8.90, mains $15.90-$21.90
http://www.sweetbasil.com.au/index.html

Accessibility: Looks proficient - a apartment entry, plenty infinite in addition to tabular array service.

The Sweetwater Inn Iii

January 2016: The Sweetwater Inn closed inwards Oct 2015, although at that topographic point are promises that they'll reopen somewhere else inwards the not-too-distant future. 

March 8, 2014

We establish ourselves inwards South Yarra on Sabbatum in addition to took the chance to revisit The Sweetwater Inn. We got at that topographic point pretty early on in addition to establish things pumping along - the outdoor surface area was full, the bar loaded in addition to every spare tabular array was reserved. Luckily, they could offering us a corner topographic point provided nosotros could consume in addition to deed on inwards a twain of hours. We were in.

The bill of fare has changed since our concluding see - the pie floater is sadly departed, every bit is the ham steak. The BBQ prawns remain, every bit create the fish in addition to chips in addition to the rissole sandwich, amongst the 2 novel dishes that nosotros sampled. First upwards the smoked BBQ chicken, char-grilled in addition to basted with a BBQ glaze ($18). The chicken was really like to the mock-meat that the Cornish Arms base of operations their parmas around, but the glaze kicked things upwards a notch in addition to the tangy bbq sauce was smoky in addition to delicious. Each primary comes with 2 sides (choose from chips, coleslaw, Irish Gaelic patato salad in addition to garden salad) - nosotros both loved the loving cup o' chips, which were perfectly crispy.

Our minute primary was the pulled mushroom blend lamb roll, a shredded mock lamb coated inwards a pasty BBQ beetroot sauce with coleslaw on soft damper bun ($15 - there's a double version for $20 too).

This reminded me of the lamb that Madame K purpose inwards their massman curry - it's quite a meaty rendition, with the stringiness of the 'pulled' version adding slightly off-putting realism. It was pretty great, although it's a fleck much to endure paying $15 for a smallish mock-meat roll.

The Sweetwater Inn create the Americana/Australiana combo pretty good - there's loads of hot sauce varieties, lots of kitschy decorations (including stuffed birds in addition to bull horns, which mightiness position around people off) in addition to a bill of fare amount of classic mock-meat based dishes. The staff are lovely in addition to the make of booze impressive (their ain Sweetwater Lager is a pretty decent beer option), but it's busy, noisy in addition to a fleck on the pricey side. We're Sweetwater enthusiasts, but with the Cornish Arms much to a greater extent than conveniently located we'll likely stick to our electrical flow schedule of a twain of visits a year.

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You tin read nigh our previous visits to the Sweetwater Inn here in addition to here. Since so the vegan bill of fare has had a adept write-up Vegan Bullsh*t (twice!) in addition to positive reviews from Fig in addition to Walnut.

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The Sweetwater Inn

1/60 Bray St, South Yarra

0402 532 578

current menu

facebook page

Accessibility: There are iii steps upwards every bit yous enter. Things are reasonably good spread out, with seating a mix of high stools, depression chairs in addition to kegs. This fourth dimension nosotros bought drinks at the high bar, ordered nutrient at our table, in addition to returned to the bar to pay. We didn't see the toilets.