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Thai Basil
Category: Restaurants Thai Thai [Edit]
1215 Thurlow StVancouver, BC V6E 1X4
Neighbourhood: West End
(604) 685-6754
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:30 am - 9 pm
Fri-Sat 11:30 am - 9:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
Allen C. said: "A satisfying lunch lessened by rushing service and expensive side dishes. The yellow curry chicken rice was a fiery sensation. On the menu, they gave the order 3 hot peppers for hot and they delievered that flavour today. Though as…" read more »
39 reviews for Thai Basil
Review Highlights
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"The best Pad Thai in Vancouver, for sure." In 16 reviews -
"Spring Rolls: Love, love, love spring rolls." In 6 reviews -
"...that serves my delicious swimming rama, except in this case..." In 5 reviews
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38 reviews in English
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Review from Lisa Marie M.
Vancouver, BC
Wow! This place was a pleasant surprise.
If I had walked past it- I would of kept on walking..It looks like a dive hole in the wall.
There are a few seats and decor consists of a Buddha picture and a few other assorted Thai decorations.
They did NOT try to impress by the looks of this place- BUT looks can be deceiving.
I only found out about this place, because of Yelp. I had searched Thai and found this place to be inexpensive, with a 4/5 star rating. I had wanted to check it out last week, but it was closed. Last night, I was on Davie around 8pm and it was open.
I was with my BF and another friend. I told them I was buying. We sat down and checked out the menu. Food selection was really good, and prices were great.
We decided what we wanted, and Vaughn went up to the high counter to order.
It really didnt take too long before the order was ready. Total without beverages was 65$ which seemed a bit higher then I had expected. but whatever. Its Vancouver, and
we were starving!
We had 3 orders of chicken on a stick ( 4 skewers each) with peanut sauce, prawn wraps, some side rice, beef thai salad, pad thai, and some soup and another salad my BF ordered.
All I can say is YUM!! OMG!. The beef salad was amazing! Chicken skewers were also wicked. I mixed my chicken with the rice, which helped with the burning tongue (from the chili in my salad)
I was stuffed by the time I ate all that and a few prawn appies. I skipped my pad thai Too bad, by the time I tried it it was cold so I left it for Vaughn.who raved about the food. This is a very good sign as he has been to Thailand 8 times and is a chef so he is pretty picky.
\We have ordered take out from them again, and will order in the near future as well. -
Review from Mari A.
4/25/2012 1 Check-in Here
Little hole in the wall spot in Vancover. Vancouver can get expensive, so a lunch stop here is not a bad deal.
The food is actually pretty good. I came here for soup. SInce I was sick at the time, I really wanted some tom yum soup. So I'm pretty used to the tom yum in cali cal but the tom yum they served was with noodles? I ordered their red curry with beef and asked if I could get a small bowl of soup on the side.
Now this is why I gave it a 3 over a 4 star. The service was awful and it really was just from one lady working the register. Everyone appeared to be smiley and friendly but since I was dealing with this lady directly, she regretfully ruined my first meal back in Vancouver.
- She snidely said " No, we dont do that." I said okay nevermind then.
- She then charged me for a full soup and the curry dish. I mentioned that I didnt want the soup anymore and she sighed a little bit as if it was such a hassle.
Besides the service, the red curry was delicious. It was weird because it literally was curry, beef, and squash. No peppers or green beans like I'm used to, just squash which for the most part im not a fan of. But the curry and beef on top of my rice was delicous!
My friend ordered the pad see ew which seemed to be a customer favorite as there were many that were ordering it! THAT WAS ALSO YUMMY YUM YUM! :) -
Review from Adriana B.
Toronto, ON
4/23/2012
Great curries! Food is prepared very well and is very reasonably priced. Their lunch specials are particularly good. The space is very small so I always get take out as it is not really a cozy atmosphere. That said, I'm always happy with the food and the service is friendly and prompt.
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Review from Megan S.
11/7/2011
I'm a bit baffled by all the good reviews, I must say. I used to eat here pretty frequently when they first opened, but once I discovered Thida Thai up the street, my visits became more like once or twice a year...and mostly only because a co-worker or friend insisted. Well, I ate here today and I'm pretty sure that will be the last time.
