RiceBar
If there’s no such thing as collective consciousness, explain the simultaneous phenomena of poké bowls (raw fish on rice in a bowl), “kabbouleh” (Sqirl’s signature crispy brown rice in a bowl), and RiceBar (a restaurant dedicated to rice bowls), all of which seem to have materialized overnight in the sprawling metropolis that is Los Angeles. Rice bowls are the new juice? Fine by us. Especially if they’re handled with the care on display at this miniscule storefront, the passion project of Charles Olalia, who was previously the executive chef of Patina. RiceBar couldn’t be more different from that paragon of fine dining. Here, orders are taken at the counter, meals are served in disposable containers, and the seating is comprised of seven yellow stools. All attention is on the expertly cooked rice from the Philippines, topped with homey, satisfying proteins: reddish kernels of kalinga unoy paired with soy-marinated sirloin and house-made spicy sausage over garlic-fried rice are crowd-pleasers, but our favorite bowl is the toothsome black rice piled with dilis (teensy deep-fried anchovies) and doused with the palate-jolting house-made vinegar.
Pro Tip: When given the option to add a fried egg or avocado, take it.
The Details: Monday, 11 a.m.–5 p.m.; Tuesday–Friday, 11 a.m.–7:30 p.m.; Saturday, 10:30 a.m.–3 p.m. Closed Sundays.
