I walked into Rice Paper one day and was astounded at the community-feeling that overwhelmed me. At least 8 friendly people were laughing and chatting while sitting at the bar while the rest of the small space remained vacant. One of the owners walked over and greeted me with a big smile and handed me a menu I could take home to mull over.
I came back a week later to a jam-packed restaurant. The servers were utilizing their agility and quick speeds to be as attentive-as-possible on a busy Saturday night. I was seated right away, surprisingly enough, and started off with their sake-- a lemongrass and coconut blend that both smelled and tasted intoxicating! I don't often drink my sake like juice, so I had to be careful with this one!
Meh: I ordered two fresh seafood spring rolls: One shrimp and the other was the spider. To only receive one per order is a bit disappointing. However, the ingredients are really fresh. The hoisin sauce, as others have pointed out, is what the sauce resembles--moreso than peanut (as claimed). As a lover of peanut sauce, I was also slightly disappointed here. My friend ordered the ahi tuna salad and complained that the salad was lacking much flavor.
Yay: Onto the meal! I ordered the Curry Tofu and wanted to make babies with it. Good tofu is hard to find (like a man). The crispness stands out and really soaks up the flavor. It's an amazing blend of fresh stir fry veggies and the curry is light and flavorful, with the perfect blend of sweet and filled with spice, but not too spicy! Just how I like my relationships...
I'll be back to try their pho soon!