Basil & Sprout in Pensacola brings modern twist to traditional Vietnamese cooking

One of Pensacola's newest and most eagerly anticipated restaurants, Basil & Sprout, held its soft opening this month at 4771 Bayou Blvd.

The restaurant specializes in authentic, Vietnamese street food.

The eatery is still in its early stages and will offer a limited menu as the team prepares for its upcoming grand opening. But head chef Charley Nguyen decided it was time to open the business as it has been in the works since December 2019.

Although construction began right away, Nguyen said the pandemic significantly delayed things, as did rescheduled permits and appointments.

The building is now physically ready for business, but the next hurdle was navigating inventory delays and shortages of necessary ingredients, such as rice paper.

"We were playing the waiting game for permits, then ingredients ... you have to roll with the punches," Nguyen said.

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In the meantime, the spot has been attracting curious visitors for its unique menu featuring modern takes on traditional Vietnamese fare, such as the Bun Boe Hue, a spicy beef noodle soup with the option to add ham hock or braised short ribs.

Though the authentic chargrilled meats seem to be a draw for customers, so far every item has been a best seller, according to Nguyen.

"It's served fresh off the grill, just like a street vendor," Nguyen said.

The menu is divided up into different sections, depending on how hungry you are and how much time you have to eat.

Some of the grab-and go items for lunch or dinner include egg and spring rolls and signature sandwiches, while the pho noodle soups, vermicelli bowls and rice plates are better suited to be enjoyed at your leisure.

The young restaurant also boasts an expansive drink line, offering beverages such as fruit smoothies, slushies, teas, boba drinks and fresh pressed coffee.

A favorite of Nguyen's is the jasmine, green tea blend, which he said is hard to come by locally.

The restaurant prides itself on its attention to detail, providing offerings such as French baguettes from New Orleans that serve as the base for their banh mi sandwiches, a 12-hour slow-simmered bone broth or housemade French aioli known as a Vietnamese mayo, according to the restaurant’s website.

More than sharing his love of cooking with Pensacola, Nguyen plans to be a part of embracing cultural diversity in the city.

Nguyen said the restaurants pays homage to his Vietnamese heritage by building the menu around recipes passed down by his grandmother and mother.

"That's why the flavor profile is so flavorful!" Nguyen said.

Basil & Sprout is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday through Saturday. Following the grand opening, the restaurant will be open seven days a week, according to Nguyen. The grand opening date has not yet been finalized.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Basil & Sprout opens serving modern, but authentic, Vietnamese cuisine