Sticky Rice Revisited

3/8/13:

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Specials, Service, Food

Cons:

     As you all know, I've been to Sticky Rice (Sticky Rice) before. This can be found here: 1st Sticky Rice Post. So, you know now that I am a big big fan. EG had never been before and we had talked about it several times, but always in passing. Well, this night we were prepping for a little get together and we knew we needed something good in our stomachs. We had driven deep down Grove Ave. looking for something. Nothing had struck our fancy and we were talking about hitting up Belly Timber Tavern again. Then we drove past Sticky Rice and EG said, "I haven't been there. LET"S DO IT!!" I am not one to say no to food and CERTAINLY not one to say no to Sticky Rice. So it was spoken, so it was done.

     It was fairly crowded when we got there, with only a few tables left. The very attractive hostess attended us quickly and sat us by one of the front windows at roughly 5:50pm, moments before happy hour ends. EG and I both had a flash of panic that we may have to pay full price for our PBR's (yeah, I like PBR. But I liked it before all these damn hipsters did). Thankfully our waitress sensed our panic and arrived quickly. We checked with her to ensure we did indeed qualify for the $1 PBR's. She assured us that we made it before 6 and would be ok. She even offered to run and put in our drink order before taking our real order. We gratefully accepted. That's an in-tune server right there. I truly appreciate someone who understands our priorities after a long long work day. She also told us to pray for rain as that means $1 PBR's while it's raining till 9pm. Excellent idea. While she was gone we perused the menu. EG isn't a big red meat eater but Sticky Rice attends to all needs. They have plenty of dishes that contain chicken, seafood or just veggies. A choice for any palette. When the waitress came back with our beers we ordered. EG went with the Asian Sesame noodle bowl. She went with the chicken and the udon noodles. Those are the thick noodles that so beautifully hold the sauce. I went with the special, the "I Have A Sultry Lust For My Pork" sandwich. I mean, the name alone begs it to be ordered. I will dive into the description in a moment. For now, just savor that name. Our waitress was off once again in pursuit of our happiness as we feel into conversation.

     Just before our food arrived we decided a second beer couldn't hurt. A little something for the kids, know what I'm saying? Our beers arrived with our food, an award-winning combination. EG's noodle bowl looked and smelled amazing. The colors alone were pleasing. A lot of reds, greens and purples with flashes of white from the sprouts. I could only assume that it tasted as good as it looked and smelled. She was very happy with it. The portion was excellent for her, if not a little big. She said that the teriyaky sauce was flavorful, but not over powering. She also really enjoyed the copious amounts of fresh vegetables. I congratulate Sticky Rice on securing themselves a new fan.

     Now, on to MY sandwich. Allow me to first give you the menu description, then I'll delve into my thoughts. Seared pork loin medallions tossed in a sweet and sour passion fruit glaze. Served on a toasted sesame seed bun with lettuce, tomato, red onion, crispy bacon and a slice of tempura fried pineapple. Served with a side of tater tots... After you get done drooling and clean up the keyboard, keep on reading. This sandwich sounded like someone just sliced happiness and put it on a bun. How could I not order it? I, of course, added a side of Siracha ranch to go with those tots. I'm a civilized S.O.B. after all. The sandwich arrived carried by angels with rays of sunshine breaking through the clouds to illuminate it accompanied by a choir of the worlds finest voices singing its praises. At least that's what I saw/heard. You could smell the passion fruit sauce first off. Certainly the best way to start. As I bit into the first bite the pure artistry of the sandwich was realized. The sharp crunch of the lettuce, the bite of the onion, the sweetness of the sauce, the juiciness of the pineapple and the saltiness of the bacon all melded together to form the perfect bite. And that high standard was met bite after bite. This was truly a top 5 sandwich. Kudos to the inventor, this is truly your opus. And let's not forget the tots. A WAY better side then french fries. Add that dipping sauce and you have one hell of a boy wonder to that Batman sandwich.

     Once again Sticky Rice came through to make an excellent meal. They certainly have locked up a new return customer in EG and have continued to hold their top 5 spot in my eyes. So, like I said before, if you haven't had a chance to visit Sticky Rice, make the time. You won't be disappointed.

Sticky Rice

11/21/12:

     Met up with some friends of mine for dinner at Sticky Rice, a personal favorite of mine. I was introduced to Sticky Rice (Sticky Rice) when I first visited Richmond about 2 years ago and I try to go as often as possible. It's a small, loud, packed, dark dive sushi bar in all the best possible ways. You will most likely have to wait for a table as they are usually full up. If that's the case, put in your name and go across the street to their take-out store "To-Go-Go". Get yourself a bucket of tots (more on these soon) and savor those as you wait for your table.

I got there earlier then my friends and was able to secure us a table. The waitress was very attentive to me as I waited. She got my water and made sure to keep my glass full. This is big for me as I drink a TON of water. She also pointed out the specials page and told me to flag her if I needed her. Most of these girls have been here a while so they know their job. They may not always be the friendliest, but they know their stuff and try to accommodate, in my opinion. As I waited, I glanced over their menu. I'm a big fan of the front cover design, not that that has ANYTHING to do with anything. Just saying.

Once my friends arrived we promptly ordered a bucket of tots. Literally, "We'll take a bucket of tots." were the words out of MG's mouth as she was sitting. Then she looks at us and said, "I mean, it's crazy not to, right?" Well played MG, well played. The tots are just your standard tater tots, like the kind you used to get with school lunch. You get a good amount too. It's enough for 3 or 4 people to have as an appetizer. And I'm saying that as a big eater. I hardly ever share. The best part of the tots is that they are served with a Sriracha-ranch dipping sauce. It's cool and spicy at the same time. It boosts ordinary tots to a whole new level. We always end up ordering more sauce because it's never enough. I also like to dunk some of my sushi in it. Both MG and I have tried to make it at home with no success. Not sure what we are doing wrong, but we can't duplicate it. I vow to get it someday...

The menu at Sticky Rice is excellent. It has a variety of dishes and caters to meat-eaters, vegetarians, vegans and gluten-free people. Most of their menu can be fixed to accommodate your personal needs. I'm a sushi man myself so I went for that. You order all of your sushi on a piece of paper that you just give the waitress. The specials are not on there, but if you want one just write it on. You can also writer special requests, like additions or subtractions on there. The sushi guys are very good at honoring what you would like. PG and I each got one of the specials, the "Eat Mor Chikin" roll. I also got a Goochland roll. MG got the Southland roll I believe. She had them add cream cheese to make it a Dirty Southland roll.

Our food arrived at our table and conversation silenced for a few minutes. All the rolls looked delicious. They are served in, what seems to me is, a manner for sharing. They put several rolls on one plate with wasabi and pickled ginger. This is very convenient as we are usually trading pieces of roll with each other. I suggest your table get a variety and try them all. The "Eat Mor Chikin" roll was a futomaki roll made with sticky chicken nuggets, lettuce, tomato, red onion and cucumber topped with  wasabi-ranch. It was very tasty. The Goochland roll is a personal favorite of mine. It is smoked salmon, goat cheese, scallions and sesame seeds. I think of it as a slightly jacked up Philadelphia roll. I can't remember the contents of MG's roll, but she gets it often and loves it. I eventually hope to eat my way through their sushi menu. I'll report back as often as I can.

From Left to Right: 2 Eat Mor Chikin, Dirty Southland & Goochland

I highly recommend you give Sticky Rice a try. It's a staple of Richmond. It's a good idea of what defines the culture of this city. Good food, average prices and a varied clientele. Give it a chance and thank me in the comments section later.