8 Things to Try from Lime and Basil Baguio City

If you follow me on Instagram, you’d know that I’m obsessed with Thai food. Like, crazy for it. I travel for it, I tried my best to learn how to cook it, I make it at home, I dream about it all the time. My palate has been so accustomed to Thai flavors that whenever I encounter any dish that’s not balanced—no sourness, no herbs, no spice, etc.—I just get bored. I feel like the dish is missing something.

This also means that I’m very picky with Thai restaurants here. Believe me, it feels like a curse sometimes, a total pain in the ass. A curse because I should be just enjoying the food, but I always end up dissecting it, which somehow takes away the fun. It is such a relief then when you stumble upon a restaurant whose food is just straight-up delicious, that all your thoughts are swept away with the wind. One such place is Lime and Basil in Baguio City.

I love how this restaurant reinterpreted Thai food (a little) without veering away too much from authenticity. The food has all the crucial elements: there’s freshness, there’s vibrance, and there’s balance of flavors. Chef Orvin Sayos and the Thai-food-loving owner Sigrid Sayos whipped up the menu with care—and it shows in every dish.

Below are my top 8 dishes at Lime and Basil in Baguio City.

1 | Khao Soi Gai

I have high expectations when I see khao soi in the menu of any Thai restaurant here. I'm inclined to believe that the owner or chef has tried it in Chiang Mai, and loved it so much that they thought that this travelers' favorite would be cool to be in the menu. I’m happy to report that whatever reason Lime and Basil had for putting it in theirs, their khao soi is delicious.

Khao soi is a Northern Thai curry noodle soup—usually made with chicken (khao soi gai) and served with egg noodles (both boiled and fried), pickled mustard greens, shallots, lime, and chili paste. At Lime and Basil, the curry is rich and silky—a little thicker than usual (and redder) but not too spicy as well, so it’s still perfect for slurping. Although I found the curry a little salty, the pickles and some lime balanced the taste perfectly. The serving is humongous so you can definitely share!

2 | Laab Gai

When I see Thai dishes that are not too well-known in the menu, for me it means that the restaurant truly wants to introduce people to the beauty of Thai cuisine—beyond the ever-present pad thai. Laab gai—a minced chicken salad with chilies, shallots, herbs, and a delicious lime and fish sauce dressing—is probably unheard of to most, but it’s a dish that’s soooo fucking delicious, I have to have it when it’s available. I urge everyone to try Lime and Basil’s version!

It’s fresh, light, and spicy—boasting of all the flavors you crave for with Thai food: salty, sour, spicy, a little sweet, herbaceous. It’s typically served with crunchy vegetables like cabbage, lettuce, and string beans, but at Lime and Basil, they made cabbage cups—easier to eat. Their version isn’t too spicy too, so feel free to request if you want to nudge the heat a little higher. Personally I want it VERY SPICY.

3 | Kaffir Lime Crème Brûlée

As if crème brûlée is not craveable enough, Chef Orvin decided to throw in some fragrant kaffir lime leaves as well. If you have smelled fresh kaffir before, then you know just how heavenly it is. Here, they infuse carabao milk with the leaves to produce a rich, citrusy, and slightly floral custard—topped with caramelized sugar and fresh mango slices. One of the yummiest desserts I’ve eaten this year!

4 | Salted Egg Fried Chicken

Make way for stomach space and prepare to unbutton those pants as Lime and Basil’s Salted Egg Fried Chicken demands rice—lots of it. Juicy, crispy fried chicken pieces are enveloped in a salty-sweet sauce, with aromatic fried curry leaves adding a punch to each bite. It’s not spicy at all, but it’s so flavorful that it just screams for rice!

5 | Pla Muek Tod

As you probably know by now, you can feed me anything with kaffir lime leaves and I’d be the happiest person on earth—so it’s no surprise that the Pla Muek Tod is my top five dish at Lime and Basil. Squid rings are marinated in herbs before being battered and fried. Each piece is perfectly seasoned, herby, and not oily. The best part? The insane dipping sauce—which is a sweet chili aioli of some sort. PLEASE BOTTLE THAT AND SELL TO ME.

6 | Yam Som O

When my friend B’ley gatecrashed my solo trip in Thailand, one observation she had was how amazing Thai salads are—and I wholeheartedly agree. If you’re looking for the best combination of sweet, salty, spicy, and sour—order a Thai salad. One of my favorites is the yam som o—made with pomelo, shrimps, shredded chicken, greens, and herbs. Fruits are awesome in salads and so is seafood—so this dish is a perfect example of that. Of course, it has chilies and lime-fish sauce dressing, which are staples in any Thai salad.

7 | Mango Sticky Rice

We all have different preferences for mango sticky rice, but the fact is that in Thailand, this dessert has almost crunchy rice, not gooey and soft like suman. It’s also not super sweet—the sweetness only comes from mangoes and coconut milk. Lime and Basil knows it. I love their version, and it doesn’t hurt too that their presentation is so fucking pretty.

8 | Thai Iced Tea

First of all, let me start by saying that cha yen is a tea drink—not a milk drink. I say this because a lot of Thai iced tea vendors sell mostly sickly sweet concoctions, where you can barely taste the tea. At Lime and Basil, the tea is brewed strong and the condensed milk is served separately, so you have control over the sweetness. They also skipped the evaporated milk, which makes the drink creamier but I found myself liking their version more instead of the traditional. It’s almost like Vietnamese cà phê sua dá!

Aside from these 8 dishes I am crazy about, Lime and Basil also serves other Thai favorites such as Pad Thai, Bagoong Rice, Som Tam (they serve a variety), Spring Rolls, and Pad Kra Pao. I’m keen to try Tom Yum and Tom Kha Kai on my next visit—and maybe a gigantic bowl of Thai Beef Noodle Soup as well.

Visit Lime and Basil at the DMCI Homes Outlook Ridge Residences, and make sure to bring friends or family so you can order a smorgasbord of dishes to share.

~*~

Lime and Basil

DMCI Homes Outlook Ridge Residences

CJ7G+52F, V. De Los Reyes St., South, Baguio City, Benguet

(074)619.5348

11:00AM - 9:00PM

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Do you love Thai cuisine? What's your favorite Thai dish?

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