The bustling midtown flagship for Thai Basil, which also has locations in Cameron Park, Roseville and Elk Grove, just celebrated 10 years in its J Street location in June, and what a decade it’s been. Forget the Americanized takes on Thai dishes glutting menus with gloppy sauces and one-dimensional flavor; here you’ll find bright, authen-tic items straight from the recipe book of founder Prayoon Sununsangthong, whose daughters Suleka, Wannipa, and Kannika now run the restaurants and base the menu on their culinarily gifted mother’s cooking. Look for start-ers like chicken, beef or tofu satay and tung tong (crispy fried cups of chicken, shrimp and water chestnuts), as well as specialties like gung-yang (a plate of marinated, grilled tiger prawns and veggies with a piquant lime sauce), and the signature, perfectly textured drunken noodles, which includes tomatoes, chilies and a tangy soy glaze on a bed of bean sprouts and lettuce. And for those on the downtown and midtown grid, you can get your fill of Thai Basil’s tasty classics, many of which they’ll happily make in vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free versions, pedaled
to your door by the eatery’s eco-friendly bike delivery.