Eating at Mom’s Kitchen in Waukesha is both exotic and comforting. With most people in Waukesha County having limited, if any exposure to Thai cuisine and culture, the menu might at first appear overwhelming with dishes with foreign-sounding names such as Tom Yum Noodle and Larb Moo-Korb. A few options like the pad Thai will be familiar to those who have eaten at Noodles & Company, but of course, that is a dish made for the general public by a chain restaurant. And while curry dishes are on the menu, they definitely have a different taste profile than the more commonly found Indian curries.
While many unfamiliar with Thai cuisine may be apprehensive about trying Mom’s Kitchen out of fear of dishes being too spicy or too exotic, they should not worry. Some dishes like Mom’s Holy Basil ($17.95), have a familiar taste that stirs up feelings of sitting in mom’s or grandma’s kitchen and eating a satisfying meal.
Of the two entrees ordered for this review, Mom’s Holy Basil is listed as a recommended option. We got the ground pork versus chicken, which our attentive waitress recommended. It came stir fried with a “spicy” garlic brown sauce, white rice and sunny-side-up eggs and cucumber slices. (Holy basil is a variety of basil commonly used in Thai stir fries.) In my opinion it could have used more basil versus the few green flecks observed and more spicy heat. When ordering, we asked about requesting the dishes to be mild, medium or hot and the waitress said what we ordered did not contain peppers unless we requested it to. While we vacillated on what to do, she offered bringing a dish of red pepper flakes and chili oil that we could add as we liked. It was an idea we took her up on, and I used when it came to Mom’s Holy Basil. At home, I used my sriracha to add some more flavor and heat to the leftovers.
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The other entrée, Khao Moo Krob Moo Dang ($17.95) had a beautiful, complex flavor. It consists of roasted pork and crispy pork served with boiled egg, jasmine rice and a Thai-style BBQ and sweet soy sauce. The highlight of this dish was the pork made two ways, with my preference being for the crispy pork. It again did not have any heat from peppers or other spices, but the flavor was strong. I could have used a little more sauce to dip my rice in to add some of that tangy flavor.
The only item we ordered that had a lot of heat was the Tom Yum Kai, described as a Thai hot and sour soup with chicken and mushrooms. ($5.95 cup, $10.95 bowl). The flavor was robust and contained many nuances that certain Asian cuisines have truly mastered. The heat could be quite strong with some spoonfuls so I was happy to have some plain rice to reduce the heat hitting my taste buds. The broth tastes like it was simmered for hours to create a rich flavor. My only complaints both times I have had it at Mom’s Kitchen is I felt the pieces of chicken and tomatoes were sometimes too big and unwieldly (even on my large Asian-style soup spoon) and the tomatoes appeared to be canned and not fresh. While canned mushrooms in a soup are not as off-putting as on a pizza or hamburger, they still do not have that fresh texture or taste.
The two appetizers we selected were the Crab Rangoon ($7.95 for three pieces). These were certainly a highlight of the meal: beautifully folded and fried to a perfectly even golden-brown color. The inside filling was the best I have ever had in a Rangoon and tasted of crab, a rarity in so-called Crab Rangoon at most restaurants. The accompanying sweet and sour sauce tasted homemade and was delicious.
The other appetizer, Chive Dumplings ($7.95 for two large dumplings cut in half), was also flavorful with a texture unlike I have ever had in another dumpling. It had a texture that reminded me of Japanese mochi made of rice cake. Honestly, I enjoyed the texture even more than the flavor of the dumplings, which I found to be good, but not as memorable as the Crab Rangoon, which I have been raving about to friends and family.
On a previous trip to Mom’s Kitchen for lunch, I ordered off the lunch menu and tried the Pad Thai which was very good and the Thai Coffee, which was strong and sweet, and oh so wonderful, that I would consider going there just for the coffee.
There were many more dishes I would love to try, including the curries and sushi, which I have heard is all very good. Sushi options range from fun Sushi Tacos and a Poke Bowl to rolls and sashimi. There are some dishes that might appeal to the person in your life who is hesitant to venture out of their comfort zone, such as the Beef Salad which is a NY strip cooked to medium and served with a spring mix.
There is a kid’s menu, which happily does not feature the standard mac and cheese or hamburger. Mom’s Kitchen, instead, feeds the budding foodie with chicken tempura, stir-fried egg noodles with chicken or teriyaki.
Before going to Mom’s Kitchen, I had perused the menu online, but still sitting at the table with the large menu in front of me, it can feel overwhelming with pages dedicated to sushi and others to Thai dishes, including a Zaap menu, which are dishes with bold and vibrant flavors that combine spicy and tangy ingredients with fresh ones.
There are also curry ($14.95 to $17.95), noodles ($14.95 to $17.95) and fried rice ($13.95 to $14.95) sections. So, for those not acquainted with the menu, it could be a bit daunting. In that case, I would recommend going at an off-time so it would be easier to ask your waitress questions.
We, however, went during a really busy time on a Saturday for dinner. The hostess was busy handling phone calls and we were not acknowledged until another person asked what we were waiting for after a few minutes of standing inside the door and others coming in behind us. The hostess appeared to be newer to the role. Our waitress gave us good service and the food came out at a nice pace and empty plates were cleared away quickly and without intrusion. The restaurant did feel cramped when it was full. Our small table could barely handle all of our food and when it came to signing the check on top of my leftover box, I accidentally knocked over my water glass with it splashing onto the diner next to us. The woman behind me who left at the same time as we did also commented on how crunched it felt inside. One man who was a bit unsteady on his feet had to put his hand on our table several times to steady himself as he walked between the full bar and our table.
The cleanliness of the restaurant was really good. The garbage cans were overflowing with paper in both bathrooms, but otherwise all of the dishes, tables and dining areas were tip top. The restaurant’s décor is minimal, but somewhat trendy with interesting light fixtures. While I am not a big fan of TVs in restaurants, at least the one I was facing was showing a travel food show on it.
Overall, I highly recommend Mom’s Kitchen and am eager to go back to explore more of the traditional Thai dishes, as well as the sushi options because in this case, you can go home again if it’s Mom’s Kitchen.
