Wild Thaiger

Recently, Central Phoenix has become Thai food territory, with Thai Hut, Thai Elephant, and Thai Basil all opening within a half year. The invasion has been a welcome one since the Central Corridor had been bereft of satay and panang since the early '90s. The earliest harbinger of this new curry wave was Wild Thaiger, which opened approximately five years ago in a Midtown location just south of the Thomas / Central Avenue Station in the same miniature restaurant row that is home to Durant's and Switch.

When it first opened, Wild Thaiger seemed like a pretty tame beast. It combined stylish decor and congenial service with preparations that were sometimes lacking in horsepower. Whether it's the influence of the more recently opened competition or just more confidence in its customers' sense of adventure, Wild Thaiger appears to have turned up the volume lately. The restaurant has rebounded and found its niche after surviving three years of light rail construction that was blamed, albeit with some dissent, for the demise of Jordan's, the Mexican restaurant next door.

Of all the Midtown Thai retaurants, Wild Thaiger probably pays the most attention to its decor. There's a large covered patio with mist cooling; in fact, the outdoor seating just about equals the number of tables inside. The interior has hanging plants and art on the walls. It's not luxurious, but it has a comfortable, slightly arty feel. The menu at Wild Thaiger is also a little different. Many Thai restaurants rely on a "modular menu" in which each preparation style (red curry, green curry, etc.) is available with a mix of vegetables and a choice of protein source. Wild Thaiger departs from that approach by offering dishes specifically paired with different meats or tofu. At first glance, this might diminish the customer's choices, but it also focuses the menu and allows Wild Thaiger to offer a few interesting dishes featuring wild boar or catfish.

Wild Thaiger's appetizers are varied, with the usual satay and spring rolls matched with less typical items such as "tofu towers" and corn fritters. The latter bear a striking similarity to the hush puppies at local fish-and-chips powerhouse the Knock Kneed Lobster. The fritters don't seem obviously Thai, but they are delicious and the cucumber sauce adds a small touch of Siam. For those seeking an alternative to fried starters, the salads deliver flavor in a lighter package. The papaya salad (center photo below) goes all out with six plump shrimp surrounding the shredded fruit. At many restaurants, the shrimp are a token garnish.

Desserts reflect tropical flavors such as coconut and mango. When in season, the latter can be matched with sticky rice (right photo below) in a dessert that offers welcome relief from the sometimes intense flavors of Thai food. Wild Thaiger has a liquor license and offers cocktails, wine, and beer. While almost all Thai restaurants offer Singha beer, Wild Thaiger is among the few to offer Chang, a brew from the ancient city of Ayutthaya. The restaurant is open for dinner seven days a week and serves lunch everyday except Sunday.

2631 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ, 85004
(602) 241-8995

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