Sweet Basil Cafe
chekkasan, Tue Jan 16 2007, 10:38PM

Jose and I went to this restaurant over the MLK weekend because I didn't think it had been "discovered" by the tourist yet. We walked right in and sat down. I ordered the Sweet Basil Mojito (excellent) $8. At this point, from the butcher paper table "cloth", I deduced that there would be crayons near by.
For lunch we had Hot Pressed Panini Sandwiches with the Mista salad with pistacios, if I'm not mistaken.
My French Dip with Roast Beef, Swiss cheese, grilled onions on ciabatta bread (comes with horseradish aioli spread) Surf? Au jus was delicious. My only issue was that it came out on a stone cold plate. $8
Jose had the Black Forest Ham, Swiss cheese, on chibatta. (Dijon aioli) $7 He also enjoyed his panini.

Corona $4

We will go back for lunch again. The food was delicious and they have a bloody mary on the drink menu....

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
Craig (KJ6BCM), Tue Jan 16 2007, 10:40PM

Sounds DELICIOUS Chekka. Undiscovered or even unheard of by me. Where is this place??? Hungry people want to know!

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
chekkasan, Tue Jan 16 2007, 10:41PM

Oh Blake, they have a hot pressed 3 cheese panini- Swiss, Mozzarella, and provalone on sliced sour dough. $7

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
Around The Lake, Tue Jan 16 2007, 11:29PM

where is this place?

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
surfy, Sat Jan 20 2007, 11:00AM

Sweet Basil...Sweet Basil...I've seen it somewhere. Where was it, Chekka?

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
cricket, Sat Jan 20 2007, 12:23PM

is it in fawnskin?

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
, Sat Jan 20 2007, 01:06PM

Below the Bowling Barn where El Jacalito #423 was.....geez!

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
cricket, Sat Jan 20 2007, 02:44PM

geeze yourself....how was i suppose to know that?

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
, Sat Jan 20 2007, 03:46PM

Read the paper! I think Danielle mentioned it too....Just kidding ya Nancy!

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
chekkasan, Sat Jan 20 2007, 05:18PM

No, BBB it was KK who started a thread cafe or new bistro or something...

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
Juliann, Sun Apr 22 2007, 09:01AM

wow, Sweet Basil Bistro is great! It's right under the bowling alley. Was taken there yesterday by a full-timer who has been there for lunch many times. Excellent food. I had the hot pressed panini also, the black forest ham and swiss cheese one which comes with a little salad, either green or pasta. the prices are so low for unique food. I'm going to tell many people about this one!

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
surfy, Sun Apr 22 2007, 09:25AM

It'll be our first stop on the next trip up. It sounds just delicious!!

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
KK, Sun Apr 22 2007, 09:48AM



OH great, blame me! :p

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
snowave, Sun Apr 22 2007, 11:14AM

I need to make a rule to NOT open the food threads when I'm hungry... of course, then I'd never open tham at all!

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
snowave, Sat Jun 16 2007, 12:45PM

any more info on this place? Is it still there, still good? might try to hit it up when we come up next week

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
idunno, Sat Jun 16 2007, 02:56PM

Stiil there...still good

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
snowave, Fri Jun 29 2007, 12:38AM

Well, we hit it up today for lunch..

excellent food, very attentive service, decent prices for yes, somewhat unique food, and fair portions.

Slightly upscale for BB, but not fancy by any means.. we had alot fo fun with the crayons adn paper tablecloths!

My wife had the riccota ravioli with bolgenese sauce... HOLY COW was it good! We both agreed the sauce was one of teh best we'd ever had. It was a robust meat sauce with some wonderful spices.. the ravioli was also excellent.. good size portion for $11.

I had the Albacore Panini with a small salad.. the salad was small, but it was excellent, with even a little kick to it. I got the blue cheese dressing instead of the standar vinagrette.

The bread was fantastic, tuna very tasty with capers and some other spices.. I actually prefer my tuna sandwhiches to be made with a little more mayonaise, but this was still a very good sandwhich.. it was also good size, with the small salad, for $8.

Bottom line.. if you want a nice little sit down place with a touch of class with above avg food for fair price, this is a must go to in BB!

Dinner menu looked excellent.. will be saved for next time!
---------------------------------- -------------------------
El Jacalito review...

