CJ smitten by "continental" Basa

[Robin Garr]

As hot a ticket as Basa has become, I'm a little surprised that it took Marty so long to get there after its March opening, but he makes up for lost time with a solid (606 words) well-honed review that's all but totally positive; he fairly criticizes the use of filet mignon in the beef <i>pho</i>, a Vietnamese soup that would benefit from a more flavorful, less tender cut, and the "bland" broth it comes in; he seems a bit more nitpicky with the complaint that the menu calls the dish "beef soup" rather than "pho." In his dissertation on Basa's "continental" style versus French-accented Saigon cuisine, he misses the more obvious comparison with West Coast Vietnamese-fusion icons like San Francisco's Slanted Door. It's a good review, though, accurately depicting a justly popular Frankfort Avenue spot; Marty bestows three stars, a bit short of the 90-point rating I gave Basa in my April 25, 2007 review.

[url=http://cityguide.courier-journal.com/fe/RestaurantReviews/Profile.asp?businessid=47428]A truly continental bistro
Vietnamese techniques, flavors flourish at Basa[/url]

<B>Basa Modern Vietnamese</B>
2244 Frankfort Ave.
(502) 896-1016
http://www.basarestaurant.net/

Based on the text, I thought the place would merit no more than a "good" (2.5 stars) rating. In addition to dissing the pho/beef noodle soup, he generally disses the mussel dish, too.

His experience mirrors my own. I thought the place was uncomfortably loud (a Friday evening), such that conversation between dining companions became a screamfest and made us rush through our meal so we could get out. I had the beef noodle soup and am less forgiving than Marty is about its total lack of flavor. I don't agree with the glowing reviews of the place, but we'll return on a weeknight and try to make better menu selections.

While a good review, I don't quite agree with Marty's nitpicking of the pho and mussel bowl. There is nothing bland about the pho at all in my mind, or tongue, rather. Personally, I don't want my mussels swimming in anything after they're out of the ocean. The sauce poured over them is enough, with the remainder going into the pita bowl and the bottom, leaving you with something to dip the bread in.

but hey, it's all one person's taste. I just happened to like both of those dishes.