Rice Paper is a modern, trendy take on Vietnamese cuisine. On the outside, it doesn't look like a restaurant at all - mostly because it is actually a renovated house. On the inside, it was an intimate restaurant space with a full bar, complete with a big dispenser of lychee vodka on the counter. It's mostly filled with tables for two, so you'd probably have to make a reservation if you wanted to bring in a large party. However, the atmosphere is great, somehow fusing modern and rustic. It really is a fashionable place - being served water with a slice of cucumber is one of your first indicators. I would have liked to try their pho, but I only had room for a snack. I really wanted to try their specialty rice paper rolls. These are expensive snacks, though. The rolls are $3.75-4.75 each. I had two: Tuna (seared ahi, jicama, avocado, mango) and Spider (tempura soft shell crab, mango, avocado). At least they're pretty big (thank goodness). Both rolls were nicely presented and come with a ginger-miso dipping sauce, which was delicious. The saltiness of the miso was complemented by tart and sweet flavors, but I think using too much sauce would be overwhelming. The rolls were fresh and unique, with the mango offering a tart freshness I'd never experienced in a summer roll. The tuna was by far the better choice, since it wasn't as salty as the spider and had a nice crunch from the jicama. The crab's flavor was a little lost in the tempura batter, I think. And I wished that the rolls were prepared a little tighter because they were falling apart as I ate them. Quite a bit of the shredded lettuce fell out, and I had to look around furtively wondering if anyone realized what a hot mess I was. I also sampled the pho broth to get an idea of what an actual pho experience here would be like. It was noteworthy because it was nice and clear, but somehow tasted a little heavy. Actually, maybe "rich" is a more accurate descriptor, along with "savory" and "meaty." I guess I'd give it 4 out of 5. I was resolved to ask some questions of Rice Paper's (non-Asian) staff. It's been open for two years now, and the owner is a Vietnamese lady from my hometown, San Diego. How about that? Apparently, she had a successful shop in San Diego which she sold before moving to Phoenix. She also owns Bonjour Vietnam, a French-infused contemporary Vietnamese restaurant attached to the famous Hotel San Carlos. I was only a little wishful that I'd stopped by there instead, as my Rice Paper experience was enjoyable. $10.29 for two summer rolls though? Yikes. I thought, In what world? Is this the future we're heading toward? Read more about my phoventures at www.phoacrossamerica.com
How would this review be described in terms of sentiment?
Choose from:
a). negative.
b). positive.
b).