Thai dining has been given a trendy facelift since Singha Thai II, 780 N. Jefferson St., opened its doors in April in the Jefferson Street space formerly occupied by Los Mitos (and tons more places over the years).

Some diners will recognize that little has changed in the space itself, but the fully stocked bar, splashes of purple table cloths and beautiful, intricately designed tapestries from Thailand offer a nice mix of traditional Thai décor and yet call for a fun urban nightlife crowd.

An eclectic mix of soft house music pumps through the stereo system, and waiters and waitresses wear black and white rather than the more time-honored silk uniforms you see in other Thai restaurants around town. Plus, the restaurant boasts a respectable wine list and myriad call liquors for those just looking for a quick spot to grab a drink and a bite after work or before or after Jazz in the Park.

The menu at Singha Thai II can be a bit intimidating with over 150 options, and diners can expect to see many offerings here they will be hard pressed to find anywhere else in town (except perhaps, at the original Singha Thai, 2237 S. 108th St.), so expect to take some time reading through the menu before ordering.

Portions here are generous; one appetizer and one entrée is more than enough to feed two or three people. Spring rolls ($4.25) were nearly a foot long, and were stuffed generously with seasoned tofu, egg, bean sprouts, chopped green onions and julienned cucumbers and drizzled with a light plum sauce. The rolls were delightfully fresh and were an excellent starter to an excellent meal.

Crab puffs ($6.95) were average, with a disproportionate amount of cream cheese to crab, but these variations on what many of us know as crab rangoons had an interesting flair with the wontons rolled into tubes that looked similar to an egg roll and were again stuffed to capacity with the filling.

Nearly every entree at Singha Thai II is offered with versions in beef, chicken and pork, or in some cases, all three, and then there are also seafood variations (squid, shrimp, scallop), duck, salmon and catfish. Panang chicken ($10.95) was ordered off the menu since only panang beef was listed, and came out delicious and piping hot in a lovely coconut milk and curry sauce topped with sliced peppers.

Catfish in Vietnamese and Thai restaurants usually proves to be a stellar selection, and the Singha spicy catfish ($13.95) was no exception. The dish featured crispy fillets of catfish beneath a sea of gut green beans and chili red sauce that was piquant, unique and truly enjoyable. Racha chicken ($17.95) was also a delight, with nearly an entire chicken's worth of light, crispy and juicy slices atop a bed of cabbage and carrots in a seasoned hot sauce and was one of our favorites.

Rice here is perfectly steamed and sticky as it should be, something which makes all of Singha Thai II's dishes that much better.

Diners can choose mild, medium, or hot for the spiciness level of their dishes. We opted for medium and found that to be a fairly good fit for our palates, giving just enough heat to make your mouth tingle a bit and make you want more. And with over 150 menu listings, there will certainly be more to try, for a very long time.

18 comments about this article. Post a comment / write a review.

Recent Talkbacks ...

Posted by Skarzan on Oct. 28, 2007 at 9:25 p.m. (report)

Overall fake and lousy "thai food" at this joint. You know that buffet you mention, last I looked it had CHOP SUEY as one of the entrees... yes Chop Suey, that psuedo Chinese not Chinese dish that doesn't belong in an authentic Chinese restaurant, let alone a THAI restaurant. Someone please let me know when we get a real Thai restaurant downtown or on the East Side of Milwaukee.

Posted by OMCreader on Aug. 24, 2006 at 9:48 a.m. (report)

Spicy said: Anyone ever been to ee sane on farwell? It doesn't look pretty but the food is great!

Posted by OMCreader on Aug. 16, 2006 at 2:04 p.m. (report)

Food Lover said: S & P Thai Cuisine on 27th and Howard is THE best in town, hands down.

Posted by OMCreader on Aug. 1, 2006 at 1:34 p.m. (report)

Michelle said: I love Singha Thai... been going to the original restaurant for years. Try the Kang Dang - it's pretty spicy, but the coconut red curry sauce is killer!

Posted by OMCreader on July 20, 2006 at 12:16 p.m. (report)

Jeff said: I was there last night and was not impressed. This was the 2nd time I visited, the first time being a few days after it opened. THat time, the food was good but the service sucked. This time, the service was really good but the food was cold and flavorless. I like Singa but will stick to the other, more consistent location.