I’m not going to give out awards for every ethnic cuisine in Tampa, but Thai Sweet Basil deserves a special mention. TSB’s food is gutsy when it needs to be — in dishes like fiery pad prik khing and sour and salty larb — and downright refined when called for. When was the last time you ate Thai food that was elegant? TSB’s duck curry manages it, while still marshalling the holy Thai continuum of spicy, sour, salty and sweet. The whole fried fish is a revelation that draws me across Tampa on a regular basis. You can’t get food this good — at this price — anywhere else in town. 3875 Northdale Blvd., Tampa, 813-961-8898.
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This article appears in Sep 13-19, 2006.