Believe it or not, there are people living in Toronto who have yet to experience the wonderful world of Thai cuisine. I know, I know. This sweet, little Annex spot is a fine introduction if you happen to be of the generous sort (myself included of course), who wish to show their friends a remarkable South Asian dining experience.


Thai Basil, true to its name, provides a selection of reasonably priced Thai plates with an obvious or subversively hidden basil leaf accent. The interior - a space that once housed Rouge and, later, the ill-fated 350 Fahrenheit - relies heavily upon the voyeurism-inspiring full glass frontage, perfect for watching the laughable fumbled navigation of the sliding glass door.

A brief hand signal to the waitress and you have a cozy booth table for two. There is an airy vibe here – heavy on the Buddha; expect to leave the resto with a belly sized to match.

Here come the menus: voila. There are pictures beside many of the dishes for those less fluent in Thai (i.e. your friends from the 'burbs) and there is a spice indicator beside each dish to indicate the heat quotient. It is acceptable to point and nod if pronunciation isn’t your thing. The menu offers the obvious choices – curries, cashew chicken, pad thai – and, as for drinks, there is an assortment of smoothies (I highly recommend the mango).