Put Franklin's Sweet Basil on Your Map

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Sometimes I find myself searching for good restaurants by setting filters on my Google Map and going solely by reviews. That’s how I found Sweet Basil located at 6509 S. 27th Street B and the reviews are right—this place is five stars.

Unassumingly sitting in the corner of a small strip mall surrounded by huge retailers like Home Depot and Sam’s Club, Sweet Basil is small but mighty. Walking in, I was convinced this place had to be a franchise as it was beautifully decorated in perfect Millennial aesthetic with colorful Southeast Asian accents.

Approaching the ordering counter, we had no idea what direction to go as there were so many good options on the menu. We were met by a friendly masked face of Andrew, part of the family that owns the restaurant offering traditional Laos and Thai family recipes. Andrew guided us through the menu, and he did a great job for three people who hadn’t been to Sweet Basil before.

We ordered the OG platter, house shrimp fried rice, the jeow bong noodles with chicken and a couple of Thai iced teas (you can choose to make it bubble tea, if you’d like) to help wash it all down. The various family-style platters are perfectly curated selections of their street eats starters. The OG platter one had six chicken wings, Lao-style grilled steak, two Lao sausages, papaya salad, fresh pork rinds, and sticky rice. We added the flight of three authentic dipping sauces to pair.

Not that the platter needs dipping sauces as the meats are perfectly seasoned and give three very different flavors, but we wanted to explore what these sauces were all about. According to their website, these are the descriptions of the sauces:

  • JEOW BONG: Thick Laotian chili paste made with sundried chilies, galangal, garlic, and other ingredients commonly found in Laos.
  • JEOW MAK LEN: A Laotian tomato dipping sauce, similar to a salsa. Tomatoes, chilies, and onions are grilled, then mashed with a mortar and pestle into a sauce and seasoned with lime and cilantro.
  • JEOW SOM: A liquid dipping sauce with sweet, sour, and citrus flavors. Pairs well with meats, skewers, and chicken.

Again, three very distinctive flavors that work with everything that came to our table. We spoke to the staff saying they should really consider jarring these sauces someday as they would be a massive hit, probably internationally. While they appreciated the compliment, they’re focused on making great meals in their flagship Franklin location for now. Trust me when I say Sweet Basil has the potential for more locations and to go beyond state lines.

Back to the meal: our entree choices were also on point. The shrimp fried rice was some of the best I’ve ever had and I’ve been to Southwest Asia. It’s perfectly cooked and keeps in some moisture so as to not require all of your Thai tea to wash it down. But the real winner for me was the jeow bong noodles (with chicken). This dish caught my eye on the restaurant’s beautiful Instagram account with its curly Thai noodles and assortment of veggies for a little crisp. Like most other menu items, you can choose your protein, make it vegetarian or vegan. And you can choose your spice level for certain dishes, unless you want to use the Sriracha at the table.

They have a stand with a water station, cutesy small plates and bowls to divide up the bigger entrees to personal preferences, and sustainable or reusable takeaway containers ready to go. While the restaurant had a nice flux of people in and out of it, there was a noticeable amount of takeout orders consistently being made on a Thursday night. Next time I’m at Sweet Basil, I plan to explore their soup and curry sections—perfect for a cold winter-in-Wisconsin day.