Rice, It's Simple

You might be dubious about a place that has Mexican chicken soup (left) and a Vietnamese chicken salad on its menu -- too diverse to be good at any one thing. But you'd be wrong about Rice, a restaurant whose theme is its namesake. From Latin America to Asia rice is a staple and this establishment offers rice in its many forms, from Thai black to Bhutanese red.

On a wintry night before a show at BAM with Nellie Mckay, Laurie Anderson, Suzanne Vega and Joan Osboarne singing with the Brooklyn Philharmonic, I stopped at Fort Greene's Rice for a quick bite. I loved the Mexican chicken soup ($4.50) with its clean, yet flavorful broth, crunchy corn, tomatoes and avocado (and of course rice). A squeeze of lime gave the soup a nice zip and added layer of flavor. Although it's not hearty, it really hit the spot on a cold night. The Vietnamese lemongrass chicken salad ($5.00 for a small, $9.00 for a large) was equally as simple. The grilled chicken is marinated in lemongrass and served with a rice and iceberg lettuce, pickled carrot, mint and lemongrass dressing. I'm a big fan of dishes that contrast flavors and textures. So mixing the warm chicken with the crunchy lettuce was a treat. With options like non-greasy Indian chicken curry, grilled tofu steak, tea-smoked salmon salad and warm lentil salad the menu is not only diverse, but healthful as well.

From the food to the decor, at Rice the formula is simple and it works.

Rice is located in Brooklyn at 166 Dekalb Avenue in Fort Greene, 718-858-2700, and 81 Washington Street in DUMBO, 718-222-9880.