First Impression: Thai-namite

After sitting for nearly a year with papered-over windows emblazoned with a seemingly disingenuous “coming soon” promise, the awesomely monikered Thai restaurant Thai-namite (932 E. Brady St., 414-837-6280) recently removed its window obstructions and quietly opened shop. The A.V. Club stopped by to see whether the bistro and sushi bar could offer diners more than just puns.

The space: The renovated interior looks nothing like departed former tenants like Tobacco Road and The Wailing Banshee Boo-tique. The walls are painted a bright green hue and everything from the tables and chairs to the sushi bar look brand spanking new. Between the sushi bar, the two-tops that are situated along the window-lined wall, and the makeshift collection of tables, we’re guessing Thai-namite can probably seat around 30 people.

The service: Our very attentive and uncomfortably soft-spoken server seated us immediately upon entering. He was dutiful; at least we think he was, though we sometimes struggled to make heads or tails of what he was saying. It didn’t help that the terrible club cover versions of Coldplay and Pussycat Dolls songs blasting on the restaurant’s stereo further drowned out his mumbling. Thai-me to turn the music down, perhaps?

The A.V. Club’s food: We started off with a bottle of Sapporo—one of Thai-namite’s two Asian beers—and chased the tasty Japanese brew with some spicy tuna rolls, which (in accordance with Thai-namite’s practice of naming menu items after local streets) are known as “The Brady.” Thankfully, it didn’t taste like recent college graduates or crazy middle-aged burn-outs. Brushed in tempura batter and doused in a zesty sauce that highlights the smoky, melt-in-your-mouth tuna, The Brady was a good starter—and at $6 for six rolls, it was well worth the dollar-per-bite toll.

Sadly, our entrée couldn’t follow suit. Figuring we were at a Thai place, we opted to go with a regional mainstay, yellow curry with vegetables. Strangely, there wasn't an option to pick a spice level, and we ended up with a heaping bowl of bland and mild veggies. At $10, the portions were fair, but little else redeemed the dish. The amalgamation of potato, broccoli, carrot, cabbage, baby corn, and peapods paired with a mound of jasmine rice was hearty enough, but the lackluster curry wasn’t improved by being slathered on.

The verdict: Thai-namite is okay, but there are two better options (E.E. Sane and Mai Thai) just a few blocks away where they don’t play dance club remixes of Dave Matthews Band songs.