Earlier this summer, I talked to the owners of Wela – the modern Thai restaurant that is going to bring life back to 217 N. Broadway, where Bavette lived the latter part of its life before its closure in January. They were eager, understandably, to debut their new concept. This week, they came one step closer, announcing a soft opening date of Wednesday, Sept. 9.
Nini Trick, one of Wela’s four owners and also a co-owner of Milwaukee’s Thai-namite restaurants, described the mission of the new business as honoring “traditional Thai flavors while presenting modern techniques and thoughtful hospitality.”
Those modern techniques are the trademark of chef and co-owner Somchok “Sam” Sansawas, whose cooking background includes classic French cuisine.
Wela – pronounced “Way-lah” – comes from the Thai word meaning time. The restaurant tagline is “Taste of Time.” Those tastes include raw and chilled items such as scallop crudo and crab tartare tartlets.
Featured among the small plates on the draft menu the owners shared with me are grilled beef and Thai herb salad, sticky rice-stuffed chicken wings, turmeric fried smelt, and pomelo salad with grilled tiger prawns.
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The main dishes listed on the draft include roasted half chicken in tamarind sauce, Phuket-style slow-braised pork belly, duck breast in southern-style green Rawang curry, and Branzino Two Tone (whole fish grilled and charred on one side, finished with green seafood sauce and fish sauce glaze). Trick says much of the menu is made to be shared.
The opening hours for Wela – Modern Thai Cuisine are dinner only: Sun-Mon, Wed-Thurs 4:30-10 p.m.; Fri-Sat 4:30-10:30 p.m.