Accomodating and rather quick service, decent food and drinks, nice atmosphere.

Of course we all met here Tuesday for the little GTG..

After standing around for a few minutes, they moved some tables together for us in the bar area.

Nice atmosphere and rather airy (ok, I sat by the door)..

Cammy and myself were slightly distracted at times thanks to the snowboarding scenes on the big screen for a FUEL episode..

Drinks..

Me and Craigifer had the blended mango margs.. Mine wasn't really up to my standards.. rather fake mago flavor.. but for $6.99 and a big old golblet, I was fairly satisfied. After dinner, I had some kind of chocolate girly drink.. after which making the rounds, someone up Swilda's way ordered one. Very good drink, but it was more like a dessert!

Denver and the Lady had the famous Lava Flows.. according to the Mary, it was better than any she had in Hawaii during our honeymoon.

Food... I had the Carnitas.. Wife had the nachos..

My carnitas were very good.. unfortunately, I had to improvise and go to the salsa bar to liven up my little taco's that I like to make.. there wasnt't much to put on them that was on my plate (a small touch of guac, and sour cream).. bean and rice were about your standard mexican food quality, IMO.

Lady's nachos were OK.. they kinda burned the top of them and the cheese was brown.. but they tasted pretty good according to her.

Craig got some shrimp fajitas that looked and smelled awesome.. He was a bit too attentive, so I was unable to swipe a shrimp at any time.

Bottom Line.. I'd go again for a little atmosphere and decent mexi food.. but not the best I've ever had. Slightly above avg prices for fairly decent portions, IMO.. but it is BB after all. The company made up for the imperfections in the food!

Service was very good IMO.
------------------------------ -----------------------------
La Montana

Never been before, but heard alot about it.. we stopped by after golf for a few drinks and apps.

Free nachos and salsa.. I actually really liked the salsa.. we also ordered some guac, which was not bad at all.. but it was pure avacodo.. so I tossed in some salsa and did the chip stir.

beer.. well, it was Coors Light- ala KK.. so not much to say about that.

Mary ordered a pitcher of Strawberry Margaritas.. well, that's been covered in an other thread.

We got some tacos.. the beef were 99 cents.. Jibbery got one of those, but not sure what the verdict was.

the rest of us got a chicken and shrimp.. I thought I heard these were $1.25 each, but I think they were a little more and Jeff took the tab on those. thanks, buddy!

the shrimp tacos were excellent!!

service.. well, I think the guy tending bar was on Meth..

bottom line.. I dunno.. the verdict's out. but it was a fun little happy hour after a hard afternoon of Bmath.. err.. I mean, gofling! :p

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
Ridelikethewind, Sun Feb 24 2008, 09:04PM

Went here for a late dinner last weekend. Still YUMMY! They are very nice and accommodated us even though it was close to closing and they had a LARGE group come in minutes ahead of us. Still, they were friendly and attentive. The food was WONDERFUL as always!!

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
Ernest T. Bass, Sat Jun 21 2008, 01:26PM

Wow reviving and oldie.
Snuck UTH yesterday to check on the lot and see how my money was spent by the City hall in BBL.
So the city is wasting my money but lunch was worth the ride.
Lunch at the Bristo and Loved it, I had pressed chick, wife had grilled 3 cheese and MIL had mac and cheese, excelant food, we will go back.

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
Ernest T. Bass, Sun Nov 30 2008, 03:01PM

Been a while since any one has been here?
Took my wife here Saturday after we dropped off her mom, still great food.

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
SocalMan, Mon May 25 2009, 08:08PM

I am determined to hit Sweet Basil the next time we are uth. So, I need your recommendations as to what are your favorite dishes there.

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
Craig (KJ6BCM), Tue May 26 2009, 08:32AM

I really enjoyed the Italian Meatloaf.

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
Debbie Doodah, Wed Jul 01 2009, 09:07PM

We went to Sweet Basil Cafe after happy hour tonight. I guess I had really high expectations. It was ok, not anything special.

I had meatloaf and it really didn't have much flavor (I make killer meatloaf, so it is hard to top ). Vern had a salad, how can you goof up a salad, but it was expensive. Jake had macaroni and cheese that he said was good. Best part was the donuts for dessert.

We may go back for lunch to try the panini's, but probably won't do dinner again.

