Thai Basil Restaurant of DeRidder, Louisiana 70634: a Restaurant Review

Janet and I wanted to go out for dinner. But tonight, we wanted something different. She'd told me before about wanting to try the Thai Basil Restaurant, and so we decided to give this wonderful little establishment a try. At first, I'll admit reluctance. I've had bad experiences with small town, niche restaurants before. But the moment we both walked in, we knew this place was going to be different.

I'm sharing this review on a basis of one to five stars for each of the four following categories: food quality, atmosphere, service, and price. Each category will contribute to the overall rating on average. Out of respect for these folks' hard work, I'm holding off on my usual inane jokes.

Thai Basil Restaurant's food quality: 5 stars
On their clearly-printed, correctly spelled menu, we find a total of 64 selections, including dinner entrees and appetizers. The decision of which one to try is admittedly difficult with such a variety. Everything sounds good. We both chose number 56 - Bangkok fried rice. Well, Janet chose number 56. I just went along, as if I knew what I was doing.

Luckily, when asked "What's Calamari?" my guess of "Squid, or eel, or something," was pretty close. Turns out it was squid. Who knew squid would be so tasty? That, along with shrimp, egg, vegetables, and that wonderful fried rice was all topped with a piece of breaded, fried fish as big as my entire right hand. It was delicious. The serving portion was big enough that we both needed take-out boxes. This was a one-dish meal worth waiting for. I should also mention the Spring Roll appetizers were the best I've ever had.

Thai Basil Restaurant's atmosphere: 4 stars
I'm not going to give 5 stars on this, even though it's not entirely their fault. It's not that their dining room wasn't clean. It was immaculate. A nice soundtrack played gently in the background at a reasonable volume, and was soothing. I can see why couples would enjoy a dinner date here. They keep the customer area nice and clean. And the smells of the food cooking, on the way to the restroom just about had me giving five stars in this area, too.

But a restroom will get me every time. Fix a door, would you please? Restrooms are also part of the customer area, and if little things like a door that closes isn't important, what else is in the back, where I can't see? It may not be the most fun part of running an otherwise lovely restaurant, but little things are everything. Keep in mind that, 4 stars isn't meant as an insult to the owners, or staff. If I were really unhappy, I wouldn't have written this.

Thai Basil Restaurant's service: 4 1/2 stars
The food came fast enough, and the server Narumon was friendly and professional. In fact, she was charming. But when the food is brought out, that little question "Is there anything else?" tells folks like me you're wanting to make sure they're satisfied. This won't make me go below a 4 1/2 star rating though, since it's a small thing. Other than this one little thing, she was a joy to meet.

Thai Basil Restaurant's prices: 5 stars
In today's economy, any quality restaurant offering such a delicious meal, and drinks for two and appetizer, for anything under $50 including tip, is just amazing in my opinion. It's not fast food, so don't expect fast food prices. The cost of the meal is a good value. We enjoyed a wonderful mix of flavors, in a unique dish, and weren't at all disappointed in the price.

Thai Basil Restaurant overall rating: 4 5/8 stars
Make it a point to give these great folks a try, if you're ever in the DeRidder, Louisiana area. The food is as wonderfully unique as it is delicious. The prices are reasonable considering what we got. The employees are friendly and courteous enough. If this will be the first time you try Thai food, the Thai Basil Restaurant of DeRidder Louisiana is a great place to experience it.

Thai Basil Restaurant
1209 Pine Street
DeRidder, LA. 70634
(337) 462-3885

Other notes about the Thai Basil Restaurant of DeRidder, Louisiana:
Business hours: Closed Monday, otherwise from Sunday through Thursday they're open from 11:00 a.m. Until 9:00 p.m., and on Fridays and Saturdays they're open from 11:00 a.m. Until 9:30 p.m.

Select beer and wine is available for adults. Dress code is casual/relaxed. Reservations are not required. Children are welcome to order from a kid's menu. Gratuities are added to the check for parties of five or more.

Update! I stopped in to the Thai Basil Restaurant and yes! They have fixed their bathroom door! These folks personify customer-focused business-people, and you'll enjoy eating here. Go tonight, why don't you?

Source:
Personal Experience
Thaibaisilderidder.com