Rice

Great atmosphere. I just stopped in for coffee after passing by. I love supporting places that use local, fresh and organic ingredients.

This place is now closed :(

jerk chicken with brown rice… thats all i’m gonna say!
super cool place

Simple, yet cute name for a restaurant. The place is narrow, but somewhat spacious. Seems like a good place to bring a date or even mingle with a few close friends. The place looks kinda dead from the outside, but the atmosphere was very alluring.
The food/​drinks:
— rice balls (this tasted just like the ones my mom used to make me. I miss those days.)
— salmon salad (the salmon was a little off, in my opinion… but the rest of the salad was delish!)
— arepas (a little too dry for my liking… and I think there was cheese in it? Which made my stomach hurt afterwards.)
— tofu with the basmati rice (I can’t remember much about this for some reason. Maybe it wasn’t that memorable. Oops?)
— hot sake (sooooo strong!)
I would come back to Rice if I were ever in the area again.

This place is sort of quintessential asian fusion. Rice was originally situated below Houston street in Soho. At some point that location closed. I really had no idea that they had reopened in a larger space, so what a nice surprise to discover them.
Their menu has a large assortment of different things to choose from, with rice balls, and skewers over rice, salads, curries, and more. I think it’s a great mix, though some argue about authenticity. I think with a good size group, there should be something for everyone.
We had the salmon salad, mixed rice balls, tofu skewers over basmati rice, and the arepas. At first it looked like too much food, but we were able to easily polish it off with a little work. That an a hot sake as well!
Great service, very friendly.

I love this wonderful restaurant. One of my top 5 ever. First off, I love the atmosphere. The interior is elegant in a charming, understated way, and it’s usually nice and quiet. This would be a nice place to take a date. It looks especially beautiful in the evening, when the rice paper lanterns dimly light the space.
And then of course the food. I love the food here because it has a healthy, natural taste to it. You will not find anything greasy or oily here. They serve matcha here (iced and hot) and every variety of rice is delicious. Prices are very reasonable. My favorite food items on the menu are the vegetarian meatballs and the lentil stew. Also try the edamame hummus.
I’m so glad that my friend introduced me to this place! I’ve taken many of my friends here and they have become regular customers too, so that’s saying something!

This is my favorite restaurant in NYC. I have had nearly every item on the menu (I’ve been coming here for two years) and not once have I ever had something I was disappointed with.
Dinner is delicious. Brunch is delicious AND not crowded at all. My favorite dish is the thai coconut curry w/​rice & peas.
The variety of dishes and different styles of rice truly make this restaurant a winner. The staff is all very accommodating and helpful. Most dishes are under $ 10.00 which now a days in Soho/​Nolita is unheard of. I’ve taken many friends here and they all fell in love with the food, too.
**CASH ONLY**

I don’t understand the high reviews for this place — I was pretty disappointed.
I ordered the large thai beef salad bowl with red bhutanese rice.
It ended up costing about $ 14 bucks or so for what is essentially half a bowl of rice with half of Costco chopped iceberg lettuce with tiny slivers of beef. I picked through the salad and saw maybe 1 or 2 oz of thin slivers of beef. Don’t expect a steak salad.
My boo ordered the chicken satay with the rice/​edamame combo. She was disappointed that my rice was piping hot/​steaming while hers was just warm. Her chicken was hot though.
The atmosphere of this place is warm and inviting, but I was still starving after my meal.

I like rice. This place was recommended to us, so off we went!
My boo had the large thai beef salad bowl with red bhutanese rice (his rice was super hot, which I liked!). However, his salad really did just look like it came from Costco, with few meat pieces to go with it.
I had the large chicken satay, which was just like any other chicken. I got the black rice with edamame peas, which was not warm at all. I would say that the rice is the most interesting (hence, the name), but it really is super cheap to make. Our total bill was pricey, and it was cash only. Plus, the service was super slow, despite the place being half empty.
I did like the arepas, which were shaped like little pizzas. Mmmmm. Despite the appetizer and large dishes, though, we were still pretty hungry afterwards.

Cute, but nothing special. Definitely did not like the red curry shrimp, the curry was too gelatinous. Not very flavorful either. The jerk wings sound good but are actually very tiny, overdone (mine arrived charred) and lacking in flavor too.
The only thing I really liked here was the grilled corn, it juicy and well seasoned.

Après avoir fait Central Station Soho à pied nous cherchions un restaurant dans le coin, et le guide (du routard??) nous a conseillé ce restaurant, et bien je né regrette pas du tout.
C’était en novembre, il faisait un peu froid dehors mais à l’intérieur tout était parfait !! service, plat, parfait !!!
Je me souviens encore des ailes de poulet ! Just amazing !

