***UPDATE*** La Basil at this location closed in June 2007. The La Jolla location is still open. Rumor is a new location in East County is in the works. Click onto website info at bottom of post for information.
mmm-yoso is on vacation. In the interim, the part usually played by Kirk will be played by Cathy.
Hi. So, the parting words to me from Kirk were "Oh- and make sure you do Basil Thai"…and I don't want to. I don't want everyone to know about this place. Its one of the really great hole-in-the-walls, run by a Thai family. The people who go there frequently know they have a gem…and anyone who goes to K Sandwiches has been right on top of it. 
(click onto the photo- you can see K Sandwiches on the left and right there, at the end of the parking lot, under the setting sun-those buildings right there…go ahead, walk on over)
There they are- my two best kept secrets, right on Mesa College Drive. We will go from left to right and I will talk about La Basil today.
Here is the menu, posted outside. Basically for the lunch specials, you choose your type of noodle, type of meat and type of sauce. If you get vegetarian, chicken or pork,its $5.99; beef or duck is $6.99, shrimp or calamari is $7.99, scallop is $8.99 and mixed seafood is $10.99.
Dinners have a similar style of ordering, with the most expensive entree on the menu being $12.95.
For dinner, there are appetizers, salads, noodles & rice, house curries, specialties and fish. 
The thing is, there are 18 CHAIRS for 5 tables total inside and 10 CHAIRS for 4 tables outside, and really, if you were to sit at the tables using all of those chairs, there is no space for plates for all the people. Notice there are no condiments on the tables.
We ordered, had water placed and a basket of still sizzling shrimp chips were brought out to the table. Not oily, not too hot, but still sizzling with a nice shrimp flavor and oh so light and crispy.
Then the appetizer we ordered
arrived, having been freshly made, Spring rolls ($4.95): rice paper stuffed with tofu, lettuce, bean sprouts, carrot, mint, cucumber, rice noodle served with a sweet/sour/hot sauce topped with chopped peanuts on the left and warmed, fresh made peanut sauce on the right. These were very fresh, with the right amount of crunch and the sauces complimented the flavors perfectly.
Then my most absolute favorite Thai dish arrived- Larb salad…made with beef! I have looked high and low for larb made with beef anywhere else in San Diego and have yet to find it. Seems its always made with chicken. Here, you get to choose: beef, chicken or pork. Larb is made with the minced meat, lime juice, chili, rice powder (gives it crunch) and mint and also served are cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, onions and shredded carrots. I asked for medium heat..not too much: I wanted to taste the flavors. It was just right. 
($7.95)
We also got the chicken pad Thai this time. The pad Thai is kind of sweet tasting here and the noodles are fresh rice noodles, with a nice "bite" to them, but at lunchtime I like to get the pad see ew noodle, made with a thicker rice noodle, that seems to hold more of the sauce on it. (I also like the green curry on rice at lunch). Bean sprouts, scallion and egg along with chopped peanuts and the chicken and noodles. ($7.95)
This little placard was on the table, and we had ordered the rice with coconut ice cream once before, remembering it took about 10 minutes to come out, because they make it fresh, and it was busy. We ordered ahead of time. They were out of ice cream, so we asked for the custard.
Which was also made fresh. The rice is made with coconut milk, was still warm and wonderfully sticky. The custard was eggy and wonderfully fresh, with a skin just beginning to form on top. The price was $4.95.
All in all, the Mister and I really like La Basil. It does a brisk take out (but you don't call it in: i never have heard a phone ring when we were in there- you walk in, order and wait…they give you some shrimp chips to munch on… and enjoy the decor):
It is going to be Halloween soon, you know.
La Basil Thai Cuisine 7530 Mesa College Drive SD 92111
Mon-Fri 11:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m.
Sat 12:00 p.m.-9:00p.m.
Did anyone notice the parsley on the dessert plate?
Addendum- October 12, 2006….I was reading the morning paper and saw a coupon for La Basil Thai in La Jolla. There was a website: La Basil dot com and I went to it, looked at the menu section and it is, apparently, a chain! The La Jolla prices are a dollar more than the prices at this location on Mesa College Drive. There is nothing on the menu here to indicate they had another location. …and I just don't hang around in La Jolla enough to know that there was a La Basil there. Sorry if anyone was confused.
