Thai basil — Restaurant in Portsmouth

The name Thai Basil makes me think this is a trendy Thai spot with better than average choices. Don’t let the name fool you. It’s just an average dine-in Chinese restaurant with a hint of Thai. Location is downtown Portsmouth. Street parking only. Outdoor seating is available and indoor seating seemed cozy & comfortable. I drove there & parked a block away. I planned on dining in, but the smell of what seemed like rotting food was so strong, i couldn’t take being inside just at the doorway, let alone sit down. I just ordered to go. The service is very good. People are very nice. There is nothing I can say about the service as a whole being I did not dine in, but they were friendly and the smiles seemed genuine and warm. But the smell turned me off so much I could not dine In. (NOTE: I did return some days later before writing this review to see if the smell was just bad timing but it was still present almost a week later, thus I feel confident in adding this detail in the review). The food didn’t take long at all. I waited outside and peeped the outdoor seating. It’s a small, fenced in area in front of the restaurant. I’d have loved to dine outdoors, but it’s very humid so I chose take out. I went back in about 10 minutes later and the food was ready. As I drove home, I noticed the food smelled up the car like the restaurant. I was appalled. But I was hungry, and wanted to love the food and restaurant so much. I ordered a Thai ice tea which I drank on the way home. It was horrible. I’m originally from a metropolitan city with tons of cuisines from all around the world to choose from, so Thai food isn’t new to me. This was not a Thai ice tea. This was straight up milk and sugar with some powder that makes the color. It could’ve been colored sugar for all I know because it tasted like the milk you drink from a bowl of cereal. I was highly disappointed, but I still had the food to try. I got home and immediately ripped the bag opened. It was tied super tight so I ripped it opened like a hungry savage (which I probably was at that point in the day). Food was still hot, no need to reheat. I had a coconut soup, veggie tempura, crab rangoon and an order of spring rolls (they might be called something else at Thai Basil). The soup was horrible. I took a few spoonfuls and the taste was off. Not an hint of coconut taste. Overpowering taste of ginger (which, by the way, does not go in authentic Thai coconut soup). The veggies were just thrown in, raw and sunk to the bottom. There was absolutely nothing good about that soup. It was so oily that the broth separated and a puddle of oil was at the top. The veggie tempura had so much batter I had to rip a lot of it off to enjoy a good ratio of tempura and veggie. It wasn’t crispy like tempura should be. It was soggy/mushy and bland. The sweet & sour dipping sauce was very good. I liked the flavor a lot. The only bad thing about that was it was too thin. I dipped my veggies and the sauce just ran off like a stream of water. So I had to take a bite of food and drink a bit of sauce. Not my ideal way to enjoy my food, but it had to be done. This caused the sauce to be gone before the food so I didn’t finish the tempura. The crab rangoon had no meat in it. And believe me, I inspected every bite. It was just fried wonton filled with cream cheese and tiny slivers of carrot. No scallion as advertised. Maybe the orange color gave the illusion that it was crab (fake if any) but there was not one tiny morsel of crab or scallion at all. The spring rolls were excellent. They were nice and crunchy and very tasty. But soy sauce as a dipping sauce?It was supposed to come with homemade dipping sauce. It was too salty with soy sauce as a dip so I went in my pantry and got duck sauce from previous Chinese take out and used that. It paired very well. Oh, and the napkins are real and soft if you’re into napkins like that. I liked them way better than usual take out spots’ crunchy paper type. I would not...

What a gem!! Our family has been looking for a new go-to Thai place since our last favorite closed 5+ years ago (we miss you, Som Bao!). There are a few alright spots in the area, but this place just jumped to the top of the list.

All the veggies were super fresh and crisp, which made for great textures in all the dishes. The chicken cakes are an in-house spin on fish cakes. Reminiscent of a chicken meatball, the flavors are surprisingly complex, with a heat that slowly builds without getting too hot for the spice wimp at the table (.... it's me. I'm the spice wimp). The pancit and pad see ew are go-to comfort dishes, and theirs are exactly what you want them to be. Again, the freshness and perfect textures stood out and made them shine. Pad thai is another staple menu item that surprised me. Somehow, it seemed brighter than other pad thai we've had, and in the best possible way. I didn't order it, and seriously considered trying to pull a plate swap.

The real star of the table was the Beef Siam, a dish the owner proudly explained was her own special recipe. My son ordered it as it comes on the menu (level two); everyone enjoyed watching his face melting as he ate. The beef was tender, the veg was as good as the rest, but the sauce was INSANELY good. Deep and rich, it was definitely hotter than I would be able to sit and eat (another building heat, whereas I stole single bites in between slurps of Thai Tea and eating my own food) but it was absolutely worth the pain.

To top it off, they have both mango sticky rice and sweet black rice (which I haven't had in ages). We ordered both to take home, but opened the black rice before we left so everyone could have a taste. Two out of three hadn't ever had it before, and eyes popped out of heads at how mild and nutty it is.

Overall, pretty much perfect. There were at least four other dishes I'm desperate to go back for, so they're going to be seeing a lot...

Update: June 15, 2024

Thai Basil, Portsmouth, VA: A Truly Unique Dining Experience

On our recent visit to Thai Basil in Portsmouth, VA, we had the pleasure of meeting the owner and his incredible friend, a Buddhist Monk from Thailand. This Monk, who agreed to come to the US to assist the owner with customer service, added a warm and welcoming presence to our dining experience. His kindness and serene demeanor truly made our evening special.

As for the food, it was nothing short of exceptional. I opted for the Seafood Hot Pot, a dish known for its fiery heat. Our attentive waiter made sure to warn me that there would be no refund if the spice level was too intense. Undeterred, I went for the hottest option they offer and was not disappointed! The hot pot was bursting with flavor and packed a serious punch—perfect for anyone who loves a spicy challenge.

My friend chose the small whole deep-fried flounder, served over a bed of fried rice with eggs and vegetables. The presentation was beautiful, and the fish was cooked to perfection, offering a delightful contrast of textures and flavors.

Thai Basil offers not just a meal but an experience, enriched by the remarkable people behind it. If you're in Portsmouth and looking for an authentic and memorable dining adventure, this is the place to go.

2023 - Good food! Seems that they cater to the take out crowd and have a tendancy to serve and abandon dine in customers for...