“Fast Food Is Junk” reads the sticker on the shelf where a TV plays Asian karaoke videos at Milwaukee’s newest Laotian and Thai restaurant, Bamboo, 3427 W. National Ave. A recent visit included an order of that complex and spicy Laotian salad, larb. The mixture of beef, pork or chicken minced with roasted rice powder is mixed with green onion, cilantro, mint and chili peppers. Some of the stickiest rice in the city, Napa basil, iceberg lettuce and white cabbage are served on the side.
Unique to the neighborhood, and perhaps all of Milwaukee, are the appetizers of four small quails and beef jerky, as well as a Thai frog legs entrée with string beans, basil and lime leaf paste. At least two places serving food from the same region of Asia can be found within two blocks. Still, with speedy, friendly service and enough differences in its offerings from its nearby competition to distinguish its menu, it’s not difficult to root for Bamboo’s success.
