Sticky Rice Expands to Echo Park With Thai Street Food Classics

Grand Central Market Thai food stalwart Sticky Rice will be opening an Echo Park restaurant in the Xoia space on Sunset Blvd a few blocks from Dodger Stadium by the end of February. Xoia Vietnamese Eats will hand the keys over to restaurateur Dave Tewasart and Sticky Rice Restaurant Group on February 1.

“I’m a big fan of the cornbread pizza at Masa [of Echo Park],” Tewasart said. “I would always notice Xoia across the street and envy the location. I just like the neighborhood. All [of a] sudden, it’s available. We jumped on it.”

Though the restaurant will be named Sticky Rice Echo Park, the menu and ambiance will reflect another of the group’s restaurants.

“We’re going to give it the So Long Hi treatment,” said Tewasart, referring to his convivial space in the heart of Downtown LA. “As you know, the Sticky Rice menu is limited, which we like. But at the same time I want to cook other things, and drink beer. So [the] menu definitely leans toward Thai bar food.”

Tewasart will also be enlisting some experienced help: Bryan Sharafkhah-Sharp of White Guy Pad Thai will be working on the project, in addition to some of So Long Hi’s current staff, who will help devise a menu for Sticky Rice’s Echo Park location.

Dave Tewasart has been on a tear as of late, from operating a trio of concepts at the Westfield Santa Anita (including the critically acclaimed Side Chick) to RBTA in Highland Park, Sticky Rice on Wheels and the aforementioned Sticky Rice and So Long Hi, all within the span of two years. When asked about any future developments, Tewasart demurred.

“This might be it for a while,” Tewasart said. “I have my daughter now. I’ve been really lucky to be involved in great projects with some talented people. I think I’ll slow down this year and try to enjoy them.”

Sticky Rice Echo Park. 1801 Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026

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