If you’re ready to abandon those regrettable nights of greasy Chinese take-out and upgrade your midweek meal read on. Head over to the new location of The Rice Den for a fresh take on Cantonese cuisine.
The glow of lights shining through cages softens the sleek lines of the chic zen décor as you enter the new St Leonards restaurant. The open kitchen allows you to watch Head Chef Nelson Cheng weave between surges of flame and tossing woks.
Cocktails at The Rice Den have been tailored by Julian Serna from the Merivale group, creating adventurous flavour combinations. Try his custom #thericeden – a mix of spiced rum, orgeat, honey, ginger, pineapple and lime – or be daring and try An Oriental Affair made with bubblegum vodka, raspberries, orange curacao, lime, mint and sparkling wine.
Start with an assortment of smaller dishes – the rice wine cured ocean trout with pickled fennel, ginger and soy sauce is a beautifully presented dish. Subtle flavours in the trout enhance the sour bite of the crunchy fennel, making this dish an essential order.
The mixed wild mushroom pancakes are a take on the traditional roll-your-own duck pancakes and delightfully fun, allowing you and your dining parters to test your packing skills. The drunken Queensland king prawns with chilli and Sichuan pepper are cooked perfectly, dressed with tangy bites of spring onion and long red chillies.
Moving on to bigger plates, we recommend the tea smoked chicken salad with rice sheets, Chinkiang vinegar, and a sesame soy dressing. Delicate strips of chicken contrast with crunchy Chinese cabbage and carrot, heaped over long widths of rice sheets. Pair the chicken with a glass of the 2012 Printhie Mount Canobolas Collection Chardonnay. With fragrant notes of citrus and ripe stone fruit, the round oak flavour will compliment the tangy freshness of the dish.
The lightly fried calamari with Chinese spicy salt and pickled ginger mayonnaise is a favourite. The squid is beautifully tender, and is not smothered in batter, allowing the flavour of the pickled ginger to permeate each bite.
Be sure to save room for The Rice Den’s desserts. Wash down the Ovaltine pannacotta dressed in a whiskey glaze, roasted chestnuts, orange purée and strawberries with a ‘B.B King’ – a cocktail consisting of house-made banana whiskey, smoked maple syrup and BBQ bitters.
Alternatively, try the French toast with dulche de leche, peanut crumble and mascarpone – but only if you can beat owner Roy Chan to it – it’s his favourite!
The best-friend team of Head Chef Nelson Cheng and Owner Roy Chan (who’ve been friends for 16 years!) have reimagined Cantonese cuisine in a refreshing new style. The restaurant itself embodies the concept of ‘smart-casual’ deeming it perfect for first dates and family dinners alike. It’s also good value. Special occasions are also catered for, if you’re celebrating big order a bottle of the 2004 Pol Roger Brut at $242 a pop.
All in all, the wait-staff’s genuine enthusiasm and sincerity, coupled with the honest elegance of the décor and the simple fresh fare on offer makes The Rice Den a restaurant to visit again and again.
The Rice Den
30-32 Chandos Street, St Leonards,
9411 2001
Open for Lunch and Dinner Tues- Sun