If you want high quality Japanese food but don’t have time to sit at a hibachi grill, track down the Rice Burner food truck, which has roamed the streets of Memphis for the past two years. The Rice Burner is easily distinguishable because large letters announce “Yum Yum Get Sum†down the side of the black and red truck.
Eddie Dixon, owner and chef of Rice Burner, talks to a customer at The Commercial Appeal’s Food Truck Rodeo Nov. 3. Dixon describes the truck as “Asian fusion with a southern twist.”
Eddie Dixon, the owner and chef of Rice Burner, describes the truck as “Asian fusion with a southern twist.†He serves classical Asian dishes like chicken teriyaki alongside shrimp and crawfish fried rice — which are the most popular dishes on the menu.Â
The chicken teriyaki, chicken cooked in homemade teriyaki sauce, is served with fried rice, zucchini and onions. Dixon said this is a favorite dish among customers.
“I just make a good combination with the rice dishes,†Dixon said.Â
I ordered a veggie spring roll at The Commercial Appeal’s Food Truck Rodeo Nov. 3 and sat down with Dixon to talk about the truck, the future and (most importantly) the food.Â
MB: What is your favorite thing on the menu?
ED: I’ll tell you this: it’s all of it. I have to taste and test everything I have in my truck. I actually enjoy every food I make. So what I enjoy, I make it for other people to enjoy.Â
MB: If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
ED: I guess it would be rice. You can do all kinds of things with it.
MB: If you were not cooking Asian type foods, what else would you be cooking?
ED: I can pretty much cook anything, but I love cooking donuts. Asian donuts are fried donuts, but they have sugar on them. If you go to any Asian restaurant, that’s what they use, but I use caramel and sugar. That little combination is really good. I do my little thing to it with the southern style.
The Asian donuts, covered in sweet sugar and gooey caramel, are a hit among customers. Dixon said the donuts are fried and covered with sugar and caramel.
MB: Where do you normally set up?
ED: We do events and lunch hours. I don’t just sit out anywhere. I mostly go to all the hospitals and do the big events, like the MEMPHO fest.Â
MB: Any plans for a permanent restaurant?
ED: Maybe in the future. I can get around and give everyone a chance to taste it on different sides of the city, so if you’re on this side of the city or that side of the city, I’m coming to you. That’s how I like to do it.Â
