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Holy Basil

Asian

With the convivial hubbub audible from up the street and queues out the front, this joint is like a hot club minus security guards and attitude. It’s somewhere between casual cafe and opulent Buddhist temple with food and a welcome that explain the party atmosphere. Burnished dried beef is glossy and chewy, served with a zingy citrus dipping sauce. There’s a pleasing grit from roasted ground rice in the duck salad, cucumber wedges and raw snake beans adding crunch. Grilled chicken thigh fillets are smoky, and the creamy seafood panang curry is boldly chunky, strewn with whole basil branches.

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