Ma-Der Ma-Der Sap House and Grill

I have been thinking about going to this place for quite a while. I saw the reviews and it seemed interesting and eclectic. When I got there it was mostly what I expected, a little small restaurant with some indoor seating and a lot of outdoor seating. The person at the counter was polite and friendly but I had a hard time understanding him. He talked fast, kind of slurred his words and seldom made eye contact. He suggested their most popular entree, the Sappritto, which included: 2 eggs; mushrooms; bell peppers; onions; tri-tip; Loa sausage; sticky rice and your choice of sauce. You can get in a tortilla or a "bowl". I selected the bowl and it was served in a rectangular styrofoam container. It really looked unappetizing. The over-easy eggs were cooked on a flattop and most of the white were overcooked, black on the edges and greasy. The yolks were nice and runny which was a saving grace for the dish. The sticky rice was cold and dry, hard to enjoy. I was there within an hour of their opening but the rice was lukewarm and seemed old. I spent a lot of time in Japan and learned kept rice needs to be sprinkled with water every 30 min. in order to keep it moist. The Loa sausage was really nice, good flavor and served hot. The tri-tip was another story. It seemed to be pre-cooked and then warmed on the flattop. It was over-marinated and tasted a little funky, kind of rancid. It was also over-cooked and the pieces were somewhat hard and burnt. This dish would be better in a tortilla as all of the ingredients would mesh together so you couldn't notice their individual faults. When I was leaving the counter-man asked me if I loved the dish. I politely told him that I didn't like it and only ate half of it. He said nothing, not "I'm sorry that you didn't like it" or "What is it that we could have done better". Just nothing but blank stares from him and the cook. Some of the things on the menu looked interesting, like the shrimp tacos. But to be honest, I think that I could make them better at home. I doubt that I will be going back.

I had the pleasure to meet Alain and Sou. Both were extremely welcoming and warm. I found Ma-Der Ma-Der on google and was surprised to have such an excellent meal while I passed through Redding. I would definitely recommend this place if you’re looking for a fast food eatery serving wonderful fusion dishes at great prices. I had the Sapprito, Lao sausage tacos, and a beef & fries bowl which was off menu.

The vegan pad thai was a poorly mixed greasy mass of noodles with a handful of mushrooms, bell peppers, spring onions and bean sprouts. Two lime slices on the side were insufficient to cut the grease. It was like the bad Chinese version of Thai food. This was likely the worst meal I've eaten in California and sometimes I have to settle for a salad and fries. Way over priced for what you get. It's fast casual, so everything is served in styrofoam.

Fries cut to order::Tri-tip combo::Egg Rolls Everything excellent as always. A little less rice than I would prefer but that was only because it was so close to closing- I don't hold that against them.

Interesting homemade food. The Saporitto was good but needs a little more flavor on its own. It comes with your choice of sauce on the side however I don't really consider hot sauces as a substitute for flavor. I took a Saporitto home to my wife to get a second opinion. She ate half and agreed with me independently. I will come back and try some of the other items on the menu. My wife and I absolutely love fried rice, so I am looking forward to getting a big box of it on my next visit. I will update my review at that time.

The Carne Asada Tacos for only $2.75 each. Oh my goodness! They're just packed with a lot of flavor in those small tacos. It's definitely worth every penny. On top of that the workers and the owners are so humble. Great food, awesome service. They make you feel like family and I love that.

Great food, reasonable prices and an amazing staff.