I used to order the curry lunch specials, but overall found them much too sweet for my liking...they're also quite oily, as one fellow yelper has pointed out. One thing I did like was that if you ordered a curry with tofu, the tofu came deep-fried - it added a really nice texture and the sauce really clung to the fried skin. Last time I had a curry there the tofu was just boring old un-fried cubed tofu - the only thing I really liked about their curries had changed, so I moved onto other dishes...none of which impressed me. I find most things here to be too sweet and one-note and not a good example of the balance that's so imperitive to good Thai cooking.
Today I tried the vegetarian wok with garlic sauce and it was super bland and boring. I also got a side of spring rolls, but they too lacked flavour and were extremely greasy. Overall, the food here seems to be the same quality and complexity of flavour as a certain food court chain...not terrible, but not really worth it either.
My advice? Try Thida Thai instead. -
Review from Emily-Anne P.
Vancouver, BC
9/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is one of my favourite little places to get a quick, easy and affordable lunch from. They have a good selection of the usual Thai foods as well as great daily specials.
I had pad thai for lunch which comes with a green salad. It's the usual pad thai with sprouts, egg, onions prawns and cilantro. It is never too heavy and while I sometimes find the portions to be a bit big for lunch, it's still great value for money ($8 for the pad thai lunch).
If you work in the area and are getting lunch I recommend calling ahead. It's often quite busy at lunch and the wait can be quite long if you don't.Listed in: Davie Davie
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Review from Irena L.
11/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
This 4 star rating is for food only! Now I understand the previous review- take out only! This place is too small to sit and eat comfortably. Although I should say, even if you do decide to sit down, elbow other diners and experience extreme winter conditions every time the door opens (and it happens quite a lot!), the food would be worth it!
I had chicken with cashews and spring rolls and it was delicious! It's spicy enough to get your eyes watery. I am yet to go back and try the notorious pad thai!
For dessert aftewards go to Cho Pain. Your welcome -
Review from Charly J.
Vancouver, BC
2/11/2012
Nice little place with yummy thai food.......was fresh and got the phai thai and though it was one of the best. A 4 star redo from our gang!!
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Review from Derek W.
Vancouver, BC
8/10/2011
Came here for lunch after reading lots of good reviews. I ordered #39 nam prick king (or some name close to that) with tofu. I'm usually scared of ordering meat at small, sketchy looking places like this.
After waiting 15 minutes, they bought out my food, only it had chicken in it instead of tofu. I sent it back. They also screwed up the table beside me, giving them the wrong protein. Then a guy came in complaining that he ordered a pad Thai on the phone for take out over 30 mins ago . This place was so messed up with their orders.
I finally got my food 35 mins after ordering it, took one bite, and almost walked out. Nasty, nasty, strange tasting red curry. I was too hungry to leave so I plugged my nose and ate it. Oily, fish saucy, red curry with cold/sort of warm tofu, shriveled green beans that were actually hot. No kaffir lime, no complexity in flavor, just one solid disgusting taste that lingered. I raced home on my bike to Listerine out of my mouth.
2 stars since I actually did not throw out the food, although I wish I did. There is way better Thai food around than this garbage. -
Review from Evilyn T.
5/11/2011 6 Check-ins Here
Yes please! This is what I have been looking for in my hood. A Thai place that serves my delicious swimming rama, except in this case it was broccoli and not spinach, but really its just a vehicle for the yummy spicy peanut sauce! You can get the broccoli by itself for like $8 or so, or make a combo with rice, salad and an egg roll for $10. Obviously I went for the combo, since my eyes are always bigger than my stomach, and I have a pretty freakin big stomach. The BF had a tofu cashew thang, he wolfed down the whole thing, so I'm assuming it must have been pretty stellar.
My only complaints, they're not open on Sundays, which is a huge bummer for me, since Sunday is usually the day that I am too hungover and lazy to make dinner and 95% of the time we order take out. I guess that just means we'll never be eating Thai on Sundays :P
Oh and they don't take American Express, but they do take debit and visa.Listed in: Beers, Steers and Queers, Thai me up!
