Thai Basil (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

I don't normally write about chain restaurants and Thai Basil is a Thai restaurant under the big Maxim's umbrella. But there's something special about this place. For one, I used to come here all the time. When I first started working a little over a decade ago, I spent almost every Saturday here having lunch. At one point I got so friendly with the staff that I was actually asked if I wanted to book their Christmas dinner (which I politely declined). So I knew this place fairly well despite I haven't visited for 7-8 years now (and it's been moved around the same floor on a number of occasions).

Adding to the nostalgic feeling was the fact that Flora Chan (陳慧珊) was in the house. She was one of the goddesses of the nineties featuring in hundreds of TVB drama series including the legendary File of Justice. That sure brought back a lot of memories.



Stir fried morning glory - The same way we started off every meal here nearly a decade ago. This was definitely not bad especially considering the generous portion.



Deep-fried prawn cakes - The minced prawn was fairly tasty underneath the crispy crust but they could have done a better job with the dip.



Barbecued pork neck - Oh, I have had this dish many many times before. Obviously, they have changed its presentation a bit by putting a few pieces on a skewer. Personally, I prefer a bit better balance of lean meat, muscle and fat and this was a little bit lean for me. 



Thai red curry duck - The red curry was nice but the duck meat was a little too firm, a comment concurred by all three of us.



After taking a trip down memory lane, we brought our little nugget to the nearby Hong Kong Park for a walk. It was great walking around the park on a warm summer afternoon. Too bad we won't be able to do the same once the nasty heat arrives in a couple of months.




Food Rating: 4/10
Price: $$$
Address: Shop 001, LG1/F, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, Hong Kong
Closest Metro Station: Admiralty
Tel: +852 2537-4682