The Basil is Thai food at its best

Everything is beautiful at The Basil. The setting, the food, the people all combine to create a memorable dining experience at this very fine Thai restaurant. Entering from Carson City’s busy main street, you step from one culture to another and take a trip to Thailand without ever leaving town.

Passion for food, people, and service is paramount for owner Nan Watanar and her entire staff. You won’t meet a more gracious and friendly team. Careful attention to every detail makes The Basil an enjoyable experience, whether it’s a quick lunch, a leisurely dinner, or a pull-out-all-the-stops Thai banquet. The food is, in a word, outstanding!

On my first visit with a friend, a simple lunch turned into a delightful food orgy. The kitchen kept turning out more and more creative dishes and we couldn’t stop eating. Fortunately, food at The Basil is very light, so we were able to polish off most everything, including two desserts!

Most diners will want to return many times (no hardship at all!) to enjoy all the wonderful food. Children are always welcome and there are plenty of choices on the menu that will please them such as won ton soup, silver gold soup, fresh mango roll, curry puff, full moon (deep fried marinated chicken), and charbroiled satay (chicken or tofu).

On a hot summer day, the first thing you may want is the very light, aromatic iced tea. Unlike the traditional sweet Thai iced tea, this version is not sweet and is very refreshing.

For two or more, the Basil sample platter, $13.95, is a great choice for starters. Kids will like these appetizers and the fanciful presentation. A dragonfly (asparagus spear with cherry tomato head and paper-thin cucumber wings) hovers over a large Thai basket filled with assorted fried finger food such as Bangkok spring roll, shrimp toast, curry puff, and vegetable tempura of tender, lacy lotus roots, asparagus, pumpkin, and eggplant.

The coconut soup is simply delicious; white chicken meat is slowly simmered in a creamy coconut milk delicately flavored with fresh lime juice, straw mushroom, cilantro, lovely lemongrass, and galanga, a Thai herb. This flavorful dish is served in small whole fresh coconut for $7.95. It’s plenty for two and larger portions are available. But, pace yourself. There’s more to come.

The fresh mango roll is one of the most perfect spring rolls I’ve ever eaten – sweet soft mango, tofu, fresh basil, fresh spinach leaf, cucumber, glass noodles (very healthy, no cholesterol!) all wrapped up in a delicate rice sheet. The result is light, cool and crunchy. A delicate peanut sauce is yummy, too!

Angel wings are hard to find on many Thai menus because they are so labor intensive. You’ll find them here and, believe me, they’re worth it. These deep-fried very large chicken wings stuffed with ground chicken, black mushroom, and glass noodles are served with sweet and sour cucumber sauce. They’re more than finger-lickin’ good!

Specials at The Basil are truly works of art. These are not on the regular menu so be sure to ask your server to show the color photographs and describe the dishes. You’ll want to have your camera handy and snap away before digging in.

Phad Phed Talay $21.95, is beautifully presented as a tropical bird. The combination of very fresh and tender seafood – jumbo shrimp, giant scallops, calamari, mussels and salmon – is stir- fried with Thai yellow chili sauce and red curry sauce and served over a half coconut shell. Two people can easily share this stunning dish, fit for a Thai banquet.

Ayuthaya Shrimp and Scallops, $19.95, is another spectacular presentation topped with fresh orchids. I wasn’t sure whether to eat it or wear it! But, once I tasted the sweet, sour, spicy Ayuthaya sauce I was hooked. This is truly a spectacular dish.

Even non-dessert-eaters must have dessert at The Basil. The Coco Banana, $5.95, is a deep-fried banana with coconut ice cream, FBI for short. But, any resemblance to deep-fried bananas you may have had in other restaurants stops here.

This whimsical creation resembles “Wilson” the volleyball from the Tom Hanks movie Cast Away. Kids will love it! The ice cream is house-made from fresh coconut and won’t last long on any table when everyone has a spoon in their hand. Surprise ingredients (brown sugar, sesame and coconut) are tucked inside the small crunchy bananas. I was thinking this may just be the best dessert I’d ever eaten, until the Mango Tango ($6.95) arrived.

When fresh mangoes are in season, I might just order dessert first. Slices of fresh, fragrant mango are topped with nutritious red sticky rice mixed with coconut cream…wow! The luscious combination is not too sweet, perfect for people without a sweet tooth.

All food at The Basil is made fresh each day with healthful ingredients. Nan is the head chef and has trained her entire kitchen team, all from Thailand. “I am very proud of them. I could not have a restaurant without them. They do everything, helping me to cook and make beautiful presentations.”

The Basil is one of the best Thai restaurants I’ve found in the area. My dining companion, who lived for 20 years in Indonesia, was also very impressed. She commented, “I really enjoyed the Thai feeling coming from the staff. It is really like that in Thailand where everyone is so friendly. It would be a delight to dine here as a regular customer. I recommend it to all.”

The Basil restaurant team -
(left to right to back)
 
1. Pongpun Vorapipatkumtorn (Mick)
2. Thasanee Tongthieanphong (Ae)
3. Tawan Seethong (Tawan)
4. Nan Watanar (Nan)
5. TJ. Saputra (TJ)
6. Jeremy

Location: 311 N. Carson St., Carson City
Phone: 775-841-6100
Hours: Mon – Fri, lunch & dinner, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sat, dinner, 5 to 9 p.m. Closed Sun
Learn more: www.thebasilrestaurant.com