Lunch at Sweet Basil

My sister was in town last week and we decided to do lunch to catch up on the latest.  The Shoals Area is sprinkled with wonderful little cafe's and restaurants, so a lunch date always involves a tough decision.  Well, someone had to do it, so we decided on Sweet Basil Cafe.  This has been one of favorites for years, so we knew we were in for a treat.



Sweet basil is combo of specialty grocery, gourmet catering, and hot lunch spot.  They have an delicious selection of specialty grocery items and unique wines. More often then not, if I am looking for something and can't seem to find it in the big box grocery store, I can find it here. 



They also specialize in both onsite and carry out catering.  In fact, they were in the top running to cater my sister's wedding last month!  You can stop in and pick up something for your family for dinner or for a special occasion, or they can cater functions as big as a wedding or reunion.



While Sweet Basil dabbles in different things, they are most famous for their delicious lunch menu.  This is how it goes.  They have a menu of scrumptious dishes that they have all the time; these are the staples that everyone goes back for time and again.  In addition, they have a weekly menu that is based on local and seasonal produce. I almost always chose from this menu, and Thursday was no disappointment.



This sandwich was ridiculous! The Brie was the perfect amount of creaminess and that ciabatta bread was the perfect holder for all that goodness.  Kalamata olive spread provided the perfect amount of saltiness to counter the richness of the brie. Served with a greek orzo pasta, it was the perfect lunch date with my sister!