Thai-namite, locatedin a recently renovated building on Brady Street, features a new interior (though the nameof a previous occupant, the Astor Market, appears at the entryway). Cool-greenwalls and jet-black tabletops enhance the modern look. All of the tables arenear large windows, and the sushi bar sits in the center.
The menu, which islarge considering the smaller size of the restaurant, meanders between Thai andJapanese. The Japanese fare consists of sushi, sashimi, a few appetizers andtwo soups. The entrees are all of the Thai variety.
Among the starters,crispy squid ($6) falls right in the middle. The scored pieces of squid in alight flour batter could almost pass as tempura. Dip them in the sweet plumsauce. Gyoza ($5), lightly fried pork dumplings with a thin dough wrapper, arejust right. These little gems, pure Japanese in style, are served with asweetened soy sauce. Fish cakes ($6), on the other hand, are pure Thai. The smallcakes have their definitive springy texture, and a condiment of cucumber, redonion and peanuts with sweet vinegar comes on the side. The vegetarian pair ofspring rolls ($3) offers fresh rice paper sheets filled with tofu, a bit offried egg, rice noodles and some carrot. But it is the hint of fresh coconutthat makes these special.
The Thai items tendto be sweeter rather than hot and spicygentle Thai, for the most partbut thespicy squid salad ($7) manages to be both. Tender pieces of squid with onions,scallions, fresh mint and a sauce of sweet shrimp with lemongrass come withjust enough chile pepper to qualify as spicy. A mound of crispy rice noodlesarrives on the side. It’s a nice dish, though it’s sweeter than the normalsquid salad. Cucumber salad ($3) is nice, simple Japanese fare, thin pieces ofcucumber with slivers of red radish and sweet vinegar.
Among the soups isthe Thai staple of tom yum shrimp ($4). Yummy it is, with shrimp in a broththat is tart with lime juice and seasoned with lemongrass and other spices.There are straw mushrooms and chopped scallions, but the best addition is freshtomato that revels in the broth. All that is missing is a bit of galangal.
The sushi selection,featuring the usual cast of seafood, is a good one. Some of the specialty makisushis have local names like the Astor, Brady and Milwaukee rolls. Those who choose to boycottthe increasingly over-fished bluefin tuna will find many other options. Severalof the rolls use what is described as super white tuna. It is found in the Oreoroll ($9), a black and white version in which the green seaweed wrapper ishidden because it is a reverse roll. The white tuna is rolled with cookedshiitake mushrooms while the outer rice is dusted with black tobiko. Themushrooms dominate, while the tobiko adds more crunch than flavor.
Thai entrees offerthe typical noodle dishes, curries and volcano chicken. Thai-style ribs ($12)are pork ribs in a sweet Thai barbecue sauce with hints of garlic. The tastyribs are served over steamed asparagus.
One specialty isThai-namite curry ($12), with chunks of beef and potato, onion and wholecashews in a mild Massaman curry sauce (Massaman curry comes from the south of Thailand). Itis served with triangles of roti, a flatbread made for dipping in the currysauce. While the potatoes and carrots are properly cooked, the beef simplycannot overcome its toughnessthe only flaw in this nice curry.
A better choice isthe rad nar ($9), a dish of wide noodles with onion, Chinese broccoli, a choiceof meat, and gravy sauce. White meat chicken proves much wiser than the beef.Tiny pieces of fried egg make the gravy rise above the versions found in mostrestaurants.
The neighborhoodappears to be receptive to Thai-namite. And the Japanese and Thai items seemequal in popularity. The service is good enough and the kitchen and sushi barare efficient. Alcoholic beverages are available, though they are limited to avery basic selection of beer, wine and sake. This is the type of place thatworks so well on Brady Street.The food is good enough, the prices are moderate and it’s just a fun place topeople-watch.
Thai-namite
932 E. Brady St.
(414) 837-6280
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Credit Cards: MC, VS
Handicap Accessible
