Sweet Rice, Family-Owned Thai with No MSG and Free Delivery on Route 7 in Falls Church

[Dr. Delicious]

I've had Sweet Rice a few times since I moved to the area around a year ago and it's been good every time. The familiar complaint is that the portions are on the small side, but I think that depends on what you order (i.e. pad thai large, pad woon sen small). Two items that really stand out for me are the Panang Chicken and the Gai Sam Rod. It's not the quality of the chicken or the presentation, but the damn sauces that they come in, which I can't get enough of. Particularly the Gai Sam Rod, with a sauce that is perhaps the best combination of sweet and spicy I've ever had. Summer Rolls, Crispy Springrolls, and Tom Kha Gai are all solid versions, and yes, come with yummy dipping sauces (well, not the soup).

Did i mention i like the sauces?

[MsDiPesto]

Haven't been in awhile, but I did like the sauce that comes with the Crispy Springrolls. They usually have a list of specials on a chalkboard by the door, but I don't see them until I come in to pick up my takeout.

[DonRocks]

I'm going to betray some ignorance with this question, but what are those things that look like capers clustered together on a stem? As many times as I've encountered them here, I've never researched what they are.

[KMango]

I'm going to betray some ignorance with this question, but what are those things that look like capers clustered together on a stem? As many times as I've encountered them here, I've never researched what they are.

I've never been to Sweet Rice, but have had green peppercorns at other Thai locales.

Mmmmm. Spicy.

[DonRocks]

I've had Sweet Rice a few times since I moved to the area around a year ago and it's been good every time. The familiar complaint is that the portions are on the small side, but I think that depends on what you order (i.e. pad thai large, pad woon sen small). Two items that really stand out for me are the Panang Chicken and the Gai Sam Rod. It's not the quality of the chicken or the presentation, but the damn sauces that they come in, which I can't get enough of. Particularly the Gai Sam Rod, with a sauce that is perhaps the best combination of sweet and spicy I've ever had. Summer Rolls, Crispy Springrolls, and Tom Kha Gai are all solid versions, and yes, come with yummy dipping sauces (well, not the soup).

Did i mention i like the sauces?

Thank you, sir. I ordered both the Gai Sam Rod (not on the online menu) and the Panang Chicken tonight based solely on your recommendations. I had the Gai Sam Rod tonight, and it was everything I could have hoped for, including a good-sized portion of nuggets (delivered separately from the sauce which kept them perfectly crispy). The Penang Chicken will be for lunch tomorrow, but so far you're batting 1-for-1.

Cheers,

Rocks

[DonRocks]

Kudos to Sweet Rice for delivering last week right after we got pounded with 6-8 inches of snow. They not only delivered, they delivered ahead of schedule, and the food was hot and *good*.

Wild Pork ($10.95) and Gang Gai ($10.95) were both as good as I've ever had from here, and I gave the deliveryman a $7 tip, too, for trudging out to me in the snow.

I was also grateful enough where I subsequently ordered from them again, this time getting Panang Chicken ($10.95) and Gang Gai ($10.95). Both dishes were equally good, and I could swear I detected a hint of Sriracha in the Panang Chicken.

Sweet Rice is a better restaurant now than it was just two years ago - I think they must have gotten themselves a better cook, or else their cook has been working to improve. At this point, it is the only above-average Thai restaurant that delivers in the Falls-Church, Northwest-Arlington areas, and has been a life saver for me. I can't quite justify putting it in Italic, but this is a "home turf" stalwart that I've frequented numerous times in the past, and that I will continue to use in the future - one of those places you're thankful that exists.

If you haven't tried Sweet Rice in a couple of years, try it - it's better than it used to be.

And *thank you* for delivering during that nasty snowstorm.