Rice House
About
Chinese, Buffets
Location
Adress: 1105 N Main St, Mount Pleasant, TN 38474
Phone: (931) 379-0709
Reviews
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Van J.
I got the chicken with Chinese veg a couple days for lunch and pretty dang good. Sauce was exceptional, strong garlic and fresh .
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Denny K.
3.5
Having come from a family whose roots (on my maternal side) were in small business (sandwich shop-country store), I am always trying to find and support family-run places. Rice House appears to be one of those places. I cannot verify any of the history - or the recent change-over in management - due to some English-Chinese communication "lapses." Needless to say, the folks who operate Rice House are striving to provide this community a taste beyond the traditional US Southern Cooking style that you find everywhere.
To begin, the dishes served here - at least in their buffet - are fairly "Americanized." That is, they are altered with spices and ingredients based in traditional Chinese cuisine, but apparently toned down a bit. In that regard, many of these dishes have a similarity in texture and sweetness. Plus, many are swimming in slightly thick and similar sauces. The flavor profiles also seem to cater to mild, lightly spiced with a reasonable amount of soy, a hint of Oyster Sauce, and just a touch of Rice Wine Vinegar. (Personal preference: wish they had added a bit more to up the acidity and distinctness a bit.)
The fried items like Sweet and Sour Chicken (add your own sauce from a tub of bright red glop), General Tso's Chicken - smothered in sweet sticky sauce (yum's the word) - are both battered nicely and fried crisply. Cultural note: General Tso Chicken is not widely served in China (Hunan Province) and, if it is, it is not fried, often has bones, and bears no resemblance to the US version. The US version was supposedly introduced in New York by Chef T.T. Wang in New York City in 1972.
My wife and I appreciate "Fried Rice", but are more accustomed to having plain long-grain rice served with our meals. There was none on the buffet, but the server graciously offered to cook some for us. We respectfully declined her offer, albeit a generous one.
One of the benchmarks for us is found in the Sweet and Sour Soup. This one tried to come close, but, in fact, fell a bit short. Thick and rich with veggies, the flavor was lacking both in lemongrass and pepper. A good try nonetheless. Veggies on the buffet were cooked nicely al dente, and the Mongolian Style Beef was my favorite, with great flavors and a few spicy notes.
Chicken on a Stick - flavorful and tender. Crispy Cream Cheese-filled WonTons - meh. Bigger disappointment were the Spring Rolls. Tightly rolled and crisply fried, the filling was just mushy and lacked any significant flavor.
One of the walls is completely filled with customers' photos, an indication that these folks really want to be an integral part of their small Tennessee community.
Note: This business is listed in some places as "Grace House." But the new name is "Rice House." -
Tom W.
Got the Kung Pao Chicken off the lunch menu, fantastic. Great chinese food in a small town, better than most Nashville restaurants!