EE Sane is one of my favorite Thai restaurants in Milwaukee (yes, they have a Lao influence in their cooking, but I generally think of it as Thai). We have a long history together, so naturally, I wanted to bring D.Rough and some others there to share in the experience. We dragged along Fluzzi with us and called Rita to see if she wanted to meet us there. Oddly enough, her kick-ass friend Bromar had taken her there and they were already eating! Hilarious coincidence!
Top 5 things about EE Sane
1. Chicken, Pork, and Beef Curry
2. Fresh spring rolls
3. Bromar raved about the peanut sauce (which I KNOW is delicious)
4. It’s not expensive
5. Really generous portions
Bottom 5 things
1. It’s hard to get the spice level right on the first shot
2. The spice level CAN be dangerous – to the point of inedible – order accordingly
3. Could use some vegetables in some dishes both for color and flavor
4. Service is just something you’re going to have to get used to being not there
5. Menu is REALLY large
EE-Sane
1806 N Farwell Ave
Milwaukee, WI 53202
The place is sort of known for its surly service. That’s all I’ll say about it, so don’t expect over-courteous servers and such. Just deal with it and enjoy your food - it's never bothered me in the past, and sometimes, it's really hilarious. Also be very wary of the spice level here – you get to choose between 1-10. They sometimes tell you 3 is "medium". I’d start on the low end if you’re scared of some heat. Anything above 5 will make you cry and may possibly be inedible. I’m not joking.
We pulled up some chairs with Rita and Bromar (and somehow Fluzzi backed up right as I took the photo), and set about the menu. It’s a large and comprehensive menu, so it’s tough to decide. But I finally settled on some curry with chicken pork and beef, and D.Rough got Pad See Ew and Fluzzi got the Volcano Tofu (but then ordered a low spice level, smart move). D.Rough and I love our fresh spring rolls, so we got one of those, as well.
The food isn’t fast, but it’s tasty. The spring roll was massive: burrito sized. It was a lot of filler (lettuce), but it had a great flavor and they didn’t skimp on the peanut sauce. Pretty good showing on the spring roll.
The dishes came out next. My curry was really quite awesome. I could have gone with a 5-level spice, but was pretty happy with the heat it did have. Very good and deep curry flavor and the meats were good quality. No gristle or chewy bits. Plenty of other veggies in this dish, as well. I’m a fan of the curries here and this was one of the best things I’ve ever gotten at EE Sane.
D.Rough’s Pad See Ew was just ok. It lacked some color and also some flavor, but the noodles, even though they looked floppy and puffy, were actually cooked pretty darn well. The spice was a little safe on this one, but I think with a higher number and maybe if you ordered ti with extra vegetables, you’d be raving about this one.
The Volcano Tofu was decent. The tofu is fried really awesomely crispy and the sauce on it I’m guessing could pack some heat if you get above 5 on the scale. As it was, it was above average but not life changing.
Thankfully, no one ordered anything they couldn’t eat – I have witnessed (and been part of) this in the past. You just kind of have to get it dialed in over the space of a few trips. I’m certainly willing to go here as long as it takes to get the spice level right. Again, be patient and you’ll eventually get served and taken care of.
Top 5 things about EE Sane
1. Chicken, Pork, and Beef Curry
2. Fresh spring rolls
3. Bromar raved about the peanut sauce (which I KNOW is delicious)
4. It’s not expensive
5. Really generous portions
Bottom 5 things
1. It’s hard to get the spice level right on the first shot
2. The spice level CAN be dangerous – to the point of inedible – order accordingly
3. Could use some vegetables in some dishes both for color and flavor
4. Service is just something you’re going to have to get used to being not there
5. Menu is REALLY large
EE-Sane
1806 N Farwell Ave
Milwaukee, WI 53202