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| - Stopped in for lunch today with a coworker. Initial impression was great, as the decor is very contemporary and the restaurant is clean.
The selection of lunch specials wasn't as extensive as other spots in town, but as this was my first visit I wanted to try a range of the old standbys anyway. Ordered Pork Larb, Chicken Pad Thai, and Chicken Red Curry...with all dishes being a 3 or 4 on their 1 - 5 spice scale as my coworker doesn't go super spicy.
Prior to the food being served, waiter brought out a small sample of Egg Drop Soup with Crispy Noodles, which was a nice touch.
Pork Larb was served first. Nothing particularly remarkable. I usually shy away from Larbs that incorporate mint leaves, but this Larb used just enough to provide some complexity without being overpowering. Had the pork not been overdone, I think this would be a pretty solid Larb.
The Pad Thai and Red Curry came after a short wait, with the Curry being accompanied by a very modest portion of rice. The Pad Thai was probably the highlight of the meal...good flavor and heavy on the scallions, although it certainly wasn't winning any awards. The Red Curry was completely uninspired. It had a nice, rich color and a good amount of both meat and vegetables, albeit a little heavy on the bamboo, but once it got in the mouth the flavor was flat and quite salty and there was no noticeable spice in the level 4.
I probably would not stop here for a quick lunch as service was attentive, but the kitchen a little more leisurely. However, I will probably stop here again for dinner to try some other dishes. For example, a large bowl of soup was served to a neighboring table and it looked quite good. Based on my first experience, I feel that Stick E Rice overdelivers on ambiance and underdelivers on food.
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