Started last week, almost thought about not sharing so I can get down there before they get too busy. But it’d be good if they were busy enough to maintain weekend hours and possibly later.
This is one of those places that I apparently just don’t get.
This is an enthusiastic rave review for RiceBar downtown!
We had an early lunch there this morning, Saturday, around 11:30. The bar is very small with seats for maybe 8; the space is tiny, and the menu is limited. Enter and order and wait for a seat. One of the staff kindly guided us with our order of one bowl with pork sausage and another bowl with crispy anchovies and black rice. Also, as advised, we each ordered a roll. Our wait was only about 10 minutes.
The bowls did not look like much – and they are about $12 each – but they were REALLY delicious! My bowl of crispy anchovies had grape tomatoes, radish and avocado over black rice. It doesn’t sound good, but it really worked and was the perfect amount. The flavors blended so well.
The other bowl we ordered was pork sausage. That seemed to be their most popular item. I don’t even like sausage, but it was also REALLY good. It was spicy and sweet and not greasy. I would consider ordering that next time.
We also had their rolls, but we did not even finish one. The top was covered in butter and it was a little too greasy for me; however, they were selling a lot of them. We saw several folks eating a push-up frozen ice cream for dessert which looked good, but we were quite satisfied without it.
The owner and chef introduced himself and all the staff members were very friendly. I understand they do a pop-up down the street, but I do not know exactly where.
I am anxious for a return soon!
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Is it like a Hainan Chicken Rice, or its own unique thing? Thanks.Clarifications: The owner at RiceBar is Santos Uy, and the Chef is Charles Olalia. Santos also runs Mignon (near 6th & Los Angeles), which hosts an excellent lunchtime pop-up called Cento Pasta Bar (Bestia pasta chef Avner Lavi does the cooking there): Cento Pasta Bar Lunch @ Mignon: A Pictorial Essay - Los Angeles - Food Talk Central
I like Rice Bar in general, but last time I was there and go that chicken rice the chicken was very dry and stringy… really shocking. Is it supposed to be like that?
Yeah, me neither. I LOVE rice, but the rice here has always been Meh, he flavor and texture just doesn’t shine. I LOVE Filipino food, but the only thing that has been a stand out has been the Longaniza, everything else has been meh to bleh, most of it barely saved by the chile vinegar. This place just makes me miss Grainovore even more and more. sigh.
–Dommy!
I don’t much like this place either.
@Chowseeker1999 Chicken was amazingly moist and tender. Even better with a touch of that vinegar.
Rice was loose like jasmine rice but drenched in that amazing chicken broth…heavenly.
Ugh, Grainovore was my good friend’s place. Closed because he is Singaporean (not a citizen) and was having some trouble with investment from overseas. Also because yelp reviewers are really stupid and were not helping him out frankly because nobody had a concept of what Singaporean was supposed to taste like.
Dude of course it isn’t. They screwed up when you went.
idk about the only thing, but that Longaniza is for sure the best thing I’ve had there; fucking incredible.
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That Longaniza is for sure the best thing I’ve had there; fucking incredible
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Yep. Which makes the grainy flavorless rice even more of a tragedy.
–Dommy!
I tried their pork tocino during CicLAvia back in October last year.
Thought it was ok, but sort of tasted too much like over marinated char siu pork.
every good Filipino dish tastes like Chinese food. The bad ones taste… Filipino.
Really wanted to try their sticky rice tamal but they were all out.
I guess that explains balut.
Mushy bland ick.
–Dommy!
wasn’t a fan of the tamal. had the chicken with the great broth and a spam slider. both were good imo.