Out & About #202 | Basil Box Ryerson Pre-Opening Event

Recall my everlasting love for Thai Iced Tea.
And now recall my giddiness at discovering that the best Thai Iced Tea, along with a healthy and fully-customizable meal, was actually much closer to home than expected.

Finally, let's express gratification for the complimentary meal that Basil Box had been ever-so-generous to offer me after a long day of driving/exploring.

One may wonder, "Just what exactly is your point?".
Well, it brings me much joy to announce that Basil Box has decided to venture into the Downtown Core and open its first sit-down location at the Ryerson Student Learning Centre.

The architectural layout of the building is already quite impressive - it's all about the angles and reflective glass panels. Basil Box's second spot makes the most of the existing structural conditions: the large, west-facing transparent panels not only encourage the thorough permeation of natural light into the restaurant, but also enable both customers and pedestrians to exchange views on the action happening on each respective end.

In all honesty, I didn't do the interior design its deserved justice.
​To say it was a fabulous job would be an understatement; it was love at first sight.

The extensive thought process and amount of attention to detail put forth to finalize this design was evident from all angles of the establishment. From the "communal" group tables illuminated by bright lights mounted on a catenary-like frame to the slightly dimmer booths featuring oh-so-comfy seating and fabric-lined chairs, to the "Live Love Eat" wall and sleek bar seats facing Yonge Street, there was a certain je-ne-sais-quoi that ensured each component was cohesive with the overall design concept.

It was an amalgamation of varying prints, textures, and colours in the most creative way possible. And just in case strings of conical straw hats as wall decor wasn't innovative already, the slanted tan-white-red "woven basket" overhead decor ought to catch your eye.

Prior to the Basil Box's Grand Opening on Sunday, several food-obsessive creatures were invited to attend a pre-opening event, which featured new members of staff, exclusive additions to the menu, and a brief speech by the owner himself. I found myself among the list of the lucky invitees, and was even granted permission to have one guest in tow.

View the full album HERE !

Guests were first invited to explore the environment and order a drink at the cashier while sitting tight. During this time, several members of the waitstaff swung by with samples of the location's newly-introduced items, including Summer Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce and Vietnamese Style Chicken Salad.

Both were refreshing and consisted of a nice balance of textures; the carbonated drinks were bubbly and proved to be great palate cleansers, while their infamous Thai Iced Tea reigned strong as a fan favourite.

Within half an hour of the commencement of the event, a large group had assembled and the introductory speech had taken place. The participants were then invited to line up in order to create their own meal boxes. (Further details can be found in earlier posts, as the concept is identical to their original location at City Centre.)

< Pictured above: Customized Basil Boxes in biodegradable boxes >

Once the boxes had been formed utilizing the Basil Box's four-step Base-Vegetable-Protein-Topping/Sauce sequence, attendees began to a frenzy of food styling and photo-taking with their weapon of choice, be it a basic smartphone, classic digital single-lens reflex, or trendy mirrorless.
We then tucked into the colourful contents of each of our boxes for maximum satisfaction.

Finishing off the evening on a sweet note, desserts were circulated shortly after.
Admittedly, the Sweet Mango Rice Parfait was one the items that I had eyed several times at the Square One food court but never had the opportunity to snack on. Ecstatic to experience it, I cheerfully dug my spoon into the milky, gelatinous creation. Bearing the consistency of pudding and featuring the addition of coconut rice with subtly sweet mango sauce/puree, this parfait is an item I can envision myself repeatedly ordering once I return to suburbia.

A duo of Thai Tea and Ginger Lime macarons were also gifted to us, along with a loot bag consisting of their classic Chiang Mai Trail Mix and Ryerson-limited hatch x Basil Box Cold Brew Coffee.

This may come as a suprise, though I must confess that I'm not the fondest member of the food enthusiast community when macarons become the topic of discussion. Based off of previous experiences, the small, circular confections have never once proved to be more than a sickeningly sweet layer of filling sandwiched between two artificially-coloured meringue shells. However, the Thai Tea macaron has caused me to think differently for the first time.
While Ginger Lime was more ginger-tasting than lime, Thai Tea truly lived up to its name. Fragrant and crispy, it was delicious in all the right ways, making it the only macaron I've ever truly desired.

Basil Box's collaboration with hatch Crafted resulted in yet another success. Though the first few sips were a tad sour, the oddness rapidly disappeared, leaving only the smoothness of the molasses-hued liquid and its strong, caffeine-induced effects.

Concluding the experience, the Basil Box did a tremendous job of showcasing their new, exclusive products and freshly-designed dining environment. Besides consistent food quality, cleanliness and visual appeal are vital aspects of maintaining a well-loved eatery; both were satisfied during this trip.
Catering to a bustling crowd of young commuters, exuberant shoppers, and students constantly on-the-go, the Basil Box is a wonderful, budget-friendly addition to the downtown food scene. Fully customizable box options are capable of rendering the highest level of customer satisfaction, especially when choices are in such abundance.

Healthy fast-food is an upward-spiraling trend, and the Basil Box takes this concept to new heights with the team's ultra-friendly service. (Side: the Ryerson crew is still devoid of some smileage when compared to Square One's more experienced, gushingly passionate team.)

On a final note, I'd like to express my gratification for the invitation and hope to witness the community enjoy their Basil Box experience as much as I did!

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