Generally I don’t understand the hype about brunch, but for Rice I’ll make an exception. Upon walking in on a Sunday, I was soothed by its pleasantly minimalist interior and subdued colors and sat down to make some tough choices about what my entrée and side dish were going to be. I settled on Rice’s version of eggs benedict: two poached eggs on arepas with a lime hollandaise, served with bits of house-​made tenderloin, and a dollop each of guacamole and salsa. For my side dish, I couldn’t resist the call of more pork products and so I ordered the bacon.
Both were incredibly good and I enjoyed piling all the toppings and components of my dish together in every bite. The bacon was perfectly cooked, with some chew and crunch. Add in the complimentary scones the staff gave to our table, accompanied by a ridiculously delicious lime curd and I was in brunch heaven. I will definitely be back, it’s a great spot to bring people and enjoy conversation and some uniquely good food.

What a little hidden gem! Rice is nice. More than nice.
There’s a ton of variety in the menu with various appetizers, bowls, platters and never before seen to me– a menu for rice. We started off with a suggested oolong tea, presented in a very cute tea pot and zen mugs. For an app, we shared the all vegetable dim sum. Ah, dumplings. Where to begin? Out came six, wonderfully plump parcels of vegetables with a strong taste of mushrooms coming through. A spiced soy mixture was great for dipping. Hey, I even went for dipping the steamed chinese cabbage that came underneath the dumpings!
I ordered the Thai curry with chicken. The curry was a little on the thin side but was rich in flavour and the perfect amount for everything else going on. The vegetables were ample and cooked perfectly, as were the thin strips of chicken.
The star was– surprise surprise– the rice! I ordered Thai black rice with edamame, sauteed in garlic. It was wonderfully al dente, had a little kick of garlic and you just can’t go wrong with edamame.
The service was warm yet to the point and I really enjoyed the vibe that was going on. In one corner someone was studying, in another there was a first date, anything goes. Rice.

Okay, guys. Ready for a really mind-​blowing secret? This place has good food for lunch and dinner, but it is hands-​down PHENOMENAL for brunch. FIVE STAR BRUNCH, four star dinner. Come here for brunch.
The difference between brunch and dinner amounts to the following:
1. Either a $ 15 pre-​fixe brunch where you get any choice of brunch item, a side, coffee/​tea AND orange juice/​mimosa. Coffee/​tea AND mimosa. They also bring you complimentary rice and sweet cream scones with a delicious lime custard to start things off, and all of the brunch items are fantastic. (e.g. coconut stuffed french toast with a side of crispy grit cakes or Rice’s egg benedict with a side of smoky bacon)
2. Or you could pay the $ 30 and get all of the above with bottomless mimosas. That’s as many mimosas as you care to drink with your brunch.
That being said, I’ve definitely come here with both friends and dates for dinner and thoroughly enjoyed my experience each and every time. Rice is super reliable for dates, meet-​ups, quick solo lunch/​dinner, shameless gluttony, etc. and it’s a really great bang for your buck. The only downer is you’ve got to pay in Cash.
Oh, and another tip? The Thai Iced Coffee is the shiz.

First off, the Unilocal directions are incorrect — RICE is located on Elizabeth between Houston and Bleeker. It’s next to Tom & Jerry’s, the perfect bar to go to after dinner.
RICE is a laid-​back, very natural, low-​key restaurant. Waiters seat you at first available table — there are a few high tops in front and more seating in the back. The menu not only boasts interesting Asian dishes, but allows its patrons to select the rice and sauce to customize the dish to their tastes.
We started with the spinach/​corn rice balls that were an Asian version of falafel, light and delicious, the only caveat was that we did wait a while and they were almost too hot (temperature wise) to eat right away.
I asked the waitress to select a dish for me, to surprise me, in my typical style… she ended up choosing the coconut curry with chicken and shrimp over the red rice, it was PHENOMENAL. There were steamed vegetables, the sauce was delicious and creamy with a slight kick to bring it all together. My friend ordered the Lemongrass chicken with black rice, which was very light and refreshing, I preferred mine, but was in the mood for something a little heartier.
I will definitely go back when I need a casual place to grab food… CASH ONLY.

They have mini ice cream sandwich cookies. And the good flavors and cookies too :)
I loved all the different rice types you can select from (a bit overwhelming for my eyes-​bigger-​than-​my-​stomach ways) and the jerk chicken wings were quite tasty.
Dinner here is definitely date-​y: dim, small tables, not too loud.

Oh Rice, how I’ve missed you so! It’s been way too long since I’ve been with you…
Oh, I also missed how you were on Mott St, but that’s another story.
Ok, so I have to admit, I love RICE restaurants. I love the concept, the history and the simplicity (yet not really) of it all.
I love the watermelon juice during the summers, the pear cider during winters, the mexican chicken soup offered year round, the miso udon noodles offered during the winters and just so much more!
I have a different rice for each dish but my favs are as follows: thai coconut curry with chicken AND shrimp with thai black/​sticky/​lebanese rice (depends on the mood I’m in), viet chicken salad with sticky/​green/​lebanese rice, indian curry with sticky or basmati, lentils with red rice, jerk wings with lebanese rice and veggie balls with sticky rice.
Oh man, I’m getting hungry now!
They have excellent hot and iced teas. If you are dining in, they give you their honey block and it’s really flavorful organic honeys that they get locally. So tasty!
I love the slate tables and the fixtures that the owner designs and makes. They also use the basmati rice bags as décor — great way of staying green and recycling.
Some of the staff is hit or miss — some have been there for too long and RICE has become very trendy so there’s this little attitude going on sometimes. Management is always on it though, so if there’s any issues with any dishes, they are happy to take care of it — because they stand by the quality of their food and their belief of serving good food.
The mirrors in the bathroom are fun, so just be a little open minded, ok?
I also enjoy their organic coffee area that they have, it’s also open early (RICE opens at noon).
I can’t wait to go back to the city and have me some RICE!!!

