Gonna Start an Only Hacks
Ugly Delicious. Unlimited Potential.
There are a million and one ways to eat at The Rice Box.
At our core, we serve unadulterated, classic American-Chinese food.
We make what we think is the best possible version of a classic dish, one that respects the lineage and that we can ensure will be delicious and consistent for you no matter which store is your fave. We do everything from scratch and to order (really, even our spicy sauce, which we had to create during the pandemic-era Sriracha shortage), and our regulars do notice small variations in our handcrafted dishes, but we stay the course.
In other words:
You’ll never find a General Tso taco or Mongolian Beef burrito on the menu.
(At least not for sale.)
HOWEVER.
What you do with the menu once it’s in your hands? That’s where things get fun.
Curious about unlocking our hyper-versatile menu? Me and the RB crew have some hacks for you. No fusion. No gimmicks. Just outside-the-box ordering, deliberate mismatching, and letting flavors collide in new and delicious ways.
Our head chef is from Dong Bei (东北 · Dōngběi), a food mecca in Northeast China, and is classically trained across all eight core Chinese cuisines. When we put Ma Po Tofu (麻婆豆腐 · má pó dòufu) on the menu, we’re not playing around. It’s the real deal Holyfield, just living comfortably inside an American-Chinese frame.
Order:
Ma Po Tofu with Lo Mein base
Baby bok choy (小白菜 · xiǎo báicài) : ask for a touch of Sichuan heat
Optional but highly recommended: scallion pancake (葱油饼 · cōng yóu bǐng)
Ask for a second takeout container base.
These two dishes simply want to be together. Think spicy, numbing, deeply savory tofu sauce clinging to bouncy noodles. Bright veg on the side keeps it sharp.
How to eat:
Pour your lo mein base into the empty takeout container
Pour the Ma Po Tofu all over the noodles and give it a lil’ mix with your chopsticks
Grab a big bite of chewy, spicy, complex noodle and revel in it
Follow up with a bite of bok choy to reset your palate
Finish the bowl with a scallion pancake cleanup
Two staff favorites:
Cumin Beef (孜然牛肉 · zīrán niúròu) + cong you bing (葱油饼 · cōng yóu bǐng)
Simple. Aromatic. Insane.
Chongqing Wings (重庆辣鸡翅 · Chóngqìng là jīchì) + cong you bing
Pinch the wing with the pancake, pull the meat, eat together.
Heat + crisp chew = pure magic.
Feeling lazy? Order Chongqing Chicken (辣子鸡 · làzǐ jī) and cong you bing for a more relaxed experience.
Complete the picture with a cold green-bottle beer…Tsing Tao, Snow, whatever’s flowing.
Final Word
Don’t expect a constant stream of collaborations, seasonal offerings, or limited dishes from us.
Our menu is designed for you to create your own Special Offering, and we encourage this creative kind of ordering that nudges you beyond Orange Chicken and General Tso. No shade, we LOVE those two and we get it, but there are countless combinations waiting to be explored. Who knows? There might be a new favorite out there just waiting for you to discover it.
Meanwhile, we’ll keep sharing the hacks. Just ask our team when you roll in..they came up with most of these and are always happy to guide you in the right direction!
And if you’ve got a hot one to share, ship it our way at info@. We’re always looking for inspo.
