Heidi Knapp Rinella

It has, as you know, become a widespread practice for Mexican restaurants in this country to start meals with a basket of chips and a bowl (or two or three) of salsa and/or bean dip — so widespread, in fact, that the practice actually has started to spread to Mexico, if you’re interested in a little bit of coals-to-Newcastle trivia.

Heidi’s Picks is a weekly selection of restaurant suggestions from Review-Journal critic Heidi Knapp Rinella.

They had me at the lagniappe — although the scallops didn’t exactly hurt matters.

Heidi’s Picks is a weekly selection of restaurant suggestions from Review-Journal critic Heidi Knapp Rinella.

“Your food will not be made with any canned meats (or) sauces or yellow cheese.” Well, hallelujah.

Heidi’s Picks is a weekly selection of restaurant suggestions from Review-Journal critic Heidi Knapp Rinella.

You know how sometimes you go to a Thai restaurant — or a restaurant representing any ethnicity, for that matter — order some tried-and-true dishes and get the clear feeling that the restaurant is just fulfilling a perceived obligation? That wasn’t the case at Basil ‘n Lime.