The Basil Leaf Sushi and Thai Restaurant — Restaurant in High Point

Are you ever influenced to eat things that you read about in books? I am a voracious reader and anything they eat, I want. It started about 50 years ago when I checked out Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory, which I timed perfectly with Halloween. I recently read two books that mentioned sushi and last night, I dreamed of a Dragon Roll. Clearly, my cravings would not be denied. Today we hit The Basil Leaf on Hwy 68. When we arrived there was only one other table with people. When we left, every table was full and there was only 1 barstool open. Yes, it is that good. This was our first time here so we ordered a bunch of stuff, as per our usual. We started with Spring Rolls. They were so crispy and the cabbage had been chopped so it all didn’t pull out with your first bite, so there was no scalded chin from the cabbage goatee. They brought out complimentary soup with a Spring Roll and they were smart to let us order our main course first. The soup was brown with a hint of spiciness and better than Miso soup. It was so good I poured the last little bit into my spoon so I didn’t leave a drop. Our main course was the Orange Dragon Roll, Old Salem Roll, Volcano Roll and the Spicy Tuna Roll. They give you a bottle of “less” sodium soy sauce and chopsticks. I’m guessing less sodium falls between low sodium and regular. Either way, it was good and salty. We dug in and cleaned the platter. The menu is huge with great variety and we will...

High Point is home to so many Thai restaurants that even a Thai/sushi combo isn't unique here. Amid such competition, it is hard to stand out though The Basil Leaf certainly gives it a good try.

Though not a large space, The Basil Leaf doesn't lack for seating. The ambiance aims for classy without being stuffy and largely succeeds. Service was attentive throughout our meal.

The Basil Leaf's menu features a variety of Japanese (appetizers, sushi, and teriyaki/hibachi entrees) and Thai (appetizers, soups, salads, curries, noodles, and more) offerings. There were no unexpected finds, but if you know the cuisine well enough to know what you want, you'll likely find it here.

I had a Pad Thai craving and, my wife and I ended up going with a chicken Pad Thai, a beef pineapple fried rice, and a Crab Rangoon starter. The food was tasty (good amount of sauce on the noodles and sweetness balanced with curry notes in the fried rice), and The Basil Leaf will match your desired spice level. While the plating aims for aesthetic sophistication (i.e. carrots cut into a flower shape), serving the rice in a rectangular block was an odd touch. Both entrees were generously portioned. At $15 and $17, neither broke the bank though the prices are a bit higher than the nearest competitor.

All told, The Basil Leaf isn't likely to become my favorite Thai eatery, but it is one that I would feel no qualms about...

The service is top notch - my glass was never allowed to get near half empty (a big sign for how attentive the waitstaff are trained to be). The appetizers we're served within minutes of ordering and the food was served a within minutes of me finishing the appetizers. The coconut milk was mixed in perfect balance for the curry. The food was steaming hot. The lunch meal is the perfect size proportion for normal people and the dinner size will challenge large men to finish it. Everything was wonderfully prepared and tasted great. The onion soup might be the best I've had in years. The decor would suggest they are trying to go fancy, but the clientele ranged from doctors to business managers to construction workers. Prices were reasonable enough that college kids were able to eat there on a date. This is in a strip mall so handicap access was not as well planned as I would like to see. The door is hard to open for those in a wheelchair, the tables are too low for a standard wheelchair to fit underneath, and handicap parking is across the parking lot from the entrance which does not have a ramp. There is only one handicap parking spot within 100 yards and the ramp is even further from the door than the parking. For such a good meal this was a bit of...