Thai Basil is located in an unassuming shopping center on Reynolds Road. On a Tuesday afternoon, we had our pick of tables in the sunny dining room where the walls are adorned with wallpaper featuring scenes of the Southeast Asian countryside.
The family who runs the restaurant is from Southern Thailand, and many of the items on the menu are created from generations-old family recipes.
We started our food journey with Tom Kha soup ($3), Crab Rangoon appetizer (six pieces, $6.25), and spring roll ($1.50). Everything was served on pretty blue and white dishes that gave you the feeling you were dining in someone’s home.
The soup features white mushrooms, galangal (a cousin of ginger with similar flavor), lemongrass and lime leaves boiled in coconut milk. The thin broth had bright, clean, fresh flavors. I ordered it with tofu, but you could choose chicken, or add shrimp, scallops or squid to your order for a $1 upcharge.
You’ll find Crab Rangoon on the menu in almost any Asian restaurant, but these were the best I’ve ever had. The fried-to-order wonton purses were stuffed with cream cheese and real crab meat, imparting a slightly sweet note. We inhaled them like they were our last meal. The sweet and sour sauce served with the dish was more sweet than sour, so we just let the creamy crab bites stand on their own, which they did just fine. So fine, in fact, that we ordered a serving to go, and were rewarded with a few extra. Score!
The spring roll was packed with glass noodles, crisp lettuce, red onion, carrot and cilantro wrapped tightly with rice paper and served with their signature sweet and sour sauce topped with crushed peanuts.
For entrees, we dined on lunch-sized portions of Khao Pad (fried rice) and Pad Sesame with chicken, both $8.25.
The Khao Pad featured jasmine rice, egg, peas, carrots and white and green onions. I stuck with the veggies, but the dish comes with your choice of chicken, beef or pork. For a $1 upcharge, you can select shrimp, squid or scallops. Unlike many other fried rices I’ve had, this dish was light, clean and not at all greasy. The veggies were fresh and al dente, and despite it being a lunch-sized portion, I took half of it home with me.
The stir-fried Pad Sesame was made with a larger-grain rice, white onions, carrots, pea pods, baby corn and broccoli coated in a rich, sticky pepper sauce and topped with sesame seeds. I know my friend enjoyed it, because there was none left for me to sample.
Thai Basil has only been open for about five months, but it’s clear why all of their Facebook reviews are five stars. As one Yelp reviewer put it, this is a “secret gem you have to discover.” Check it out. You won’t be disappointed.
Thai Basil, 1855 S. Reynolds Rd. 11am-9pm, Monday-Thursday, 11am-10pm Friday & Saturday, 4-9pm Sunday. 419-214-0533, facebook.com/Thaibasiltoledo