Sticky Rice, Echo Park — Restaurant in Los Angeles

I tried to keep an open mind... but no.

9/21/2023, Thursday: My father and I chose to sit on the patio for an early dinner. Here's "The Good" and "Not So Good" review on this place.

The Good: Our server: She is patient. We wanted to order the Boat Noodle soup but was hesitant because it has a green pepper symbol next to it, meaning it is spicy. I asked if it can be made not spicy. She went to the kitchen and asked but unfortunately it can not be made not spicy because it is in the broth. I liked that she took the time to confirm. And from time to time, she checked on us. Another plus on her. Mango Sticky Rice: I love it! It has a hint of Jasmine which complement with the sticky rice.

Not So Good: Menu: Food selection is limited. I expected more. Fresh Summer Rolls: It came with 2 good sized rolls and 1 plastic container of peanut sauce. This is where I am not so keen about having raw onions in it. It made the taste so off and the raw onions taste took over. The peanut sauce that came with it made it bearable. It would be nice if there is an extra container of peanut sauce. Veggie Noodle Soup: My father said it was "okay." Something to warm your tummy. I asked him if he would order it again. He said, "No." Boat Noodle Soup: Generally, I am a big fan of noodle soup. The spiciness is tolerable. The meat balls are okay. The beef is cooked well. However, I am partial on the brown broth. Seating arrangement in the patio: Tight. You need to find a "no bump" spot. Otherwise, you will be subjected to bump because the space between you and the chair behind you is narrow. Price: Pricey. Our total bill came up to $94.14: (2) Fresh Summer Rolls $26.00 and Shrimp $8.00; (1) Mango Sticky Rice $8.00; (1) Boat Beef Noodle Soup $18.00; (1) Vegetable Noodle Soup $16.00; (2) Thai Iced Tea $10.00. Sales Tax $8.14. Tip: I gave generous tip in cash. Our server left 15 minutes earlier. I asked the lady that took my credit card payment to give my tip to our server. I am not sure how they handle tips. I am hoping that our server gets it. Payment: I asked if they can break my $50.00. They said no cash in the store and no cash payment. Everything is paid on mobile credit card reader. I like giving my tip in cash directly to our server. 9: Parking: Bring enough coins (quarters) to pay parking meters. Park somewhere if you do not mind walking. Or order online. I have seen customers picking up their orders.

Takeaway: I will not dine in. I will definitely order the Mango Sticky Rice when Mango is in season ONLY. For the price I paid, it would have fed...

I must be a glutton for bad service and poor food preparation and a terrible customer experience as this place never ceases to leave me feeling disappointed at the end of the meal. Let me break down the negatives and end with a positive… TL;DR: Flies and hefty covid tax framed as mandatory gratuity regardless of how big your party is when asking for anything expect your wait person to go back to their kiosk, expect someone inside the restaurant to see their request regardless of what it is, perform half the task, then not ask if you need anything else. While doing this they’re probably going to act offended that you’re bothering them then play with their phone a tad. 4 servers to a table none of which a really efficient or attentive and roll the dice whether they give you the level of spice you ordered. if dining in the back you’re seated right next to the dumpsters so prepare yourself to defend your everything from flies the whole time. We asked for a candle and they brought over an empty jar, while trying to light the candle with nothing in it and it going out, finally the charred remains of a wick stays lit for two seconds which must have meant the task has been completed so yay, now they can walk away. Enter yet another server who understands what a working candle is, yes let’s get that lit now. Whole fish ordered, served with all the scales so you get to descale it yourself. This isn’t authentic, just lazy. Mandatory covid tax of 10%+ (listed as mandatory gratitude) totally negating any drive to deliver decent customer service or experience, it’s no wonder everyone there has that glazed over fluoride look in their eyes..

Eh I’m over it, food was about as good as Thai SHOULD be, but nothing to brag about. If you’re actually someone who cares about their dining experience or knows how to cook, I’d recommend avoiding this LA “hot...

Crying Tiger Entree / marinated skirt steak, papaya salad, sticky rice, spicy jeaw sauce - 5⭐!

Recently, I was in Echo Park and was ready for lunch but I didn't have a destination already in mind. Rather than go online, I took a quick walk around to see what caught my eye and I found Sticky Rice. I was very pleasantly surprised!

The restaurant is built into a space that allows them to create what is essentially a large, covered patio. Even the indoor seating benefits from their open air space. I chose to sit on the patio and it was a lovely place to sit and watch the hustle and bustle of Echo Park. The decor is charming and colorful and includes a lot of art. There is a huge mural on the side of the building. The server was friendly, attentive and helpful.

I went with Crying Tiger, a marinated steak dish. This was the best steak dish I've had in a long time. The marinade was citrusy, fresh and well balanced. It was paired with a spicy jaew sauce that was a perfect match for the perfectly cooked steak. I was so enamored with the dish, I nearly ordered another one.

The steak came with a light , crispy, tasty papaya salad and their sticky rice. I am not sure if I was supposed to, but I doused the sticky rice with the jeaw sauce. Every component was delicious and the ingredients were fresh and well prepared.

I loved my visit to Sticky Rice and look forward to visiting them again.

For Echo Park, street parking is very challenging but there are a number of large, public parking lots just...