Holy crap. Came here last weekend — in love. Iced ginger tea — delicious and only a buck fifty. I don’t remember the name of the dessert, but they have the most delicious ice cream squares that are just to die for. The rice balls appetizer greatly surpassed my expectations, they were amazing. Fluffy, crunchy outside, and all around deliciousness.
One of my favorite parts of Rice, are the little honey vials that come to your table with your tea. They give you a selection of 6 vials or so of different honeys to choose from. It’s a nice, interesting touch that any foodie can appreciate.
If you live nearby or in California, it’s worth the trip. Probably my new favorite spot to frequent. The food is delicious and the price is beyond affordable.

I am a huge fan of rice: rice the food, and rice the restaurant.
I always get the Thai Coconut Curry with chicken. I also always get the veggie meatballs. Another one of my favorites is the Butternut Squash soup. Everything here is so good!!! They have all different types of rice… green rice, red rice, black rice… I love it.
I also really enjoy the ambiance. It’s this tiny little restaurant… the décor is really cool. There’s an old sign from an old restaurant or super market, written in Chinese. They have different types of tea, with like 5 flavors of honey for you to try too. Such a huge fan of this place. Love everything about it!

I was sad that I had to rush through my first — but not last — lunch here because it was such a plesant experience. This space is surprisingly not crowded at lunch. Is it undiscovered?
The menu is short and sweet. Dishes come in small and large sizes, and I found the small size to be perfect for lunch. I got the spicy beef salad, which did not skimp on the beef and included celery pieces. For free, you can add a helping of rice, and for an extra $ 1 you can get extra special rice. I got the black rice with edamame, which was unique and flavorful (not too much edamame in it, though). My friends got the chicken satay and tofu meatballs. I really adored the almond sauce with the satay. The tofu balls were also unique.
I also appreciated the side of fluffy and crunchy chips, which have a subtle but salty taste to satiate you while you wait for your order.
The music was a little weird — included popular rock and techno music — but it was quiet. I liked the ambiance of peacefulness and funkiness otherwise.

I never knew this little treasure was there! Their menu is wildly eclectic with foods from all over the world — but with one common theme… rice! I got the Thai beef salad. It was good, but I have to admit that I have had much better Thai beef salad: first, they included rice with it… I’m sorry, but there is no rice with Thai beef salad and second, it wasn’t spicy?!? That said, I enjoyed the food and it wasn’t too expensive.
My friends ordered more wisely because what they got was much better than my dish. I didn’t try the pad-​thai or the jerk chicken, but they seemed quite happy! I was lucky enough to try two different curry dishes that were really good! One was the thai coconut curry (it was a red curry) and the other was the Indian chicken curry. Both worth ordering!
Lastly, the service was really friendly — although they were not so good with refilling my water.
ps. Didn’t have any but this is also a coffee place? I am telling you, this place has a little bit of everything.

Quoth the rap song, instead of blaming it on the a-​a-​a-​a-​a-​alcohol, I’m going to blame it on the A-​A-​A-​A-​A-​Asian-​ness, because I just didn’t get the fuss about Rice. It’s a cute little place, sure; they have those all over New York.
Since you know this place is predominantly about rice, I envisioned a diverse array of dishes using said rice. Instead, there are about 7 or so bowl options (if I recall correctly, a small bowl is $ 7-​$ 9, which a large is $ 11-​$ 13). There’s other plates as well, but rice ain’t RICE unless it’s in a bowl (just kidding. kinda.). Anyhow, we picked up a couple appetizers to start, a cold corn soup and some shrimp dumplings. Both were rather blah to me (what can you expect? no rice involved.).
The main meal was better. I went with the vegetarian meatballs bowl (a rarity for me, if you know me at all), and was pleasantly surprised at the quality and taste of the veggie dish. We also had Indian chicken curry bowl (way too yogurt-​y for me) and some sort of beef dish (I forgot the name, but it tasted decent). I went with a specialty rice (you can apparently get a base rice for free, but need to upgrade to the specialty rices) of black Thai rice with edamame. So yeah, it tasted exactly like the rice my dad uses at home. That I eat. For free. «Specialty» rice… yeeeeah.
So, umm, compliments? Like I said, it’s a nifty little place that might make a great conversation starter. It’s ripe with vegetarian and healthy options, if you’re into that sort of thing. It also abhors plastic, so cash only, people. Ultimately not too bad, not too great – that sounds like a 3* average to me.