The Order:
It’s been established that I like “anything over rice”, so when I discovered that there is a restaurant called Rice devoted to that most versatile of grains, today’s lunch choice was an easy one. AnnMarie couldn’t make it, so Alyson filled in as usual. She was already a big fan of the Pad Thai, but for this experience she decided to go for something different, opting for the Large Indian Chicken Curry with Sticky Rice. I went a little “against the grain” also, choosing the Large Chicken Satay with Thai Black Rice.
The Meal:
The food came quickly and in classic Chinese-food-style rice containers. I had a vision of the dishes already combined with the rice, but this method probably makes more sense because it allows diners a better way to control their own portions. And about those portions. They looked kind of small in the containers, but once unleashed on our plates, they were enormous! I haven’t seen the small sizes, but I have a feeling that unless you’re very hungry, you could probably get by with one of those instead of the large.
With my order, I don’t think I had ever eaten Chicken Satay not on a stick. And I probably won’t do it again. The chicken wasn’t that tender and the sauce was kind of mealy. Not Rice’s finest hour. The Thai Black Rice had an interesting texture and was very filling and grainy, making it hard to eat a lot of it. However, I would recommend it if you’re looking for a real change of pace with your rice-eating.
Alyson’s Indian Chicken Curry was much more of a hit. She loved everything about it, especially the bananas. The flavors were rich and there was more than enough to last for two meals. It may even supplant the Pad Thai for her sometimes in the future! The Sticky Rice was a good complement to the dish, but it was closer to traditional Jasmine Rice than some other versions she has tried.
On the whole, Rice was an interesting dining adventure and I’d like to try some other dishes there another time. Not every item can be a star, but we’re never ones to shy away from an eating challenge, so until we eat again…
FYI – We’re located near Bryant Park in case you want to try Rice for yourself or give us recommendations for future orders!