Five Nine Nine Thai Cafe - Sonoma

599 Broadway, Sonoma CA 95476
(707) 938-8477
Parking: street parking

Last Visited: January 12, 2007

Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 1 to 2 stars
Price: $$ to $$$

We entered Five Nine Nine Thai Café on a cold Friday evening. This restaurant, formerly La Poste, has been given some good reviews by some friends, so I had to see for myself.

When you walked into La Poste, there was this curtain that wrapped around the door. It was a bit odd, like a magic trick or game show – behind door number 1…. After being seated at the table closest to the door, it becomes quickly apparent how much cold air the doorway lets in. It’s even worse on a busy Friday night as people without reservations try to get a table and those who opted for take out come to get their food.

The white decorated ceiling remains the same as before. Above the mirror runs a ledge in the rear corner where various figurines and pottery is displayed. The art featured are eclectic Thai drawings and some unusual looking objects. The blackboard at the rear of the restaurant is leftover from its La Poste days. In the window hang icicle Christmas lights and snowflake trinkets. The room temperature is fairly cool, especially with the incoming cold, despite the small space heater in the front of the restaurant.

As we walked in, one of the two waitresses/hosts was on the phone and another was in the back. She pointed at the three available tables by the door, and when we asked about the one in the corner, she shook her head. The second waitress then appeared and let us know the one in the rear was reserved. Wearing a polo shirt over a long-sleeved shirt and a long apron over jeans, one waitress looked more professional than the other whom was wearing the same outfit with a hooded sweatshirt on top of the polo shirt. The hooded sweatshirt had a college name listed on the front. When we were seated, one came with the menus and asked us if we wanted anything to drink.

On the table are a tiny salt shaker and a tiny pepper shaker. A small decorated aluminum bowl holds sugar packets. Two forks, a knife, and a spoon are set on a white paper placement along with a napkin.

After ordering, it took quite some time for the food to come, but tonight was rather busy. There appeared to be at least two people working in the kitchen, but it’s hard to tell since you can only see the kitchen from the open doorway. However, our observation of service during our wait period showed that there is great room for improvement. The people who came in wanting a table were asked if they wanted to “chill out” and come back, or if “you guys” would prefer one thing over another. “Do you guys need more time?” was a common question no matter the age of the patrons at each table. The professionalism of one of the waitresses was greater than the other which is how the rating is not just 1 star, but in the range of 1 to 2 stars.

- Chicken Satay – Six skewers containing a piece of chicken each are served in a large white leaf-shaped dish with a small container of peanut sauce and a small container of marinated cucumbers, bell peppers, and red onion. Romaine lettuce tips are used to garnish the plate. The chicken was tender and had been marinated. The pieces of chicken are chunky as opposed to flat, and had a nice mild flavor. The marinated vegetables tasted good – the cucumber had been deseeded and cut into chunks. There was only a small piece of bell pepper. The red onion looked like it had been cut, but the pieces never separated. Four stars. $6.95

One of the reasons for the low service rating was the appetizer course and related service. We were given small white square plates for our appetizer. When the waitress came to remove the plates, she dropped one of the skewers which brushed against my dining companion and then fell to the floor. She took notice of this, but made no apology. Also, she left the skewer on the floor which serves as a trip hazard. This lack of response exhibits the nonchalant attitude of this particular wait staff member and needs to be acknowledged. It’s unacceptable and hinders me from returning. Although the waitstaff were younger in age, this showed a lack of training.

For the main dishes, we were given larger green square plates.

- Eggplant with beef – Served in a green bowl that sat on top of a paper doily on a green plate, eggplant mixed with beef, red bell peppers, green bell peppers, onions, and Thai basil are served in a sauce. This was the worst dish of the evening, and I give it two stars. The beef, cut thin, was overcooked and chewy. There was more meat than eggplant in this dish, and with a dish of this size, there was notably not enough eggplant. The eggplant itself lacked prominence in the dish both in presentation and flavor. The overall flavor of the sauce was okay, but I wouldn’t order this again. Much better eggplant can be had elsewhere. $7.75

- Pad Thai with Chicken and Prawns Served on a square white plate with a wedge of lime, the noodles were al dente and nicely flavored. Red cabbage is cut into fine and toasted peanuts are also placed around the noodles. A few sprigs of cilantro top the dish. There is also some chicken breast in the dish as well as two prawns. You’ll also find some bean sprouts, chopped green onion, and small cubes of tofu. I gave this dish three stars. It would have earned more stars had there been more prawns and if the chicken had been more tender. Also, some of the peanuts had been toasted too much adding a touch of bitterness, but not enough to overpower the dish. $7.50

- Chicken Pumpkin Yellow Curry – Served in a medium sized white bowl on a paper doily on a green plate, the pumpkin pieces are cut into chunks and cooked with chicken, green and red bell peppers, carrots, coconut mil, and Thai basil. The flavoring of this dish was nice, but the chicken was a again slightly overcooked. I would give this item three stars also. The portions are small relative to other Asian cuisine, but the curry is great over rice. $8

- Brown Rice – Served in an aluminum bowl with a rather large spoon, it’s a small portion. It’s cooked like most other brown rice. $1.25

The majority of the dishes are available with chicken, pork, beef, or tofu. For a slightly higher price (about $2 more, they are available with prawns). The menu offers some typical Thai dishes, and the flavoring is nice. The meat is slightly overcooked for the most part, especially the beef, but the satay makes up for a lot.

Overall, I found the room to be a bit crowded. There are only two tables for four, and six other tables for two. You can put some more tables together to get a table for six, but even then, you’ll find the space quite small. The rush of cold air hits almost everyone except the bench seat in the rear.

Service leaves much to be desired. Although the wait staff said goodbye as we left, I found their overall demeanor to be almost disturbing and their level of service was insufficient. Take out was popular this evening, and that might be the better way to try Five Nine Nine.