Sticky Rice: Sushi joint boasts of fresh fish, tater tots and gongs

Tag : Tang Drink
By Elana Schor Posted: 07/16/08 06:39 PM [ET]
Light, portable and endlessly combinable, sushi has earned itsstatus as a trendy cuisine. But can Washington’s staid foodculture warm up to the sort of bizarre raw-fish creations thatcaptivates New York and L.A.?

The owners of Sticky Rice, the self-styled “funnest sushi barthis side of the Mason-Dixon,” won’t take no for ananswer. Their Japanese culinary funhouse has stormed into the AtlasDistrict of H Street NE, with lines forming out the door even onweekday nights.

Sticky Rice is a lot like that friend who talks a bit too loud andparties a bit too much, but knows how to show you a good time.Decked out in salacious scarlet, with globe lights dangling fromthe ceiling and psychedelic light paintings along one wall, itmaintains an ambience that’s at once welcoming and exclusive.

The servers are an integral part of Sticky Rice’s welcomingvibe, staying attentive without hovering yet willing to makesubstitutions to many a dish. Never do you feel rushed intofinishing a meal — a welcome change from other assembly-linerestaurants.

Unfortunately, that rule comes off as highly exclusive to thefrustrated customers who can wait as long as an hour for a table.Reservations are recommended and easy to procure — I calledat 6 p.m. and found a roomy booth waiting for me two hours later,with one diner asking to know how I “cut ahead.”

Given the quality and ample portions, I can’t blame his envy.Sushi at Sticky Rice takes a while to emerge, and the kitchendoesn’t always roll its seaweed tight enough to prevent aroll from falling apart, but aesthetics hardly matter when the fishis this delicious.

The decadent Sticky Balls get their velvety kick from a blend oftuna and lump crab that is folded around spicy Sriracha dressingand rice, then fried inside a wonton skin. Garden Balls, thedish’s equally mouth-watering vegan twin, are filled withshiitake mushrooms, red pepper and cilantro.

The Snap Crackle Pop and Crazy Calamari rolls are brilliant uses oftexture. In the former, jalapeño snaps in your mouth beforethe cooler crunch of cucumber and tempura flakes give way to thesalty tang of high-grade salmon. In the latter, smaller pankoflakes stick nicely to the tiny flying-fish roe called tobiko andchewy cooked calamari.

These and other specialty rolls are the kitchen’s biggestachievement, offering inventive and intense flavor pairings. I wascontent to spend the entire meal nibbling a Chili Roll, whichperfectly balances the heat of jalapeños with a tender sliceof tuna, sweet grilled pineapple and some palate-cleansingcilantro.

One warning on the sushi slate: It’s not for the faint ofheart. Most dishes contain fried elements, and even the lightersashimi contains decadent ingredients such as toasted coconut andgoat cheese.

For the less adventurous raw-fish lover, nigiri sushi by the pieceis available, as are traditional maki rolls. You may find it hardto go back to imitation California rolls after tasting StickyRice’s jazzy take, made with lump crab meat and beautifullyunder-ripe avocado.

But anyone who chooses simple edamame over “jolly greenwontons” — soybeans coated in wasabi, deep-fried in awonton skin — may not be the Sticky Rice type. The rollickingspirit of the spot makes it easy to try new things and indulge in asip of sake to wash them down.

In fact, if you add a pint of Kirin or Sapporo beer to thatthimbleful of sake, the friendly bartenders will invite you to bangthe tremendous gong that sits behind the pagoda-themed bar. Anyonewho cringes at the prospect of spontaneous loud gongs during dinneralso may not be the Sticky Rice type.

The menu includes a cornucopia of hot plates, from barbecued porkmarinated in umeboshi pickled-plum sauce to a teriyaki flatironsteak on a bed of wasabi mashed potatoes. Yet my dalliances withthe non-sushi dishes proved less satisfying, with one coming to thetable cold and the second lacking any of its promised spice.

The route to happiness at Sticky Rice, then, is clearly cold. Thesoba salad tosses buckwheat noodles with edamame in lip-smackingcilantro vinaigrette, while the “Summer” sashimi isdelightfully refreshing. Each slice of ocean-smooth tilapia arrivesbathed in lime juice and crowned by a dollop of the flame-redVietnamese chili paste called sam bahi.

The tater tots are one hot dish on the menu that the kitchen isright to take pride in. The fried-potato nubs may have made theircomeback in Washington thanks to Bar Pilar and Tonic, but StickyRice’s take first prize on the strength of their“secret” sauce, a superb sweet-and-sour mayonnaise.

Although dessert is unnecessary after the large rolls and a bucketfilled to the brim with tater tots, Sticky Rice offers a rotatingcast of sweets. The fried banana and lemon pound cake with honeysauce are both pleasing palate-cleansers after a spicy meal.

Sticky Rice has certainly captured the attention of capitalscenesters, so I would be remiss to suggest changing a clearlypopular formula. Still, the excitement of its exotic fish fadeswhen you can barely hear your companions discussing whether theyprefer the crunchy shrimp to the smoked salmon.

Banging gongs are one thing, but the ear-splitting volume of musicon the ground floor requires conversations to be yelled even afterthe crowded dinner rush.

Try reserving a table on the second floor, where the acoustics aremore hospitable and a written chalkboard of nightly specials meansno new dish will be missed. Order a drink, watch the servers strutby, and you’ll still feel like the Sticky Rice type.