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
chekkasan, Tue Jul 28 2009, 10:16AM

The lunch menu is where it's at Debbie. The panninis rock. I recommend the Portabello mushroom sandwich pannini with the mixta salad.

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
Around The Lake, Tue Jul 28 2009, 08:57PM

My MOM use to make the best Meatloaf at times like this I realy miss her.

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
Ernest T. Bass, Sun Oct 11 2009, 05:19PM

reliving this one
We were starving on Saturday and I was running around BB trying to get stuff for the house when my phone rings and wife says go pick up dinner at Basil's so I go over and find she did not order, (miss communication) so I order and 10 minutes later I'm out of there on my way home.
EXCELENT food again!!

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
Debbie Doodah, Sun Oct 11 2009, 07:37PM



Homemade meatloaf is on the menu for tomorrow at the Nak house. Come on down Todd.

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
corky, Wed Dec 16 2009, 10:35AM

Sweet Basil is one of our favorite restaurants. I have the same problem there that I had when it was Jacalito's. They are soo busy, that I feel rushed. No one in the restaurant makes me feel that way, but it is a problem I have put upon myself, I guess. Food is Really Really good, service is excellent.

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
Ernest T. Bass, Tue Sep 28 2010, 07:17AM

So I really use to like it here, the last 3 times, not so much.
As i did like them I gave them a few chances, well this time our food was cold when we got it and the table being servrd when we got there had to send their food back because it was cold, the service was so-so and our food was just OK, not what we were use to.
Guess I'll wait a long time before I go back

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
Craig (KJ6BCM), Wed Sep 29 2010, 05:36PM

They probably just had a bad night Bkap. I have eaten there several times in the past year or so (not recently however). Maybe its time for me to go back again and see how it is.

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
Gruuv, Mon Mar 12 2012, 10:29AM

I'll resurrect this thread again...we went here last night and actually had a great meal. We had great service and really good food. Even my 2 year old ate all of his mac and cheese




Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
Juliann, Mon Mar 12 2012, 10:39AM



That's exactly what I have, Chekka.... Excellent! : )

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
Gutter Duster, Sat Mar 17 2012, 02:02PM

Went there last week and the food was great, but the only problem we ran into was that we had reservations at 5pm. They had a special of Steak and Lobster. Three of us ordered it, the waiter came back a few moments later and said "Sorry, we only have 2 lobsters left. "It's 5pm" the dinner time just started and you or out of this item all ready, this was a special item, not on their regular menu. We will go back, it just something that should not have happened that early in the evening...IMHO...

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
Craig (KJ6BCM), Sat Mar 17 2012, 07:48PM

I have to go back to this place. Have only been maybe twice since it opened and I enjoyed it both times. The Italian Meatloaf with garlic mashed potatoes or orzo pasta is one of my favs there.

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
Mountainlover, Sat Mar 17 2012, 08:15PM

We try to eat here as often as we can, it is really good. We know Sean the sous chef there and they really do an amazing job. We had butternut squash raviolis there once that was a special and they were soooo good we asked why weren't they on the menu!!

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
SocalMan, Wed Dec 26 2012, 09:06AM

My daughter gave us certificates for Sweet Basil for Christmas. She was recently up at our place and was out somewhere and asked someone in a shop in the village for a recommendation on the best place in the valley to eat. Looks like we will finally give it a try soon!

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
NShore.Allen, Wed Dec 26 2012, 10:52AM

now I'm hungry. We will have to try this one.

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
SocalMan, Sat Feb 16 2013, 08:03AM

We finally actually ate there last night. One time looked at the lunch menu and it just wasn't what we were after (wanted something more fast food-ish), another time it was too crowded and we did not want to wait, Well, let me say it was outstanding! I had a meatball and cabbage soup that was fantastic. My wife had chicken marsalla over garlic mashed potatoes and I went for chicken piccata on pasta. The vegetable of the bay was broccoli and perfectly cooked and lightly seasoned. We finished up sharing a creme brulle. Our service was excellent. We will return! We have added another restaurant to our list of Big Bear favorites.

Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
MartinQ, Mon Mar 11 2013, 09:31AM




Re: Sweet Basil Cafe
BootsNBridles, Tue Mar 12 2013, 06:49AM

Anytime a restaurant is successful it means reservations are recommended! :-) Can't blame them for staying within their budget... We make reservations weeks ahead!