Restaurant Review: Red Basil Thai Bistro – Utah

red thai1If you’re looking for a good Thai restaurant on the south-west side of Salt Lake, check out Red Basil Thai Bistro on 9000 South and 1600 West.

Their review on UrbanSpoon show that most patrons enjoy the curries… I have to agree that their curries are better than their noodle dishes. I’ve previously eaten at Red Basil Thai for a business lunch and the Pad Si Ew… it was ewwww and I won’t get it again. It was toooily and not flavorful enough.

For dinner, their Pad Thai was pretty good. I’m glad that my friend, Becki, ordered with extra veggies because it added fresh crispness to the noodles.
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The Massaman Curry with chicken was really flavorful with the perfect creaminess. (VEGAN TIP: When your dinner companion wants meat, just go with it and eat around the meat. Makes for more comfortable dining experience.)

The Tom Kha Soup was loaded with yummy veggies and tofu chunks… perfect way to keep the winter chill away. This was one of the better tom kha’s that I’ve eaten over the years.

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What I don’t like about Red Basil Thai Bistro: Their service is slow. It was great for a leisurely
 paced dinner out with friends, but the slow service bugs for a quick business lunch. Apparently other people have this same problem too, according to UrbanSpoon.

Recipe: Cauliflower white bean soup

bean soupOne of the best parts about eating vegan, is healthy soup. I love having soup on hand and usually cook one soup per week which allows for yummy left-overs throughout a busy week. This soup is great to make ahead and freeze some for future use, if it lasts that long!

Yield: 4 quarts

INGREDIENTS:

1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon Organic No-Salt Seasoning
1 tablespoon black pepper, use 1 teaspoon if you don’t like heat
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes, use 1 teaspoon if you don’t like heat
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cup carrots, sliced into 1/4″ rounds
4 stalks celery, sliced into 1/4-1/2″ pieces
2-32 oz containers of vegetable stock, I used Rachael Ray’s
5 medium red potatoes, 1/4″ dice
2-15 oz. cans low-sodium white beans, rinsed
2-14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes, or 2 lb fresh diced tomatoes

DIRECTIONS:

On medium-high heat, water sauté onion and garlic. Add broth and all other ingredients, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove bay leaves. Using high-powered blender, blend 1/3-1/2 of soup to a creamy consistency. (RECOMMENDATION: Allow the soup to cool for at least 30 minutes before blending because it will explode out of the blender and make a huge mess, trust me. Usually I’ll cook the soup in the morning and allow to sit on the stove top to cool down. Then, at lunch time, I’ll blend.) Add the blended portion back to the rest of the soup, with the bay leaves, stir and heat through. If you aren’t going to eat immediately, then don’t reheat. Put in your containers for freezer or refrigerator.

Serve with green salad for a hearty vegan meal. Bon appetit!