EE-Sane’s Subtle, Satisfying Flavors

The expansive Thai-Lao menu has no less than 77 entries, including appetizers, salads, soups, stir fry, hot plates, duck, seafood, fried rice, curry and desserts.

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Let’s Eat!

We returned to EE-Sane for the first time in more than a year, expecting to order an appetizer and an entrée—and maybe some of that soup we’ve heard so much about. But the appetizers were so large and the soup so filling that we skipped entrees and went straight for dessert.

EE-Sane had occupied temporary quarters, just down the street, for several months as the interior was rehabbed, and have reopened in their original location, 1807 N. Farwell Ave. The interior is fresh and light with the doorway leading from the bar counter to the dining room framed by ornate Indo-Chinese carvings. A mural occupies half of one dining room wall, facing a framed tapestry across the room. The place seems brighter than before, but the air remains, as always, scented with intriguing spices.

The expansive Thai-Lao menu has no less than 77 entries, including appetizers, salads, soups, stir fry, hot plates, duck, seafood, fried rice, curry and desserts. Disappointed when told they were out of fish cakes, we opted for shrimp spring rolls—a plate of six huge, tightly stuffed rolls sprinkled with nuts and served with a dish of tasty peanut sauce.

The spring rolls might almost have been enough for lunch, but we proceeded to the Tom Kha, a creamy coconut soup said by many to be the best in town. The soup was served steaming hot in a stainless-steel tureen and was almost silken in texture, bejeweled with mushrooms and lemon grass. Halfway through, we arrived at a conclusion: This is the meal, who needs entrees, but let’s have dessert!

The Kha Nom Tuay (coconut pudding) was served hot in tiny bowls, mildly sweet like tapioca, and the Kha Nom Mor Kaeng (baked custard) was oven browned and delightful, not heavy. The flavors were subtle and satisfying, not sugary. No dairy products are on the menu, making EE-Sane (and Thai restaurants generally) a good option for vegans.

Most entrees are in the $14.95-$15.95 range and none are over $30. EE-Sane’s menu, like its interior design, is elegant and not overblow. I’ll be back soon for an entrée.