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Review from Veronica D.
Vancouver, BC
8/24/2011
I love this place. Almost nowhere has authentic Thai food in Vancouver. I spent 6 weeks in Thailand eating vegetarian Thai food so I know the flavours.
This place is great. I love their curries, wok veggies and eggplant and basil. Everything here is good and reasonably priced.
I come here often and get double veggie dishes and leave happy and satisfied.
Out of all the Thai places I've tried in Vancouver, this one is the best for taste and value. I can't stand paying $15 for a vegetarian Thai dish at other restaurants... That's crazy.
My favourite dishes are the Massaman curry and the eggplant and Thai basil. It's so hard for me decide I always take forever picking one for lunch. Call in advance to have your order ready if you want to eat on fly! -
Review from N F.
Vancouver, BC
9/10/2011
I have to confess that I'm a regular after finding this gem several years ago as a student. It's relatively cheap, fairly fresh, with fast and efficient service... just plain good.
Occasional eats: Tom Yum, Thai Basil Ramen.
My favourites: Thai Basil rice, Pad See-Ew.
Meh: The curries. Not such a big fan.
If you like it really, really, really hot: Pad Kee Mao. Not for the faint of heart -- you will need a lot of milk to wash this one down! (I actually had to stop eating this half-way and take it home..) -
Review from Amanda L.
12/3/2010
I have been to Thai Basil several times it is right in my neighborhood so I always get take out and drag it home! That restaraunt is also just way too "intimate" for my liking...It seats about 10 inside and 4 outside. Since I have never ate inside the restaraunt I can't vouch for how good or bad thier service is so I will just give my personal opinion of the items ordered.
Spring Rolls: Love, love, love spring rolls! Their spring rolls are a little too oily but I can forgive it.
Grilled Beef Salad: Not great but I could eat it again, the beef was really good but it was a little spicier than I am used to.
Massamman Curry: Once again spicier than I am use to but well worth it this time. I have yet to be dissapointed in their curry and hope that doesn't change anythime soon.
They also have really good dinner combos, you pick any entree and you get a mini portion of that along with a spring roll, jasmine rice and mixed greens. I usually get the Vegetarian wok in curry sauce and it's really good but also on the spicy side!
For quick, decent quality take out you it is difficult to be both the price and quality!Listed in: Veta Vita Vegamin
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Review from Shirley V.
Vancouver, BC
11/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
The food is delicious for a very good price.
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Review from Misty S.
12/13/2010 1 Check-in Here
2 thumbs up for the Thai Basil Fried Rice! This dish would not be mistaken for a side dish that some restaurants pass off for fried rice. It's full of leafy greens, onions, and tomatoes. A complete tasty dinner that hits the spot. I got a good portion for about $9...will last me at least 2 meals.
The restaurant is easy to find and is located near the corner of Davie and Thurlow. I stopped by here for take out and waited about 10 minutes since there was a steady stream of customers picking up their orders. I take it as a good sign that they were busy. It's a tiny place with about 5 tables inside. -
Review from Laura K.
Vancouver, BC
We were looking for a quick and quality meal on our way to the movies and decided on Thai Basil in the West End.
True to other reviews, there's really not much seating inside (14 squished in, if I counted correctly), with a couple of small tables outside.
We ordered the red curry with pumpkin and the swimming rama, both tofu, with a large side of jasmine rice. Both dishes were delicious! They were served up when ready and hot - no silly waiting for the rest of the meal to be ready.
The curry was lovely, but lacked any spice at all. Others have complained about getting broccoli with their rama, but I think it was the perfect pair! Use those florets to mop up all that peanutty goodness! Portions were good - both my boyfriend and I were stuffed to the gills for just $20. And be sure to partake in the extra condiments on the counter: crushed peanuts, hot sauce and the like...
While eating or meals, Thai Basil got lots of traffic - it's nice to see a good place busy with sit-in and takeout orders. I'll definitely come here again! We'll certainly be getting takeout soon enough.
