Review: New viral Basil King concept serves up spicy, garlicky plates, but not everything was a hit

You could say that Thai basil stir-fry, or pad krapow, is one of the pillars of Thai street food in Thailand. It’s complex in flavor, it’s immensely satisfying, and it never gets old. 

I was just in Bangkok two months back for work where, after returning to my hotel late one night, I had a craving for the dish. 

I got on GrabFood, typed in “basil rice”, and got fed with tens of listings — I eventually settled on something called “original jumbo Thai pad krapow”, and was surprised with a massive box with a heap of stir-fried basil pork, hot rice, and three perfectly-runny fried eggs (ask me for the photo). 

My point is, getting good pad krapow in Singapore should be this easy, and it seems like that is what the all-new Basil King is trying to do with its rapid expansion around the island.

The backstory

Basil King was opened by two friends, Ian Khoo and Neo Shen Wei, who — let’s be honest — who appear to have taken heavy inspiration from Phed Mark. 

For those not in the know, Phed Mark is Bangkok eatery founded by famed food YouTuber and travel personality Mark Wiens that offers pad krapow with customisable spice levels, and multiple fried egg yolks.

Basil King does the same gimmick with the same customisable spice levels and multiple yolks, and it appears to be working. 

Since opening at Jurong West in April, Basil King has gone viral online and has opened three more stalls in Tampines, Ang Mo Kio, and Punggol in a matter of weeks (with a new one this weekend, too, it seems). 

Prices across all outlets start at S$6.90 for pork or chicken with one egg, and go up to S$11.90 for the more luxurious protein choices of beef or prawns, with four eggs. 

Our verdict

I haven’t been to Phed Mark in Bangkok, so I can’t say if they taste just like Phed Mark’s, or not. But based on what Basil King offers, it’s a decent pad krapow that is close to what you’ll find in Thailand. 

There’s a hint of wok hei, the chilli has bite, and the eggs are jammy and crispy. It’s the kind of meal I wouldn’t mind having again if I’m near one of their coffeeshop outlets — but some dishes do need improvement.

The Tampines outlet I visited had a modest queue, about 20 minutes of waiting (from ordering to collecting my food) on a Friday evening. Not exactly fast, but acceptable. 

It’s worth noting that the staff members here are all from Thailand, and likely have plenty of experience cooking pad krapow or would be familiar with what an authentic version tastes like.  

I hear that Basil King has plans to run more than a dozen outlets islandwide by the end of the year, so the real question is, can they keep up the quality across all locations?

What it’s good for

If you only have space for one dish, make it the classic basil pork rice (from S$6.90). The minced pork is cooked somewhat dry with only a small bit of sauce at the bottom of the plate, but it’s aromatic, punchy, and deeply savoury — almost to the point of being salty — thanks to the fish sauce and thick slices of garlic. 

I love the fragrance of holy basil, so I do wish there was a bit a lot more on the plate.

At level four spiciness (out of five levels), it’s hot enough to leave a few beads of sweat on my nose but not enough to annihilate my tongue. This would probably be a regular (or even slightly below average) level of spiciness in Thailand. 

While Basil King doesn’t use duck eggs like Phed Mark’s (duck eggs generally have a much stronger orange hue and creamier yolks), the technique here is nonetheless solid with crispy edges, a wobbly and wet yolk that runs nicely over the rice. 

You can order up to four eggs, but you probably shouldn’t. Two eggs is probably the sweet spot with enough richness unless you’re taking a shot for Instagram (but don’t waste food!). 

There’s nothing too special about the plain jasmine rice, which seems to be served drier to balance the wet yolk and oily meat.

The basil beef rice (from S$8.90) comes with sliced beef rather than minced meat, which threw me off, as I was expecting a minced beef stir-fry. 

The flavour still works, though — the holy basil and garlic go well with the beef — and the slices were tender, but they didn’t soak up the sauce in the same way as minced meat. It’s a decent dish, but I’d rather go for the minced pork and chicken. I would have also liked more basil in this. 

You can also opt to add pork or chicken for S$2 extra, and beef or prawns for S$3 extra to your plate, so I opt for an extra dose of chicken with my plate of basil beef. 

It’s similar to the pork — minced and well-seasoned — but a tad lighter and less meatier in taste. If you’re not a pork person, the chicken is a reliable choice. 

At level two spiciness, both the beef and chicken had a little bit of heat, but it’s mild at best.

Basil King’s pad krapow recipe leans towards the savoury and salty side with heavy use of fish sauce, but if for some reason you need more umami, help yourself to the pot of chilli-garlic infused fish sauce at the counter.

What it could improve on

The basil prawn rice (from S$8.90) might sound good on paper, but this one didn’t hold up at all. 

The prawns were slightly mushy and possibly a touch colder than room temperature, meaning older prawns that’ve been sitting around too long rather than freshly fried. 

Plus, the bold seasoning of pad krapow doesn’t penetrate the prawn meat the way it does with pork or chicken. It just coats the outside, and not well. You’d be better off sticking to the other proteins if you do decide to dine here. .

Our quick takes

Is it conducive to conversation? The Tampines stall is a little secluded and quieter, so yes, though it is located in a coffee shop, so it’s really the type of spot where you have your meal and head off once you’re done. 

Is a reservation necessary? Walk-ins only.

How to get there? Basil King has outlets in Tampines, Jurong West, Ang Mo Kio and Punggol Central, all of which are conveniently accessible via public transport.

HungryGoWhere paid for its meal at this restaurant for this review.

For more ideas on what to eat, check out Sundanese Kitchen, a viral hawker selling beefy bakso bowls, as well as Suki Bowl, a new concept serving up Thai-inspired suki bowls. 

Enjoy up to 50% off when you dine with GrabFood Dine Out.

You can also book a ride to Basil King in Singapore for a dose of pad krapow.