Basil Babe Brought Real Thai Cooking to Ypsilanti's West Side

When Wurst Bar closed in August 2025, Cross Street lost one of its anchors. Two doors down, at 701 West Cross, Basil Babe had been open for two years and was already drawing a different crowd. The corridor is changing. Basil Babe is part of the reason it still works.

The restaurant opened in early 2023, run by a mother-daughter duo. Mom owned Siam Square in Ann Arbor until 2018. Daughter Haluthai runs the front of house.^{1Background on the mother-daughter team and Siam Square history per the Ypsilanti dining guide and local coverage of the opening.} The combination of experience and energy shows in both the food and the pacing. Tables turn without anyone feeling rushed. The kitchen pushes out plates that look like they came from a restaurant that has been open for ten years, not two.

The Food

Massaman curry is the first order. Chunks of potato and protein in a coconut milk sauce layered with cardamom, cinnamon, and tamarind. The sweetness is restrained, the spice builds slowly, and the peanuts scattered on top add crunch. A plate with rice runs around $15.^{2Pricing approximate as of fall 2025, based on menu observation.} It is the kind of dish that rewards patience: the first few bites register as rich and warm, and the complexity arrives a minute later.

Pad see ew has proper wok char, which matters more than it might sound. The broad rice noodles pick up a smoky edge from high heat, the Chinese broccoli is tender, and the sauce, soy-based with a touch of dark sweetness, coats everything without pooling at the bottom. This is not the gummy, under-seasoned pad see ew that shows up at restaurants afraid of wok heat. The kitchen at Basil Babe is not afraid of the wok.

Dumplings are worth ordering every visit. Pan-fried, with a crisp bottom and a filling that has ginger, garlic, and enough pork fat to stay juicy. An order of six costs around $10 and disappears faster than you expect.

Papaya salad brings heat, lime, fish sauce, and shredded green papaya together in the way it is supposed to be assembled: sharp, sour, and spicy enough to clear your sinuses. Ask for Thai-hot if you mean it.

The Cross Street Corridor

Cross Street on Ypsilanti's west side has been through a lot. The empty storefront piece covered what happened when Wurst Bar went dark and what is coming to 705 West Cross. Basil Babe sits between the past and the future of this block. It opened before the turnover and kept its footing through it.

For a restaurant with Thai roots in a space classified as American on paper, Basil Babe does not try to split the difference. The food is Thai. The flavors are direct. The prices are fair. If you live in Ypsilanti and have been driving to Ann Arbor for Thai food, stop. This is closer and the wok char is better.

Basil Babe is at 701 W Cross St, Ypsilanti. Open for lunch and dinner. Cash and card accepted.