Om nom nom... -
Review from Donna A.
New Westminster, BC
10/16/2010
-Good prices
-Excellent Tom Yum, and Thai basil fried rice.
-The Satay is good too, but spring rolls are just so so.
-Not as spicey as I'd like but still good -
Review from Mitch S.
Vancouver, BC
9/6/2011
The best Pad Thai in Vancouver, for sure. Consistently delicious, affordable, and perfectly situated near English Bay to bring your take-out down to the water and watch the sunset! The lunch specials are also an awesome deal. I would easily eat here once a week for the rest of my life.
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Review from Peter S.
3/27/2010
Having eaten here many times over the past couple of years, I am always expecting a 3 star Thai take home meal. It's not the greatest by any stretch, but on a Friday night when you just can't be bothered to cook, it'll do.
However, tonight's Basil feast was a dud. Apparently they ran out of spinach for the Swimming Rama, and the floating/drowning broccoli was a pretty sad replacement. The red curry was the same as usual. Tiny, but A-OK!
As always, pick up is ready in ten minutes, and they always greet you with a happy hello.
Hate to admit it, but I will no doubt return the next time I just can't be bothered to open the fridge and think. -
Review from David v.
Surrey, BC
9/1/2010
This place is yum-ity yum and that is goodity-good.
I think this place is great! The food tastes great. I've not tried everything on the menu, but I've never left disappointed. A personal favourite: the pumpkin curry. As my mother would say, "It's to die for!" Okay, that's a little hyperbole for you, but you don't know my mother.
The ambiance is a little lacking, but this ain't fine dining, but neither is the price, so just accept it already.
Not good for groups because it is too, too, too small.
Two outdoor tables, but you're literally sitting on the side walk, but on Thurlow Street which is a fair bit quieter than around the corner on Davie Street. -
Review from J T.
Whistler, BC
10/22/2011
we spent a few nights in the city because my boyfriend had to do some training in vancouver and we were put up in the chateau granville, which is only a few blocks away from thai basil. As there is no thai food in Whistler, its always one of my must-haves when I'm in the city.
As other reviewers mentioned, there are really only 4 tables inside and it is definitely a hole-in-the-wall type of place, but coming from hawaii, where the best places usually are, i was pretty excited. We ordered the pad thai, pad ped, and swimming rama. The pad ped was really spicy and the fresh grated ginger gave it a great kick. For those sensitive to spice, i would recommend staying away from this dish. The swimming rama was delicious! A lot of people seem to be complaining here about the broccoli instead of spinach, but i think broccoli is a much better vessel for soaking up that amazing peanut sauce that I want to swim in myself... The sauce is quite thin, so if they reduced it, it would be even more incredible. The pad thai was pretty good -- not the best I've had, but much better than most places in van, especially Sala Thai. (I still don't know why Sala Thai's pad thai tastes so tomato saucey.)
Bottom line: until I find a better option, this will probably be my go-to thai spot for really casual, good value food. -
Review from Crystal H.
Vancouver, BC
Only for take-out, I do stand by my word. But for amazing Pad Thai with the freshest prawns, chewy noodles, fresh cilantro and perfectly deep fried tofu - Thai Basil earns another star (and a *pad* on the back!)
Listed in: Favourite Vancouver…, A Halfer's Guide to Asian…, That Hole in the Wall, Noodling it up in Vancouver, Vancouver's Cheap Eats
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/1/2009
This is a great little place for take away at lunch time. It's reasonably priced, fast and close to… Read more »
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Review from Thu N.
1/3/2010
I've eaten here twice in the past 2 weeks and love it! The first was take out and the second time we went to sit down for lunch! In the city, I have yet to find a good value Thai place so my friend was adamant in coming here since he has been a regular here for years!
The food here is pretty solid - the pad thai and yellow curry were both so good and cheap. The staff was friendly and our food came quickly! Definitely fulfilled my hope of at least one Thai place in Vancouver with decent prices and good food!! -
Review from Dave B.
