lafille’s Pad Thai Peroration

Ok, so I FINALLY got some Thai food here in New Orleans. I was beginning to go through withdrawal.

Today was my first day running around town without a chaperone, checking out places that interested me, and managing not to get lost in the process. I accomplished my goals of visiting GNO Cyclery and Octavia Books, then went to Basil Leaf for some Pad Thai on my way home.

Any time I visit a new Thai restaurant, I get Pad Thai. It’s the standard by which I measure the quality of the establishment, and if it merits a return visit, I will then branch out into curries and other entrees. I separate my Pad Thai into two different categories, which I call “brown” (usually found in the more casual, yet traditional, mom & pop-type places) and “orange” or “ketchup-y” (often what you get in any upscale, fusion, or not strictly Thai establisment). Brown Pad Thai is the shit. Maybe it’s just because it’s what I’m used to, but it’s SOOO much better than the other kind, which, if you couldn’t tell by my wonderful description, looks and tastes like they add ketchup to it. Orange Pad Thai is usually a lot more saucy (and not in the good way) and more tart. I don’t really like it.

So. Basil Leaf. It’s ostensibly Thai, but with a fusion-y tinge, has doting waiters in black button-down shirts, and real table linens. Naturally, I was expecting Orange Pad Thai. And I got Orange Pad Thai.

BUT.

It wasn’t a complete wash.

So I get the plate, and I’m like, “Dang, this Pad Thai is ORANGE.” There was, however, a blob of a saucy substance in the corner of the plate that turned out to be the more traditional style tamarind sauce. I don’t know why they didn’t mix it into the dish to begin with, but after doing so myself, the dish was MUCH tastier, albeit WAY too saucy.

So it was ok, but I will definitely check out the other Thai places around before going back to Basil Leaf.