Thai cuisine is a feast for all the senses – when it’s done right, of course.
It has to feature fresh, local and authentic international ingredients that have the ability to transport you to Thailand.
But it’s not all in the taste.
The best Thai dishes I have sampled to date have also wowed on the appearance front, too. They were vibrant and made me want to get stuck in from the get-go.
Julia and I were yet to review Thai cuisine as part of our ongoing Drive-Thru Diners series before recently paying a visit to Thai Basil in Altens, Aberdeen.
After a reader recommended the street food van to us, we knew we had to right our wrong and set out to see if it was worth the hype.
Thai Basil: What is it and what’s on offer?
Thai Basil is situated on Souter Head Road in Altens.
It is a takeaway street food van that serves up an impressive variety of dishes, from honey chilli chicken, stir-fried mixed vegetables and beef with oyster sauce to prawn pad Thai, spring rolls and chicken fried rice.
Everything is freshly made to order, according to the business’ menu, so you can rest assured knowing your grub will deliver on the flavour front.
Thai Basil’s chef boasts more than 30 years of experience and it is open from 10am to 2pm Monday to Friday.
If you would like to find out more information on the van or place an order for collection, call 07751 717611 or visit the Thai Basil Facebook page.
The order:
The results
So, did Julia and I get the high-quality Thai food fix we were longing for?
Red Thai chicken curry
The red Thai chicken curry came with a three spice warning, which I was feeling a tad apprehensive about.
I may not be a spice expert, but I felt the dish didn’t have all too much, to be honest. In fact, little to none at all, which Julia agreed with.
The plentiful chicken was teamed with bamboo shoots and pineapple, as well as rice (although you can opt for noodles instead).
The chicken was a tad on the dry side and Julia and I thought more sauce was needed. However, the pineapple added a lovely sweetness to the curry, while the bamboo shoots provided a nice crunch.
Presentation
Julia: 3/5
Karla: 2.5/5
Taste
Julia: 3.5/5
Karla: 3.5/5
Spring rolls
One word springs to mind when reminiscing over tucking into the vegetable spring rolls from Thai Basil. And that word is wow.
They were everything a perfect spring roll should be – flaky and crispy on the outside and packed with fresh, tasty vegetables.
Julia quickly picked up on the fact they weren’t greasy either, which was more than welcome.
The four spring rolls were served with a zingy sweet chilli dip. However, they were so good that I’d recommend giving it a miss and enjoying them solo.
Presentation
Julia: 3/5
Karla: 4/5
Taste
Julia: 4/5
Karla: 5/5
Beef satay
Although we were already two menu items deep, the aromas coming from the beef satay were enough to make the pair of us peckish again.
When it came to the satay, we could choose between beef, chicken, prawn or vegetables only. Given that we’d already sampled the chicken, it was time to analyse the beef.
Served with onions, carrots, mushrooms, peppers, broccoli and mangetout, as well as rice and noodles, the dish was another winner for us.
The creamy and nutty sauce was a standout and, again, the vegetables were evidently fresh. Julia was also chuffed with their crinkle shape.
Presentation
Julia: 3.5/5
Karla: 4/5
Taste
Julia: 4.5/5
Karla: 4/5
Prawn pad Thai
Prawns are a hit or a miss when dining out. They can prove incredibly chewy at times, which is never enjoyable.
However, that wasn’t the case for the prawns inside our Pad Thai at Thai Basil.
Perfectly sweet and salty, they were teamed with stir-fried noodles and a pad Thai sauce. The dish wasn’t too heavy either.
Considering all the dishes at Thai Basil are served from a food truck, Julia and I couldn’t believe how high the quality was and how delicious each dish proved to be.
Presentation
Julia: 3/5
Karla: 3/5
Taste
Julia: 4/5
Karla: 4/5
The spring rolls and beef satay both came out on top at Thai Basil, racking up scores of 16/20.
Can you think of any local venues or dishes you would like the Drive-Thru Diners to try?
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