Rice Thai Cuisine melds the exotic with the South
Published: Apr 24, 2009
For all its quaint Southern tradition, Canton Street in Roswell harbors an exotic secret: Rice Thai Cuisine. It’s a world-traveling foodie’s dream, minus the cost of a plane ticket.
When East meets South, Rice is the result. A beautiful blend of Southern hospitality, delicate style and striking flavors, the restaurant has earned a top-notch reputation in the metro-Atlanta area as well as Zagat Survey status.
Rice is located in one of the gorgeous old homes that line Canton Street. Its covered porch beckons hungry patrons to bask in tea light during warm spring, summer and fall evenings as they nosh on dishes with foreign sounding names (Larb: a minced meat and herb salad $7).
Inside, paper art (made from newspapers and magazines) gives off a cool air of fragility and grace against blue, gray and yellow walls. Remarkable black-and-white paintings of people and animals are found in each room, while candlelight transforms the entire restaurant into a warm atmosphere suitable for couples, friends and girls-night-outs.
There is something very inviting and laid back about Rice that also rejects any notion of sloppiness. Perhaps it’s the homey intimate vibe or the cute brown paper liners on the tables or the meant-to-be-shared portion amounts. Whatever the overall appeal is, it has more than a little to do with the critically acclaimed Thai food.
Diners will find authentic Thai food that pleases both the palate and the eye with its simple, but tasteful ingredients and colorful presentation.
Some of the selections may be hard to pronounce, but what comes out of the kitchen is worth the extra effort it takes to order them. Appetizers such as Yum Woo Sen (a cellophane noodle salad with pork and shrimp $10) and Lemongrass Shrimp Salad (shrimp, ginger, garlic, romaine and lime $10) will tantalize the tongue.
Main courses are just as good. Try the Red Curry ($16 with beef) or the Pad-Thai Noodle Stir-Fry ($14 with chicken). Finally, desserts like Sweet Sticky Rice with Coconut Cream and Mangos (seasonal $6) will top off an amazing meal. While Thai is known for its extra spicy kick, the kitchen will work around more mild palates if requested.
- by Christine Foster, Atlanta Reporter for HelloMetro
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