After working in several Thai restaurants, Anant and Amarawan Phoungphol became increasingly familiar with the intricacies of their native cuisine. Adding that acquired knowledge to their mothers’ cooking, they decided it was time to open their own establishment. “I would help my mother select produce from the markets, prep the items and watch as she created the food I loved,” Anant once recalled. When The King and I opened its doors in 1988, it was Downtown Milwaukee’s only Thai restaurant in an era when the city was far less ethnically diverse—especially when it comes to eating establishments—than it is today. “No one really knew about Thai food at the time,” says Amarawan, “it was a new frontier, especially here in the Midwest.”
Nearly 30 years later, that the restaurant remains a top-notch, go-to place for Thai dining. Prices are reasonable, portions are plentiful, ingredients fresh, flavors rich, service fast and attentive, and ambiance, though getting a tad dated, still lovely and inviting. Indeed, the main dining room is quiet (no piped-in schmaltzy music) and perfect for conversation around the candlelit tables.
My friend and I started with an appetizer (there are 14 to choose from; opting for any one or more of these is highly recommended). We chose Jumping Squid ($8.95), a delightful concoction of perfectly cooked squid rings marinated in a lime and chili pepper sauce with lettuce leaf, red onions and carrot. We found the sauce so delectable that we saved it to pour over some of the rice from our entrées. Some of the other options available are Thai Spring Rolls (beef or vegetable; two for $3.25), Thai Beef Jerky ($8.95) and Thai-style Crab Rangoon (with real crab meat)—five for $6.95.
Soups (five to choose from, chicken, beef, pork, shrimp and vegetable) are available in single-serving cups, somewhat larger bowls and meal-sized hot pots. Noodle dishes include the Thai classic Pud Thai which can be had with chicken, pork, beef, shrimp or squid ($13.95-$15.95), but there are four others to choose from, including Siamese Jade with green noodles and green curry ($14.95).
The menu is diner-friendly in that it divides The King and I’s numerous main courses into respective categories; there are the general entrées (mainly curry-based dishes, something of a Thai sampler (Bangkok Connections, $19.95) and a choice New York strip Bangkok Steak ($27.95) for the serious carnivores among your party. “From the Sea” brings a dozen seafood dishes together, including the Royal Grand Palace ($27.95), bringing rock lobster, cod, squid, scallops, mussels and crab together in a luscious sauté of herbs and spices. Finally, The King and I offers three duck dishes, three fried rice dishes and seven dishes for vegetarians; as for the latter, Thai cuisine is an excellent choice given it’s typically rather veggie-infused.
My friend opted for Squid Pud Prig Sohd ($18.95), which can also be ordered with shrimp instead of squid. It consists of squid (or shrimp) sautéed with basil leaves in a rich and flavorful sauce over a bed of vegetables, including onions, carrots and red and green bell peppers. Here the sauce makes the dish shimmer; its consistency was almost gravy-like and nicely clung to the other ingredients. I chose the Volcano Duck ($22.95). Here, tender, sliced, boneless, crispy braised duck is laid atop a bed of sautéed vegetables and topped with a sweet, sour and tangy volcano sauce. Indeed, “volcano” items should abound on any self-respecting Thai restaurant’s menu, and the King and I does not disappoint in this regard. Hence, if you don’t find duck all its quacked up to be, opt for the vulcanized takes on shrimp ($23.95), chicken ($16.95) or tofu ($13.95).
In addition to the respectable menu, The King and I has a full bar and its concomitant mixed drinks, wines and Thai specialty drinks (the Thai iced tea is a terrific go-to drink to cool your palate after savoring Thailand’s spicy dishes). Should you somehow still have room for dessert after your generous dinner, four different dessert items—headlined by Thai-style pumpkin custard ($3.75) and King and I Banana, crunchy banana slices over cocoanut ice cream ($4.25)—are available.