Campbell River, BC
2/11/2010
Overall Impression: ****
Food: ****
Service: **
Environment: ***
Price: ***1/2
When Thai Basil first opened I wondered how long it would last. Davie Street must be one of the most competitive areas in Vancouver for a restaurant, and with two well-established Thai food restaurants already in prime locations on Davie Street, I figured Thai Basil wouldn't be around very long, what with it being situated off Davie, and kind of out of sight.
I decided to give them six months to try and survive before I would try out their food. And much to my surprise, Thai Basil survived the first six months, and I soon figured out why.
Food: Typical Thai dishes are offered. You can get your green/red/yellow curried chicken/beef/pork/tofu; you can find Pad Thai and fried rices on the menu; you can get spring rolls, satay, fish cakes and soups; and of course you can get the curry combos. (see menu for details: http://www.thaibasilva...)
What won me over, however, was the overall flavour and consistency of taste. The food is always well-prepared and I know what I'm going to get. The curries usually have a spicy kick to them which is well-received since some Thai restaurants seem to shy away from to appease the sensitive western palates.
I usually go for the dinner combo which comes with a curry, salad, rice and spring rolls, all for less than $10.
Word of advice: avoid the dipping sauce that comes for the spring rolls -- it's not good at all, and I really hope they replace it with a nice plum sauce or something similar.
Service: As other reviewers have noted, service is a bit lacking, but there always seems to be a trade-off between product, price and service. While I have not experience any major issues, I have had to wait a little longer than I would like to be served and receive my food, and some of the counter staff have bordered on being rude. But I could tell that their English was not strong and they seemed to be newcomers to Canada, so I tried to cut them some slack. It's not easy adapting to a new language and culture.
Environment: Not that they can doing anything about it, but the place is pretty small and cramped. But it's clean, the decore is pleasant, and there are one or two nice pieces of art to look at. I hope that as Thai Basil becomes more profitable they can expand the restaurant.
Price: Combined with the food, this is the best feature of Thai Basil. Where else can you get a tasty, filling and comforting meal for less than $10 incl. tax?
I've gone to Thai Basil a couple times a month since 2008, and will definitely continue to go when I need a quick, cheap, Thai meal. -
Review from Molly W.
8/13/2009
A three star review just like Crystal!
I actually have only been here once. It was a blustery February afternoon and I was craving pad thai. It had been a year or so since I've had any, and we finally spotted this little place off Davie and Thurlow.
If I remember correctly, there were only three tables to sit here. That's reasonable and I don't mind, BUT... It was February. It was windy. It was cold. They kept the door wide open to allow the chill air to rush in and give our food a quick cold kiss of death. :(
On top of that, one of the seats at our table (which was positioned RIGHT next to the open door) was smooshed up against a windowsill that unfortunately juts out into the diner's lower back.
The food itself was actually quite good, though I didn't eat it fast enough to enjoy it hot. The presentation was nice.
I'd recommend either coming between rushes, during warmer months, or getting it for takeaway. -
Review from Whitney L.
Vancouver, BC
1/29/2009
An absolutely brilliant hole in the wall restaurant. I love these places. I dream about these places. Thank you for existing.
A limited but tasty menu that you can modify as much or as little as your heart desires. Remember that.
The 4th star is a little iffy- quality and lack of meat in dishes leaves more to be desired-BUT you can add quantity for a very reasonable cost.
Curries and soups are great- other dishes not so sure- ask what vegetables will be included in your dish- variety doesn't seem to be their thing so ask and modify to your liking.
And now that we have all that out of the way, order yourself up some food and enjoy again and again and again and again and again.... -
Review from Kelsey P.
Vancouver, BC
8/1/2010
Why oh why can I not find myself some spicy Thai food in this city?!
Upon requesting "extra EXTRA spicy Thai green curry please" (yes there was extreme emphasis on the second 'extra') I was presented with a bland (not just in spiciness but also in flavor) average bowl of curry.
The spring-rolls were far too greasy to stomach, and I like deep-fried food...
Too bad... I had high-ish hopes for you Thai Basil... *sigh* -
Review from Emily T.
