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I grew up eating noodles two ways: smothered in red sauce or mixed with an orange powder that came from a packet. It wasn’t until college that I realized, through poverty and a quest for new experiences, that noodles could be prepared in ways that I had never imagined. One of my favorite college finds was, and still is, pad Thai.
Pad Thai, one of Thailand’s national entrees, is a combination of stir-fried rice noodles, eggs, fish sauce, tamarind juice, red chili pepper, bean sprouts and, sometimes, carrots and / or scallions. The meal is usually made to order with shrimp, chicken or tofu and garnished with peanuts, coriander and lime juice. Hot sauce, like the extremely spicy Sriracha, is a common condiment to add kick to the dish.
Milwaukee has many Thai restaurants, all of which offer pad Thai. Over the years, I have tried many of the pad Thai entrees in Brew City, and most recently, I went to Thai-namite Thai Bistro & Sushi Bar, 932 E. Brady St., to sample the city’s latest offering.
Thai-namite has a clever moniker and a clean, contemporary interior. We appreciated that all of the seating, except at the sushi bar, is next to large windows. The menu is a fusion of Thai and Japanese cuisine, including curries, sushi, sashimi, noodle dishes, volcano chicken, soups, salads and appetizers from crab Rangoon to spring rolls.
Although many of Thai-namite's menu items were tempting, we were there for the pad Thai.
Thai-namite’s version is different from any other pad Thai I’ve tried. It’s called "Wrap-a-Pad-Thai" and the most notable feature is that it’s served omelet style, with cooked egg wrapped around the dish instead of the traditional pan fried egg that’s mixed in.
Thai-namite’s pad Thai sauce is the highpoint of the dish. It’s very flavorful yet and lighter and less oily than some. The inclusion of shredded carrots, instead of carrot chunks, was noted and appreciated. Plus, the portion size was spot-on. It is definitely a lot of food, but it’s probably not going to require a to-go box.
Here are restaurants featuring my favorite pad Thai recipes. Feel free to add your picks via the Talkback feature.
King & I
830 N. Old World 3rd Street, (414) 276-4181
kingandirestaurant.com
The King & I’s pad Thai is a classic recipe that’s very well mixed. It sometimes features extra scallions which is a bonus. The cost is $8.95 for lunch or $12.95 for the dinner version.
Singha Thai
2237 S. 108th St., (414) 541-1234
singhathaimilwaukee.com
Singha Thai’s pad Thai is made with tofu (unless another meat is specified) and is the perfect blend of flavors. The amount of peanuts seems to vary, so ask for more or less peanuts if this is important. And don’t let the strip mall deceive you; this place has a nice, quiet interior. The cost of the pad Thai is $9.99.
Thai Barbeque
3417 W. National Ave., (414) 647-0812
Thai Barbeque’s pad Thai has an amazing sauce that’s just the right blend of chilis and fish oil. The cost of this dish for lunch or dinner is $7.99
Thai-namite
932 E. Brady St., (414) 837-6280
thai-namite.com
As written above, this extremely flavorful and unique pad Thai is served "omelet-style" although it can be served without the egg wrap if requested. The cost is $10.
Other Milwaukee Thai restaurants with pad Thai on the menu:
Bangkok House Restaurant
4698 S. Whitnall Ave., (414) 482-9838
bangkokhouserestaurant.com
E E Sane Thai Cuisine
1806 N. Farwell Ave., (414) 224-8284
Mai Thai Restaurant
1230 E. Brady St., (414) 810-3386
maithaimilwaukee.com
Mekong Cafe
5930 W. North Ave., (414) 257-2228
mekong-cafe.com
New Bangkok
7225 N. 76th St., (414) 353-4219
Thai A Kitchen
2851 N. Oakland Ave., (414) 962-8851
Thai Lotus
3800 W. National Ave., (414) 431-8489
Thai Palace
838 N. Old World 3rd St., (414) 224-7076
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