Very interesting. Is this the quality Thai restaurant that everyone has been looking for in SD but no one can find it? How does it compare to the Thai restaurants in LA?
Good to hear though. I want to try it now!
-Ted
P.S. I wonder how their papaya salad is?
is it always so that Thai restaurants keep some sort of a statue insides? We have a Thai restaurant in Waikiki that had two of it’s statue about a foot outside the premises and as things would happen one night someone stole one of the statues. Now they chain up the outside statues. It was probably worth the free publicity though.
I actually know where this place is! The reason being is that I live near there. I just did a post recently on a restaurant that is located in the same vicinity. Although I’ve never gotten a chance to try out the place myself, but I have passed by it many times.
http://www.oh-soyummy.com/archives/162
Hello Ted. We think the quality of the food is excellent. You feel like you are a guest in someone’s home and they are going all out for you. I haven’t been to any Thai hole-in-the-walls in LA…always there for a short time and seem to find someplace interesting and just stop. Will look for Thai next time. The papaya salad is loved by everyone who comes into La Basil. On a Wednesday night, three older Thai ladies came in for dinner and two of them ordered it.
Oh Ron, I think all of the asian places have some kind of god to bless the building as well as the business…the people at La Basil have a sense of humor about her though…
Hi Nguyen- The Mister and I go to Anh Hong when I *need* Bun with the shrimp stuffed fried tofu skin (Number 123 c I think). Stop in and try La Basil..and for some *excellent* pho, that little restaurant right next door…its my absolute favorite. You’ll hear about it soon.
The divine images in the Asian restaurants – that even goes for Filipino restaurants, but of course, the Sto. Nino is a “saint” (ahem…).
Hi Ed- That whole Saint/Baby Jesus thing is just part of the whole rote memorization thing we Catholics are so good at….
Hi Cathy,
Too funny, we both covered Thai this week. If you do eat at Thai Village this weekend after the game, let me know how it compares with La Basil.
I’ve actually been to the one next door once. I believe their specialty is bun rieu and bun bo hue or am I thinking of another place near there?
Thanks for the post, Cathy. I burned out on Thai a couple of years ago but this makes me want to pick it up again.
Hey CJ- Will do. I like your style of descriptions.
Nguyen- Yes, the best Bun Bo Hue that I have encountered.
Hello Birdie! Glad I might have sparked something.
I’ve been wondering about this place for months. Thanks for the review. Perhaps I can convince my husband to try it when he is in the mood for thai food(a rare occasion).
Hi Lynnea- Do what we do…one day he gets to choose where to go out, one day you get to choose where…Let him go first..it works out better for you that way 😉
Hey Cathy – You did Thai Basil!!! Great. I managed to sneak away for some internet time. Thanks for everything!
Kirk!
Get back to your vacation!
(…you’re welcome…)(its fun)
-C
Looks good. Asia Cafe also has beef larb, I believe. La Basil sounds like the same type of family operation. Maybe there is hope for Thaing one on in SD after all.
ed
Ah hahahaha….good one Ed…
My wife and I tried La Basil on Thursday night. If you’ve read this post on Chowhound (http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/307793)
then you know that I’ve been looking for good Thai for a while. La Basil and Thai Village were the two places most recently recommended.
We started with the #1 fried spring rolls ($5) and the coconut-milk based soup (#9 on the list). The spring rolls were good but not as good as those at Thien Thanh. The soup was great; the coconut was not overpowering but added a delicious creamyness to the rich broth. The mushrooms and tofu went well with the vegetables and seasonings; we had the vegetarian option. It was the best dish of the night.
Next, my wife overruled my idea of beef larb, and picked the Som Tam (green papaya) salad. The flavors were rather muted; the spice level was low as she had requested, but I would have liked more fish sauce and shrimp paste. It was good, but I’ve made better at home.
Our main courses were, in two words, too sweet. Pad thai had tender shrimp, cooked just right, and al dente noodles, but any flavors in the mix were overpowered by sugar.
Our server had recommended the fried fish and I had picked #43 deep fried fish with chili sauce. Tamarind, garlic, chile, basil and lemon grass sounded good, but they didn’t mention “tons of sugar.” The fish may have been good, but the unbalanced sweetness of the sauce did not work for me. I would prefer too sour or too salty or too much MSG; those seem to dilute out with plenty of rice. But rice won’t cut through sugar.
