Thai Basil (ASU Location)

Despite the economic downturn, there are at least three things that seem to be defying the odds by growing all over the Phoenix Metro Area. The first is retail banking. The financial crisis and the migration to online banking would suggest that banks don't have enough funds to build branches or enough walk-in customers to support them. Instead, we see new banks going up all over town. The second is chain drugstores. Maybe it's due to the aging population or the use of prescription medicine to fix everything from shyness to heartburn, but new Walgreens and CVS stores are opening on every corner. The third is Thai restaurants. Some have been around for years, but lately we can't seem to get enough new ones.

exterior

In Tempe, the related Thai Basil and Thai Elephant mini-chains have spread quickly through the city. Since 2006, the original Thai Basil has served its curries, stir-frys, and noodles from a strip mall at University and Farmer. A few years later, a branch of Thai Elephant, reportedly owned by another wing of the same family, opened just down the street at University and Hardy. In the latest move, Tempe now has a second branch of Thai Basil only a mile from the original restaurant. The latest Thai Basil, known as "Number 5" or "Thai Basil ASU," is located on Rural Road, just east of the ASU main campus and a few blocks south of the University / Rural light rail station.

spicy noodles

The latest model of Thai Basil is clearly similar to its siblings throughout the metropolitan area, including both the other Tempe location and the Thai Basil at Park Central in Midtown Phoenix. Still, each site is a little different, and there are a few aspects of Thai Basil ASU that distinguish it from other locations. This restaurant doesn’t occupy a strip mall space, but a standalone building instead -- one that formerly housed a fast food restaurant. There's even an abandoned drive-thru remaining on the grounds. If things are a little scruffy on the outside, be thankful some money has been spent on the interior. Inside, the look suggests a sort of replica of the Jim Thompson House in Bangkok with dark furniture, thatched roofs, ceiling fans, and wooden blinds shielding customers from the drab view of the parking lot outside.

fresh rolls

The food at Thai Basil ASU might well meet George Constanza's description of "right in the meaty part of the curve -- not showing off, not falling behind." In other words, there's not all that much here to motivate a journey from a distance, especially with Thai Basils in several locations; however, the restaurant is just fine for anyone looking for Thai food in proximity to ASU. Fresh rolls, similar to the cold “summer rolls” found many places, are good starters, as is the papaya salad garnished with shrimp, although Thai Basil’s version of the latter is a mild one without the expected chili heat. There's a heavy emphasis on lunch specials here with a variety of dishes available with the modular approach found so often at local Thai restaurants: choose a preparation style (e.g. green curry) and then pair it with a choice of protein: chicken, beef, tofu, shrimp. etc. Every lunch entree comes with a small egg roll and a cup of vegetable soup.

red curry

For the most part, these dishes meet expectations in terms of expected tastes and textures, although the level of heat will seem low to some Thai aficionados. The red curry has a decent burn when ordered at medium and sufficiently complex flavor. The vegetables within are appropriately crisp; however, a few pieces of flaccid pineapple seem out of place. The restaurant's namesake dish is always successful in its combination of plenty of fresh basil with the earthy, salty taste imparted by the ubiquitous fish sauce used in Thai cuisine. It's a good choice during the summer heat, when thick curries based on coconut milk might seem too heavy. Spicy noodles are stir fried with a colorful selection of al dente vegetables, although they’re not really all that spicy. Specials noted on a board near the door cover both interesting dishes like fragrant basil lamb and not-really-Thai crowd-pleasers like teriyaki chicken.

Thai Basil with tofu

In a departure from some of the other Thai Basil locations, this restaurant has a liquor license, a bar, and a happy hour. That decision and the resulting beverage menu seem to reflect the location right between college dorms and the nearby "Sin City" apartment complexes. There are beer bargains such as Chang for $1.75 a bottle, Sapporo on tap, and the inevitable student-satisfying sake bombers. Good non-alcoholic choices include iced tea, lemonade, and limeade. Given the nearness of other Thai restaurants, including those under related ownership, it might seem like this latest Thai Basil is a stretch in a potentially saturated market. Instead, it seems to be drawing a steady clientele. Just as banks and pharmacies keep opening new branches, the Thai restaurants keep on coming. The first two are merely useful, but the last makes life just a little more interesting.

1111 S. Rural Rd., Tempe AZ 85281
(480) 557-0101
http://www.thaibasilasu.com/




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