Sala Thai busy but a little bland

Samara Kalk Derby

A friend lives near the corner of Fair Oaks and Milwaukee streets, and we watched for months as workers transformed a Mexican grocery store across the street into a small Thai restaurant. It's in an unlikely restaurant location, next to the Fair Oaks Diner, and far from any other restaurants or businesses, other than the Citgo gas station that anchors the corner.

When we found out it was going to be a Thai place, we were curious how it would compete with the unequaled Lao Laan-Xang, which has two locations on Madison's near east side.

Apparently, it is not only holding its own, but is thriving since it opened in early June.

Thongpone "Pone" Vanphravong, who owns the restaurant with her husband, Sisavahn "Pane" Vanphravong, said she is "mobbed" every day. "It's been great," she said.

The Vanphravongs owned Bahn Thai on Williamson Street from 1993 until 2003, and then the Corner Store, also on Williamson Street, from 2005 until recently.

Sala Thai will never take the place of Lao Laan-Xang for me. First of all, its pad Thai ($7.50) is lackluster, reminiscent of Bahn Thai's, which I try to avoid. It could have used more bean sprouts, for one. I squeezed some lime over it to give it an extra boost. It comes with either chicken, tofu or shrimp. Stay away from the stiff, dry tofu squares. They don't add much.

Its tom kha soup ($5.95) is also pretty pedestrian. Not nearly in the same league as Bahn Thai's -- or the Weary Traveler's, for that matter. Mushrooms float at the top of the coconut milk soup and it comes loaded with choice chunks of chicken (unless you order it with tofu).

The Vietnamese-style shrimp spring rolls ($3.95 for two) didn't stand out, and were the usual lettuce, cucumber, carrot, vermicelli noodles and shrimp wrapped with mint and basil. One of the rolls came disassembled.

The cucumber salad ($2) is a worthwhile addition to a meal here with lots of red onion and a fierce level of spice, even if you pick around the hot peppers.

I was disappointed with the pad se ew ($7.50), which is normally my favorite Thai noodle dish. Pad se ew has broad noodles, broccoli, egg and soy sauce, but Sala Thai's noodles were too long and too dry. I ordered it with pork, which was also dry.

A better choice was the pra ram long song ($7.95), although I wouldn't order it again. I'm a sucker for peanut sauce, and this dish came with chicken, beef or tofu, and steamed broccoli, carrots and peapods. The sauce was a little watery and there wasn't enough of it.

Luckily, my companion ordered the combo curry ($8.95), a superior dish, with plenty of flavorful, slightly spicy curry sauce which I ladled over my rice, vegetables and chicken. The combo came with tender pork, four large shrimp, chicken, pineapple, green beans and mushrooms.

"This is quite a serving. It's very generous," he said. Later, he called the dish excellent and said the restaurant was a "pleasant surprise."

By far, the biggest standout for me was the very rich, but rather oily mus-sa-mun ($7.95), a Thai take on meat and potatoes. Giant chunks of tender beef and potato were simmered in coconut milk, with onion and waterlogged cashews.

Sala Thai means place of rest or peace and the setting is certainly charming, with ornate wood carvings, a beautiful wood floor and Thai paintings and photographs covering the walls. There are tablecloths and fresh roses on the tables, and plants are displayed in the front windows.

The prices are downright cheap, the service is exceedingly friendly. Sala Thai should do just fine even in a town saturated with Thai and Laotian food.

SALA THAI

Two and a half stars

Address: 36 S. Fair Oaks Ave.

Phone: 246-1889

Lunch: 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. daily

Dinner: Sunday through Thursday 4 p.m. until 9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday 4 p.m. until 10 p.m.

Notes: Street parking only; not wheelchair accessible; credit cards, no personal checks accepted