Not only is the transformation remarkable, but so was most of the food that I tried. What’s more, the style of the room, from the comfortable tan banquette across from the open kitchen, to the modern, colorful light fixtures, extends to the unusual large, black triangular plates and sleek gold silverware and bowls.

The tom kha ($14.95) came in one of those attractive bowls and was the best thing I had during two visits. My 18-year-old daughter, who used to work at the incomparable Ha Long Bay on Williamson Street, said she wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference between the two restaurants’ versions in a blind taste test. The coconut-milk broth was rich and creamy, and I appreciated the mushrooms and tomatoes.

My only issue was that we ordered it with chicken and the thin meat was in such huge pieces that it was hard to cut without a knife (we weren’t given one). Plus, to cut it you had to pluck it out of the soup.

“Thai people, we use fork and spoon,” owner Krittaphol “Kris” Poticharoen told me later, adding that the restaurant has knives if customers ask.

Another standout was the spicy eggplant ($18.95 with shrimp), a dish Poticharoen calls his favorite. It had an impressive amount of large, perfectly cooked shrimp. The tails weren’t removed, which is common in Thai restaurants.

The Thai eggplants were soft and delicious without being too oily, as can sometimes be the case. The eggplant was stir-fried with chili jam, beautiful red and green bell peppers, onions, carrots and mushrooms. The dish was so stunning-looking that a young guy at the next table asked what it was so he could order it.

Even though it had spicy in its name, our server asked what spice level we preferred. Two stars was perfect for me for most dishes, but when I was there with my daughter, we ordered everything at the one-star level and even then, there was a nice amount of heat.

In line with Thai Basil’s interesting dinnerware and silverware was the adorable little woven basket holding the sticky rice. It was served with the larb ($14.95), a terrific minced pork dish (it can also come with chicken) with mint, cilantro, tons of red onion, and lime juice. You stuff the minced meat in romaine lettuce, and these were inner leaves that were crisp and fresh.

The pad see ew ($14.95), called pad see-u on this menu, had plush, wide noodles with Chinese broccoli, carrots and a hint of egg in a subtle sweet soy sauce. My daughter and I ordered it with tofu and it came in big rectangles, fried, and with little flavor.

Tofu was also prominent in the fresh roll ($7.95) appetizer. I’ve gotten into trouble at other restaurants ordering a spring roll and getting something deep fried, so calling it “fresh roll” was helpful. This roll, wrapped in rice paper, was notable for its two delicious sauces, a thick peanut sauce and a thin sweet sour sauce with chopped peanuts. The presentation was lovely with the two rolls each cut in half diagonally.

On a subsequent Friday noon visit, I got the yellow curry weekday lunch special, a good value at $12.95, especially since it included a crisp, hot egg roll. The flaky shell was great, but it had a mush of unidentifiable vegetable matter inside. The curry dish had a fantastic flavor with large slices of potato and carrot, plus onion and a choice of protein. You can also get extra vegetables instead of protein, and they were a wonderful assortment: broccoli, thin string beans and peapods.

The Thai tea ($4.95) came in a cute mason jar mug. It was extremely sweet, but that’s typical. It got better as the ice melted and toned down the sweetness.

I had the same excellent server on both of my visits and she was remarkably fast both times.

Poticharoen, 46, who was born in Samut Songkhram, Thailand, about 50 miles from Bangkok, bought Thai Basil from his cousin in 2019 and opened the new place on May 23 after about 10 months of remodeling.

It’s next to a Starbucks in a space that was Curry in the Box before it moved farther up University Avenue. Parking in the shared lot can be hard to come by.

When I talked to Poticharoen, we discussed the spice levels, which range from mild (No. 1) to “crazy hot” (No. 5), he said. If people want their food more spicy, servers will bring out dried chilis on the side.

“Sometimes they say, ‘I went to Thailand a couple of months ago. I eat really spicy. So I need spicy like a level No. 8 or No. 9,’” Poticharoen said.

Poticharoen said he serves authentic Thai food, Thai style. “I try not to do bending my food for somebody else. … And then people respond in a good way.”

He said he’s usually at the restaurant during lunch on weekdays and spends evenings and weekends with his children, 5 and 1. His wife, Tharika “Gamzy” Poticharoen, also works in the restaurant, cooking.

Poticharoen said the restaurant has been extremely busy, particularly on the weekends.

“Friday, Saturday, Sunday, we get crazy,” he said. “On a weekday right now, the number is really high, too. So, it’s kept us busy all the time.”

There are plenty of reasons to visit Thai Basil and if I didn’t have to review a new restaurant each week, I’d be there “all the time,” too.