Perhaps it was a bad night. We had the coconut ice cream for desert, as ripe mangos were not available for the sticky rice dish. It was quite good and I happily ate it all.
We may come back for the lovely decor (including a fish tank with real coral, anemones and clown fish), good service and good soups, but I hope there are better dishes on the menu. I may need to ask for “hot” rather than “medium”; the blond hair always gives me away.
Cathy, do you have other recommendations, beyond the larb?
Hi Joseph. Sorry, but it does sound like a bad night. I do like the “Cry Tiger” steak and the Chicken with spaghetti and green curry,(under specialties)… although they have the panang curry, which has a bit of spice that I sometimes prefer. The soups are always excellent, and you are right about the pad thai sweetness…the Pla Panang, (deep fried fish with curry) was good the one time I got it, but that was in March or so. The description of the fried fish you got, especially with the chili sauce tasting sweet is odd…the only “sweet” in that mix is the tamarind…I do think its odd.
Both The Mister and I are blonde, so we have to emphasize “medium-almost hot, good!” when we order…anywhere actually. I have never had a craving for the papaya salad and never tried it, but that seems like a basic they would also have down.
Do try it again, maybe asking ‘is that sweet?’ and saying something like ‘not too sweet’…we can also play up that blondeness…:)
I just called La Basil on Mesa College to order some takeout; I spoke to a woman who said that the Mesa College location was closed, and was in the process of moving to La Mesa (the new one should be open in a few months). Oh well, time to find another good local Thai place!
EEEK! Thanks for the heads up, Jamie! I just went to the website and there is no mention. Oddly, I am posting about a restaurant within walking distance of La Basil tonight…I will get more info and update his post.
I was surprise! La basil will open at La mesa??? I went to La Basil at La jolla location a couple month ago and met the owner, a small young Thai lady mention that she has 2 restaurants ..another one at Mesa college , she start that 3 years ago .I was wonder …how she handle that?? then she reply ..just concentrate on her recipe, which is from her home town, Bangkok… and a good management , and a good team work(she gave a credit to her chef and her worker ) then we went to try at mesa college lacation..that close where in live ..Yes the food was very good and service too but I still prefer to has the great service at La jolla Location . I went back to La jolla location again..and I told her I had tried and the food was good and I may go there more ofthen…so the owner said that location will be closed on june.
Oh..NO!!!..I live close by over there (at mission valley area then she told us..we will move to another location, not too far from mesa college. Last week we back to la jolla location and ask her again..you got the spot?..she said YEP!!! on College Ave (that is not La mesa..firm!! )which is closer ..WOW..It’s wonderful to has a tiny La Basil Thai again!!!! (Her chef and staff will move to there too… I can not wait!!
Hi Katie. Thanks so much for stopping and commenting. I liked the Mesa College location a bit better becasue it was less epensive than La Jolla and closer to home. I did like it over all of the other Thai places around here.
The La Basil website is not updated and so I can’t figure out if the new location will be in La Mesa or on College Avenue, although perhaps she meant University Avenue, which is in La Mesa. I will be in the lookout an will go to the new location and report on it as soon as I figure out where it is!
Okay, so I went by here and La Basil was closed. Sounds like it was a great place though. Any thoughts on where to get really great thai food in SD? I have definitely had my share of mediocre thai food around here. We usually default to Thai house, but would really like to find some place with a more inspired menu or just better in general.
Hi, and welcome, PRR. Yes, that La Basil is closed but the one in La Jolla, with prices about $1 more per dish, is still open, although I have never been to that one. (Click onto the link above). The new location doesn’t seem to be panning out.
My next most favorite Thai is in Santee-Oiishi- (put that in under ‘Site Search at the top left of this blog). I blogged it on Oct 18 last year. It has a sushi bar, Japanese and Thai menus. The owners are relatives of those who run Lotus of Siam in Las Vegas, which is regarded as the “Best Thai” in Vegas. They will ask you the heat level you desire of your Thai dish, and someone from the kitchen will come out at some point and ask how you like it. Family run. Excellent.
Take the 52 east to Mast Boulevard. Both lanes turn left. It is just past the 9th light, on your right, almost across from the Albertson’s/Round Table/Jack in the Box mall. Closed Sunday. You will like it.