<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://www.remain-silent.com/cm/YumReview/sweetbasillayout.jpg" alt="sweet basil needham MA" width="452" height="645" /></p>

<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">images by paul r</span></p>

For some one who loves to eat and cook food as much as I do, I can be quite gastronomically ignorant sometimes. However, I am not ashamed to admit it as I am always eager to be instructed and to learn. My naivete recently reared it's head while taking a break in New England. My friends there kept buzzing about this <em>amazing</em> restaurant called Sweet Basil - "They only serve lunch and dinner", "The sandwiches are amazing, the pasta is amazing, scratch that - it's all amazing." So of course I had to try it. And all along i'm thinking that Sweet Basil is merely it's name, not realising that Sweet Basil is also the name of the type of herb that is typically used in Italian cooking. { All along I thought there was just 'plain basil' and 'lemon basil' - I now know there are actually SEVERAL types of Basil. }

But I digress. 

The fact that this restaurant shares the name with a herb, should've clued me in to what I could expect from the dishes. Well paired seasoning, a distinctly fresh and home made feel yet with an edge that is without a doubt good dining.

The first thing that struck me about the restaurant was the entrance; for once you step inside Sweet Basil you are presented with a heavy floor to ceiling curtain - the sort used for theatrical entrances and what not - and a motif that appears in some <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/n-new-york-2">establishments</a> that are personal favourites of mine.

A strong yet quick sweep aside of the heavy curtain reveals a two dining-roomed restaurant with walls covered in vibrant deep colours broken up at the chair rail with a rustic ridged tin,  a plethora of honey toned wood surface { the tables, moulding, open shelving } and vintage style light fixtures that looked like they come from <a href="http://www.schoolhouseelectric.com">Schoolhouse Electric</a>. My first impression was how from the interior alone it looked like it could be any nice, relaxed yet stylin' joint in London or Brooklyn. 

Liking the decor as much as I did, it was nothing compared to the food that was about to be served. There are several reasons why I am not a big fan of going out to eat a meal - desserts or coffee yes, but lunch or dinner not so much. Mostly because I moan that I could 'make it better at home' or that the food isn't as good as my mums { which lets face it was the standard I was raised with } 

The thoughts on going back - 4 hours to lunch?  