Is Rice Abandoning Fort Greene Location?
Earlier this week ,a surprising listing (a screen capture of which we’ve included on the jump) showed up on Craigslist for a restaurant space on DeKalb between Washington Park and South Oxford. This got us thinking because there are only two locations that could remotely qualify as a restaurant on the block. One is Sammy’s…
Earlier this week ,a surprising listing (a screen capture of which we’ve included on the jump) showed up on Craigslist for a restaurant space on DeKalb between Washington Park and South Oxford. This got us thinking because there are only two locations that could remotely qualify as a restaurant on the block. One is Sammy’s Gourmet Deli, shown at right with the yellow awning. The other is the beloved Rice, on the corner at 166 DeKalb. The description in the ad sure doesn’t sound like Sammy’s:
the restaurant is 1400 sqft + 1200 sqft finished basement, 12ft high ceilings, 27 seating, exposed brick on one side of the wall, the kichen is in the middle right side…central air, BEAR AND WINE LICENSE KEY MONEY IS $150,000, the rent is $5300 with a 3% increase and there are 8 years left on the lease.
Say it isn’t so! We love Rice and have eaten there a bunch of times since it opened. It always seems to have a decent amount of people so this news is rather surprising. Feel free to use the comments section as a little petition to persuade them not to leave.
Restaurant Review: Rice is Nice [Brooklyn Record]
Wow. I’m in the minority here, because I think that Rice Sucks, Bonita sucks, Red Bamboo is deplorable and a bistro is average. Ici is the only restaurant that impresses me out here. I’ve been here for 5 years, but coming from Manhattan, where I was my entire life, it’s hard for any restaurant to live up to those standards. Even Green Apple is better than Rice. I’d like to see a health food store open up in Liquors. I’m surprised no one has done a story about what happened. The guys at the deli at 133 Lafayette were supposed to open a health food store in that space and now they’re suing the landlord because the building is in such disrepair and he refused to fix it.
I hope Rice leaves. As someone mentioned, their food is like someone opened a can of beans, dumped them into a bowl, and heated them up for you. And worse yet, the service is CRAP. Nobody meet’n’greets you, and after you do get seated your server disappears and rarely comes back. You have to completely turn around and wave someone down for assistance. This is just as bad if not worse than iCi. But at least iCi’s food somewhat makes up for the bad service. What is so hard about paying attention to your customers and not acting like you are totally put out? These people should go work for the airlines…
I saw someone asking about a decent italian restaurant. Try out Graziellas on Vanderbilt inbetween Dekalb and Willoughby. Fair prices, good food, and the service is great.
To add onto another comment above. BONITA rocks!
Eh… Rice never floated my boat, only “passable” at its best. But bring back Cambodian Cuisine and I’ll be dancing in the streets.
I never order from rice anymore because after I eat their food, I am always still hungry. Not sure why, the food must lack nutrition/protein/caloric content or something. I kind of dug that weird british place, tommy’s blue corner, that was there before.
Please, Rice is so boring. I was surprised when it opened here, and I’m not surprised it’s going. What FG needs more of is independently owned places that serve copious amounts of down-to-earth, gut-sticking food without attitude or pretension. Rice is so far removed from that.
I live about ten houses away from Rice and I’ve set foot in there once. I’ve never been back. What a waste of a good space.
I agree with the above- the hostility seems a bit OTT, no? With that said, I was excited when RICE opened,as I was a fan of the Nolita location, but my excitement diminished after a couple of visits. The food, simply put, just isn’t that good.
I also agree with the posters above that claim that FG/CH restaurants need better service. What’s up with the blank stares, long waits, missed orders..? We’re a stone’s throw from Manhattan where this sort of ineptitude will sink a business within a week. Get it together, FG/CH restaurants! Check out Bonita for an example of how it SHOULD be done.
I would be very sad to see Rice go. I just moved from Manhattan, not too far from the Rice there and to me, this was one of the neighborhood perks. I’ve eaten at this location once, and I found the service fine, the atmosphere cozy and pleasant, and the food every bit as good as other locations. There is such an odd hostility to the place, it seems disproportionate.
No one mentions that a Liquor License is not transferable despite how much you pay? According to NYS law it is given to individuals
Ugh, good riddance. Another half-assed concept restaurant bites the dust. The food tastes like overpriced cardboard and the place was run by 12 year olds. It’s a good sign that after only a year the place is folding because it (may) indicate(s) that the neighboorhood is not ready to support some lame concept francise that represents “progress” in the hood. Give me a sandwich from Sammy’s next door anyday. FG has enough quaint bistros to bring Mommy and Daddy to when they visit and we want to show them how smart we are for living in such a groovy new neighborhood.