Coconut Green Curry Shrimp, and the Incomparable Sticky Rice

Apologies for adding another to the litany of dedicated threads about the restaurant whose food I eat more often than any other in Chicago, but this dish deserves its own special place on LTHForum. Also deserving of its own praise is the remarkable delivery service at Sticky Rice.

My recent order consisted of Eastern Sausage, Larb Chicken, and the pièce de résistance - Coconut Green Curry Shrimp.

Delivery Order:


Look at the care with which Sticky Rice packed this delivery order! I mean how many places would try this hard to replicate the experience you get in the restaurant by packaging a whole, hollowed out coconut shell into which you are supposed to serve yourself the curry? And to prove that this is a fresh, made-just-for-you dish, they throw in a full cup of the fresh coconut water with a straw! You might just consider this a nice, quaint touch, if it didn't all taste so ridiculously good:


Coconut Green Curry Shrimp:




What a light, refreshing combination of flavors this was, with an herbaceous broth mingling with rich, perfectly cooked shrimp, just a bare touch of heat, and lots of chunks of the sweet, fresh coconut on the spoon above.


This might have easily taken over as my favorite dish at Sticky Rice, if not for the Eastern Sausage, with it's funky, sour, intensely garlicky pork that I continue to marvel at even after eating it about 25 times over the last few years.


Eastern Sausage:


And the best, most-balanced larb in Chicago:



In case you can't tell, I LOVE Sticky Rice. I eat in the restaurant 3-4 times a year, and get delivery about once a week. When my wife and I contemplate the idea of someday moving out of Chicago, Sticky Rice immediately enters my mind, and I wonder how I'd ever get over how much I miss the place.


Sticky Rice
4018 N. Western Avenue
Chicago, IL 60618
773-588-0133

(edited to add address and correct a typo)

Kenny, you've ruined my dinner plans! I saw this and immediately needed larb and curry. Sadly, I'm at Armitage and Kedzie and they stop delivery at Diversey...debating take out now to placate irrepressible sudden onset Sticky Rice cravings.

I live S. of Diversey, N. of Armitage, and I just beg them, remind them they have done it before, and tell them I will pay an extra dollar. It works, they deliver to me.

You know I have always trusted the opinions of this forum. When a foodie sings such high praises of a place, then it HAS to be good. But with Sticky Rice I just don't see it. I'm not really sure what I ordered when I was there a few months back, but it was just so very average I couldn't believe it. Guess I will have to try it again and get the above?

yoyoniner wrote:You know I have always trusted the opinions of this forum. When a foodie sings such high praises of a place, then it HAS to be good. But with Sticky Rice I just don't see it. I'm not really sure what I ordered when I was there a few months back, but it was just so very average I couldn't believe it. Guess I will have to try it again and get the above?

Absolutely. Perhaps the best use of LTHForum is to figure out what to order at the multitude of ethnic restaurants with gigantic, overwhelming menus. In particular, virtually all the most-loved Asian restaurants have what I'd call average, or even below average dishes. But where they shine, they really, really shine.

leek wrote:I live S. of Diversey, N. of Armitage, and I just beg them, remind them they have done it before, and tell them I will pay an extra dollar. It works, they deliver to me.

I'm totally ok with begging if it brings good food to my door, I'll give this a shot. Thanks for the tip!

Ursiform wrote:

leek wrote:I live S. of Diversey, N. of Armitage, and I just beg them, remind them they have done it before, and tell them I will pay an extra dollar. It works, they deliver to me.

I'm totally ok with begging if it brings good food to my door, I'll give this a shot. Thanks for the tip!

Absolutely. We're in a (relative) delivery dead zone, we have to do what we have to do.

leek wrote:

Ursiform wrote:

leek wrote:I live S. of Diversey, N. of Armitage, and I just beg them, remind them they have done it before, and tell them I will pay an extra dollar. It works, they deliver to me.

I'm totally ok with begging if it brings good food to my door, I'll give this a shot. Thanks for the tip!

Absolutely. We're in a (relative) delivery dead zone, we have to do what we have to do.

True that, I had to beg Andy over at LaGondola, but he delivers to me now!

leek wrote:I live S. of Diversey, N. of Armitage, and I just beg them, remind them they have done it before, and tell them I will pay an extra dollar. It works, they deliver to me.

I am in that same area. They have delivered to me a few times but the last time I tried they just flat refused. When I pointed out that I was reading from a menu they had delivered to me (well at least to remember the phone number) they just said sorry... They did sound kind of busy, however.

By the way, someone needs to convince them to part with Erik's translated menu for a few hours and scan it. They have only one copy and it is falling apart. It is no longer available on the web so if something happens to it, it is gone.

Kennyz wrote:
Coconut Green Curry Shrimp:




What a light, refreshing combination of flavors this was, with an herbaceous broth mingling with rich, perfectly cooked shrimp, just a bare touch of heat, and lots of chunks of the sweet, fresh coconut on the spoon above.

damn kenny, that coconut green curry shrimp looks incredible, Sticky Rice is moving to near the top of my "must try list".

It look like you'll have to wait a while for your next visit - http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009 ... urant.html

Dave148 wrote:It look like you'll have to wait a while for your next visit - http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009 ... urant.html

hopefully not too long. These types of issues are often resolved, and the restaurants reopened, within a few days.

Friday, we called for a TakeOut order.
No answer- Strange.
A recording stated they were closed for "Holiday".
When were they EVER closed for a Holiday?, my bff remarks.....
Strange.
So- as a Plan B- we drive North on Western for some Chicken Boti-ness at Kahns -House of Love-BBQ-
and see that- lo and behold-
Sticky Rice has the big GREEN SIGN on the door-
LICENSE SUSPENDED.

Some Holiday??!!
On the drive back- I notice a huge Dumpster in front- dimmed lights on- and laborers working inside.....
Maybe a "renovation" deemed by The City's Inspector?
I dunno-
Anyone have any "intel"?

Please note- this is one of my FAVORITE restaurants in Chicago- So, in no way is this post meant to harm,offend, or disgrace them-
just letting ya'all know what I observed.

Hombre de Acero wrote:Anyone have any "intel"?

Check the link 3 posts up.

=R=

Made my first visit to Sticky Rice this past Saturday for a birthday lunch with the in-laws. It was a last minute audible so I didn't have a chance to sit and pick some recommendations ahead of time, but a few dishes came immediately to mind like the coconut green curry shrimp for some strange reason

We started with fried banana, eastern sausage, moo ping, and roti gang kari. I don't think I would order the fried banana again - perfectly fine, but not memorable in any way. The eastern sausage was great, definitely bringing the garlic and the funk, and a must order next visit. Moo ping and the roti w/curry were both good renditions and something I'd happily order when in the mood for either at future visits.

Main dishes included yum neur, gang som toon, gang heart of palm, the coconut green curry shrimp and pad basil beef. Not a one that I wouldn't gladly enjoy again, though the two soups stood out a bit, and the catfish soup in particular. While everyone enjoyed the presentation of the green curry shrimp I did find it somewhat muted overall, but still something I'd come back to after working through a bit more of the menu.

Dessert was more of a mixed bag. The thai custard was alright, but not something anyone there particularly liked or would order again. About half of the mango with sticky rice was overripe and suffered a bit for it. And while a number of us were glad to sample durian for the first time, it seems the only member of our group who had eaten durian before would actually order it again.

All in all a great meal though, and one that had even a rather particular father-in-law complimenting the majority of the dishes. Definitely looking forward to returning, soon.