Basil

My birthday was up and we didn't have a clue as to where I'd invite the family to dine.  Luckily Vicky, Monique and I happened to pass by the White Plains area a week prior, and we saw the Basil restaurant along Katipunan Avenue near the corner where the Mormon Temple is located. I wanted to try a new place, so we quickly made reservations in advance.  On the date of the dinner, we arrived around 7:30 pm and the parking space was already full--one has to park along White Plains Avenue, since the Katipunan side can only fit maybe 5 or 6 vehicles.  You can immediately smell the scent of basil leaves as you enter; the lighting is pretty dim, so it takes a couple of minutes for your pupils to adjust.  The ambiance felt much like that of a spa; there was the sound of running water from a small pond, temperature was cool, and the simple floral arrangements, together with the charming food attendants made you feel relaxed and laid-back. 

While waiting for the rest of the visitors, we started with some appetizers.  Crunchy catfish atop green mango salad, fresh lumpia, prawn cakes and pomelo salad were brought in one after the other, and as we ate, we exchanged comments on our individual take on the dishes.  Gwammy, in particular, liked the salads, and she said she would take less of the meats in order to have more salad.

The Tom Kai soup was appreciated by the adults, while the honey pork cuts were a hit with the children.  The red (beef) and green (chicken) curry dishes were quite spicy and as such, the kids didn't bother with it at all.  Other Thai favorites that we ordered include prawns wrapped in noodles (deep fried till crisp), chicken wrapped in pandan leaves, phad thai noodles and bagoong rice.

For dessert, I ordered sticky rice with mango, and this was enjoyed by all, as a much welcome cooler to our burning tongues (we asked that the dishes be spiced mildly, but still it was a challenge).  We spent something like P900 per head, and overall it was a successful party.  The only one who wasn't too happy was Kong Kong, as the dim interiors made it difficult for him to eat, and because in general, the aromatic style of Thai cooking isn't really his cup of tea. Serving sizes are really for 3-4 people, so if you are in a big group, several orders of each viand must be made in order for everyone to have a good feel of the cuisine.