The Basil Inn

Not that fantastic as claimed by others. Seriously, they should get more help, obviously lacking manpower.

Authentic Thai food with great customers service. Love this precious restaurant. Give it a try.

I found this gem of a place 2 years ago before they expanded next door. The food is fantastic and the thai steam fish is a must try. Love it, and the auntie managing the shop is also really down to earth. I have tried almost everything on their menu, and love most of them. Cos they are so popular, during peak times it can be tough to get a seat or you may have to wait for a bit longer, but its really worth the wait. The aunty (I think the owner’s mom) also tried very hard to accomodate you when they are full and you can see the sincerity and warmth, amidst all the chaos, cos I think they are pretty shorthanded. But she tries, and I’ve gotta give her a thumbs up for that!

In the midst of all the commercial crap, Basil Inn is a breath of fresh air! The food is good, prices are even better and it’s family owned and has such a nice small café ambiance — I truly, truly, truly love this place! And I’ll explain why…
What I Love: The menu is comprehensive, and in Singapore, it’s really hard to get authentic and good Thai food. You really can’t consider Thai Express Thai Food, so there’s really a lack of good Thai food in Singapore. The Basil Inn’s food is authentic as the chefs are Thai, the portions are great, and they’ll tweak it to your preference — if you want more or less chili. Have to try their Som Tum, Pat Thai, and their Mango Salad. They have food from the North too — and their claypots, Tom Yum & Tom Kha Gai are pretty great too. I usually have their Thai Iced Tea, Thai Coconut and Mango Sticky Rice for dessert. Prices are really affordable — and every thing’s about $ 5-​$ 8ish. What I also love is that it’s a family owned business — so everyone chips in, and it’s nice to have such establishments in Singapore — as opposed to all the commercial stuff we see around all the time.
What I Don’t Love: Absolutely nothing! ;D

Basil Inn is a really nice surprise in the middle of touristy Downtown East — I mean honestly Downtown East is the kind of place that you would expect to find a huge MacDonalds, and loads of other child popular but mediocre chains around. And it is in fact just as you expect in reality! With the exception of a few places such as The Basil Inn that serves authentic Thai food at affordable prices. The portions are however tiny, so do order more than you usually would — the up side however is that you get to order a greater variety of food to try.
The Tom Yum soup here is incredibly spicy and sour — I usually only survive around 2 or 3 spoons of the soup since I can’t take very spicy, but it is sooo tasty you have to try it! The phad thai is also superb — fried to perfection and a little dry, it really reminded me of the phad thai I had on the streets in bangkok. Another great dish is the stir fried pork mince and beans — so fragrant, but beware it also packs a spicy punch! The servers will be able to recommend you the dishes that aren’t so spicy, so do ask for their recommendations!