7/25/2010 3 photos
We were taken to this place for dinner because its our friend's favorite thai spot and he knew a few people who worked there. We were lucky and snagged a seat outside. Seemed like a small space inside. The waitress was cool peoples but remember I am biased :)
I got the Tofu Pad Woon Sen. The brown rice vermicelli in the description won me over. The taste was even better. It was not heavy or oily at all. It was light, refreshing, perfectly seasoned. I shared some of it with our friend but ate most of it up. It was just so delicious. And unlike a lot of cheap thai places, I didn't feel sick or too full afterwards.
The Boy got the Vegetarian Wok with garlic sauce. It looked great, tasted great. Not too oily. Good garlic flavor.
Our friend had the spring rolls. They looked good! I didn't try because I didn't want to get too full before my dish.
I thought it was great taste and great value. Sitting outside was nice. Not crazy busy like it is on Davie but great spot to people watch. All in all a great experience. -
Review from James L.
7/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place is tiny and seats are so few and close that you get intimate with other guests. In contrast, their spring roll rocks big time. Very crunchy. I tried their curry and pad ped and all I can say is 5 stars. Service is fast and food is fresh.
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Review from Kelvin L.
Vancouver, BC
4/9/2011
My fave is pad gra prow. Not on the menu, but is on a newspaper article posted outside. Minced chicken w Thai basil with an egg on top served w rice, tastes just like Thailand. I don't know of other restos that make it soooo authentic. Yum!! Other good things are the curry!
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Review from Green O.
Vancouver, BC
11/4/2009
The food in Thai Basil is delicious!
Ingredients are fresh and the dishes are a wonderful mixture of flavors.
It is a cozy neighborhood place. Service is fast and always with a smile.
Prices are student-friendly too :) -
Review from Vanessa D.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 6/10/2010
I think we hit it on one of their less awesome nights, but it was still good, cheap, and hella fresh. Just not as vibrantly tasty.
Will update again in a few weeks, I am sure.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/15/2010
after reading the reviews, i was a little hesitant. perhaps i got take out on one of their 'good'… Read more »
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Review from Alexandre A.
Vancouver, BC
11/18/2009
Excellent food - I love their curry and they can make custom Thai dishes like Pad Krapow.
The food is great but service is sometimes a bit lacking.
Prices are average to low for this quality - still a bit more than a quick take out place, and the experience of eating there is not so great.
I still greatly recommend it for their heavenly curries! -
Review from Marc D.
Vancouver, BC
11/5/2008
Offers a limited menu of authentic Thai dishes at very reasonable prices. Quality is normally good - but occasionally is just average - hence the 3 stars. When it is good it is really good. But perhaps 20% of the time it is just average. I really favour consistency in my hole-in-the-wall restaurants. But considering the limited selection of good Thai food in Vancouver, Thai Basil fills a need - and VERY reasonably.
Listed in: Vancouver Thai Food
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Review from Samantha M.
Vancouver, BC
9/5/2010
Fast, cheap and delicious. They have brown rice and lots of vegetarian options! I love this place. The pumpkin curry and the pad see yew are my fave!
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Review from Mark W.
Vancouver, BC
8/13/2009
A real hole in the wall place, on a good night Thai Basil can be near perfect, but on a bad night it's not so great. The menu is kind of limited too. I guess this place is just OK.
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Review from Melia S.
Vancouver, BC
10/28/2010
A great cheap Thai fix. Make sure to order at the counter to speed things up. Quick and friendly and pretty yummy. I like that you can request brown rice instead of white. You can drink (and eat) a fresh coconut cut nicely for you for the same price as you can buy one in the grocery store.
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Review from JC M.
Vancouver, BC
7/13/2011
Thai Basil was recommended to me by my sister, who would eat here every day if she could. It's kind of a hole in the wall, but the food is delicious and so cheap. I've been several times, but I think I found a new favorite tonight... the red curry with pumpkin and basil. It was heavenly, exactly what I had been craving!
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Review from Pete S.
1/12/2011
this hole in the wall thai restaurant is great. prices are very reasonable, the portions are big, and the food tastes great. i had the pad kee mao and the satays. AWESOME.
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