Basil Indian & Thai Grill — Restaurant in Montclair

I chose Basil Indian & Thai Grill for our date night, drawn in by its high ratings on Google and the promise of a delightful culinary experience. Our anticipation was high, but unfortunately, our dining experience did not live up to the expectations set by those glowing reviews.

Our evening started with a trip down memory lane via Thumbs Up and Limca sodas, which I hadn’t tasted in over a decade. These drinks, however, did not capture the nostalgia I was hoping for; they've evidently fallen victim to recipe changes, resulting in a bland, overly sweetened concoction that barely resembled the original flavors. Thankfully, the Mango Lassi we ordered next managed to salvage our drinks experience slightly. It was well-balanced in sweetness, though it’s unclear whether it was made from fresh mangoes or puree. (GF believes it was puree).

We ventured into the appetizers with Chicken 65 and the Basil special pepper shrimp. The Chicken 65 was a letdown, lacking both the characteristic crispiness and the robust spice expected of this South Indian favorite. It seemed reheated, not fresh. The shrimp, while freshly prepared, was only modestly flavored, failing to leave a memorable impact.

For the main course, I opted for the Kerala Salmon Moilee. Traditionally rich and aromatic, the dish typically features kingfish, but here it was replaced with salmon, which unfortunately overpowered the subtle coconut-based sauce it was in. This dish further echoed the theme of muted flavors we encountered throughout the night. My girlfriend’s choice of Butter Chicken was equally disappointing; overly sweetened to the point of being unrecognizable as the classic dish it was meant to replicate.

On a positive note, the service was attentive and friendly. The staff was personable, even making a point to compliment my girlfriend’s outfit, which was a nice touch that brought a smile to her face.

Despite the excellent service, the food at Basil Indian & Thai Grill was a series of misses. The dishes lacked the authentic flavors and vibrant spices that one would expect from a restaurant that features Indian cuisine, catering instead to a palate that prefers subdued versions of potentially bold dishes. The experience seemed to suggest that the restaurant aims to appeal to those new to Indian food, prioritizing mildness over authenticity.

Although our foray into their Indian menu was disappointing, the restaurant also serves Thai dishes, which we did not sample. It might be worth a future visit to explore their Thai offerings and see if they better represent the cuisine. For those looking for traditional Indian flavors, however, Basil Indian & Thai Grill might not meet expectations based on...

We got the chicken tikka masala lunch special. Good flavor but they gave us three tiny pieces of chicken per dish. Where do you pay almost $40 and only get 3 pieces of chicken per dish for two dishes? What other cuisine does this?? Very disappointed. You guys need to do better. Idk how you guys have any customers. God forbid it’s lamb or a more expensive meat they will probably just give you the sauce.

Updated**

You guys are manipulating things. The lunch special is around $17 which is not a so called deal you are mentioning. The side dishes you are mentioning wouldn’t make anyone feel full just give people who’ve never tried Indian food, a good variety to SAMPLE. We were at a doctors appt and running back to work so we wanted to try your location which was around the block. There was a lunch special at the time so why would I order the regular portion? You guys ever tried halal food, Chinese food or Spanish food and get these portions? I’d recommend venturing out to different cuisines. We won’t make this mistake again. The meat is where your money’s worth is. Please don’t pretend or try to...

This review is on take out. This was my second time ordering from this place because I wanted to give it another chance. Both times when I ordered the service was good. The food tho, well it's not bad. It's good. I'm not sure if maybe i'm not ordering the correct items where I would be able to say this place is great. Here is my two cents on this restaurant. For one, the flavors are good but i've had better. Having said that I ordered their indo-thai dishes. There are a few thai place that are much better but I rated the food a 3 star because the two times that I have ordered. I've ordered the meat version. ( Chicken) I find this restaurant over priced for what they offer. The two chicken dishes had more vegetable and very little meat. The dishes were not cheap and then to be looking for the chicken was very disappointing. If you are ordering chicken or shrimp dish ask them to add more, assuming they will charge more. This will be my last...