Having just opened nearby, I've wanted to try this place out for weeks. As soon as I walked past…read morethe menu and spotted sushi, I was desperate to give the place a go. So, last night when my housemate and I were in need of food, bellies rumbling, we decided to head over to Rickshaw Oriental and give it a shot.
The interior has been designed beautifully, with atmospheric lighting, comfortable seating and elegant decor. We were seated quickly, as it was relatively quiet and the waitress was friendly enough. My friend ordered a glass of the house white which was apparently nice and, at £4, a much more reasonable option. I had a sparkling water which was, well, a sparkling water, so no complaints there!
As we were given our menus, the first disappointment came. There was no sushi at all available, much to my dismay, and there was limited sashimi options as well. As someone who'd come for the sushi, this was a little disheartening, to be honest, but hey! The show must go on.
After fair consideration, my friend and I both opted for the satay sauce dish with chicken. There was lots of appealing sounding stuff on the menu, including your typical Thai Green Curry and Pad Thai, for those wanting their more familiar Thai dishes.
Now bear in mind, as I said, our stomachs were rumbling, so when our food came out and we spied the rather small portions we were inwardly a little gutted. Not only were the portions small, but there was a distinct lack of quality to the food, which quickly became apparent, that was really disappointing. The sticky rice was hard and almost inedible, whilst the chicken satay was a little dry and lacking a certain excitement. Truth be told, the dish was more filling than expected, but it really was not the nicest food I've ever had.
Coming in at around £13 a main, too, it was not what we would have expected, standard wise. I'm not one to relish giving such a low rating, and I do accept that, having just opened, these guys might be experiencing some simple teething problems, but I really was very underwhelmed by the entire meal and so think it is a fair assessment. I'm going to return in a few months and hope they've found their feet, so I can update my review and hopefully add a star, but until then I'm afraid I won't be recommending this place.