Background
Of Rice and Men opened in July of 2020, in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. The restaurant staff talked to the Spoon team about how the name of the establishment plays homage to this monumental time period by connecting the restaurant and the novel Of Mice and Men . Similar to one of the main themes of the novel, the name of the restaurant is meant to display a search for new opportunities during a time of economic instability. One of the main objectives for the restaurant’s creators was to “Make stuff that you cannot make at home.” After sampling their dishes, we definitely believe they are achieving this goal.
Sample Tasting
The Of Rice and Men staff brought a sampling of their favorite dishes from each different category of the menu.
Sushi & Nigiri
The first dish we tried was the Miyazaki A5 Wagyu Nigiri. This nigiri is served cold and the steak is soft and molded to the rice below. This was my favorite appetizer of the menu tasting at Of Rice and Men, and a delicious way to start the tasting. The second appetizer was the Spicy Tuna Nigiri, which is spicy tuna on a bed of crispy sushi rice. This was a dish I had heard about even before arriving at the restaurant, and I understand the hype. While in most crispy rice dishes the tuna overpowers the rest of the dish, each part of this crispy rice could be tasted; from the flakes of the crispy rice to the spicy mayonnaise and sesame garnish. The final Sushi & Nigiri dish the staff brought out was the Supreme Roll. This specialty sushi roll is comprised of real crab meat, tempura crunch, cucumber, salmon, and a drizzle of truffle yuzu. My favorite part of this dish was the truffle yuzu sauce on the top of the roll.
Dim Sum & Dumplings
The Dim Sum & Dumplings part of the tasting started with the Crispy Duck Dumplings. Instead of the typical soft outside of the dumpling, this dish is unique with a crispy outside that “pops” immediately when you bite in. Next, we tried the Har Gow, which is a shrimp and pork dumpling. This dish had a doughy and slippery exterior. I was impressed by the strong shrimp flavor that fit in each small bite of the dumpling.
Signatures
The Signature dishes at Of Rice and Men were the focus of the tasting. These dishes are inspired by different global cuisines. The first one we tried was the Teriyaki Udon. This is a noodle bowl filled with braised beef, local mushrooms, jalapeño, coated in their house teriyaki sauce. The noodles were long and have a perfect balance of both a soft and chewy texture, which makes this dish ideal for your modern day “Lady and the Tramp” moment. This dish was one of the highlights of the tasting because of the initial sweet taste and the spicy flavor that became more prominent with each bite. The next plate we tried was the Spicy Thai Cod Curry, which incorporates Chef Ava’s Thai influence on the restaurant. This fried Icelandic cod is incredibly soft and the spicy curry base is complemented well with the sweet coconut flavors. The Duck Fried Rice was brought out next. The presentation of this dish is beautiful with a poached egg that we cut and let run through the middle of the rice. Lastly, we tried the Issan Steak which has a smoky flavor that reminded the Spoon team of a Mexican strip steak.
Dessert
The tasting ended with two of the restaurant’s sweet offerings. The Banana Tart is not only beautifully presented but also delicious with its hints of white chocolate and caramel. The vegan Mango Mochi was a refreshing way to cleanse our palettes after this wonderful menu tasting at Of Rice and Men. We will definitely be returning to the restaurant soon and can't wait to try more of their menu.