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    The Rice Box

    3.8 (1.1k reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Order The Rice Box Takeout or Delivery

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    THE RICE BOX ATMOSPHERE

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    Hipster
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    Moderate noise

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    Recommended Reviews - The Rice Box

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    Mongolian beef combo
    Leena C.

    Box of rice Haven't been here in almost 8 years. 1st experience was great, second was terrible so I didn't go back. My friend Aurora wanted to meet Donna early dinner and gossip session and she really liked this place. (We tried having a team lunch at the Rice Village location during the cold front last Oct but they had no heat so we opted for a warmer place but she grabbed a to go on the way home) Here we are for a late lunch 3:45 pm on a Friday. Parking was none had to drive around the block and saw some movement and bam, someone was leaving. We ordered at the bar, staff was super nice and opted to sit outside. Did not realize they deliver to the table. Order: Mongolian beef combo with fried rice and egg roll $14.99 The food comes in takeaway style containers. Win. Mongolian beef (2.5/5) - slightly over sauced for me; beef was pretty tender and there were carrots and edamame which is not the standard so maybe that's what makes it fusion? Fried rice (3/5) - standard style fried with small pieces of bean sprouts which I love so that was a nice surprise Egg roll (3/5) - I assume it was chicken because I didn't realize there was a choice) - it was crunchy and soft on the inside which I like, and pairs well with sriracha (did not eat till I got home) They seem to do a whole lot of take away. The staff were nice and hard working. I was excited when they first opened bc they had chow fun on the menu and being HK Cantonese, I love that dish but when I ordered it the 1st and 2nd time eight years ago instead of bean sprouts they had cabbage and that alters rhe flavor tremendously. I see why it's popular among the people but just don't think it is for my taste.

    The counter/bar area
    Derrick R.

    I enjoy Ricebox every time I go. Doesn't matter the location. I get the Honey Walnut Shrimp, Fried Rice, Eggroll.

    The bathroom...
    Sarah T.

    The food here is life changing. It's just too bad it was too hot and filthy to enjoy it. I love that there are all the protein options with every dish. This place is very vegetarian friendly. The food is made quick and fresh. The service was also great. They were happy to answer all questions and get some extra things we needed when asked. They were kind and accommodating. I personally got the sweet and sour chicken and it was amazing. I haven't had Chinese food that good in a LONG time. The fried rice I got with it was perfectly seasoned and there was plenty of it to go with my chicken. My son (11 going on 16) got the orange chicken, extra spicy. He really liked it and ate almost all of it but said he wants to go back and try it not spicy because it was REALLY spicy and he thought there would be more flavor with less spicy. My little kids (5 and 3) shared the sesame tofu and pepper stack tofu. They both loved it and said they wanted more. My kids aren't really picky but for them to say they love something, it really is a compliment. My husband got the chow fun with Chinese sausage. He said the Chinese sausage was alright but he would probably get another protein next time. Overall, the food is amazing and we will be going again, to another location. So why 3 stars? 1. The heat. My goodness, this place was hot. There is no air circulation and very little seating in the hot building. The seating outside was also very hot because it's Houston in May! Food tasted better when people are comfortable and we were not. 2. Lack of cleanliness. We walked in and, next to the wall menu, there was a pile of flies. Dead, alive, just a mass of wings and buzzes. When going to see if we could find a table outside, they were almost all caked with bird poop and had clearly not been recently cleaned. The bathroom was the worst part. I don't mind the metal toilet or the theming of the place. I LIKE dives and hole-in-the-wall dingy places. This was something else. All around the toilet, a brown textured ring graces the walls. This is beyond gross and I can't possibly believe it was a style choice. We won't be back to this location but will go to another in the future for the great food.

    Orange tofu, awesome flavor!
    Mike T.

    Let's play "The Good, The Bad, The Ugly"... THE GOOD Wow, the food here is fantastic. Truly, the sweet & sour chicken is actual chicken thighs with a satisfying crunch and great sauce. The fried rice is probably the best fried rice I've had in a very long time! I got the Chow Fun noodles with Chinese sausage and extra spicy and it was spectacular! Also tried the Salt & Pepper Tofu, which was nice and crunchy and HOLY MOLY IT CAME OUT SO FAST! The atmosphere is spot on and the staff are friendly and helpful, smiles all around and very inviting. From all of this alone I would have easily given this place 5 stars! but THE BAD The seating at this place was not great, very few spots and there's almost no AC, so it's very warm and very humid, which is not a comfortable experience. The only other option is outside, which in Houston is even worse. THE UGLY Good lord, I've never seen a bathroom in this place is... something else. I didn't think about it while I was in there at first, but with kids I had to make multiple trips. The wall next the toilet is...textured...with a brown substance. I'm not touching it and I'm not investigating. The whole vibe of the place is one thing, but this really feels like the cleanliness of the place fell off a cliff. I'm really torn here. I want to come back, but I'll probably try a different location, because you can tell the decor and everything has a lot of love put into it. Like for real, I wouldn't be surprised if a Disneyland Imagineer had a hand in decorating the place. I'll be back...but a different location.

    Sesame fried tofu
    John W.

    I'll be honest, I had high open for rice box. It was nice, but it definitely didn't live up to my expectations... :( I stopped in the rice box off 20th street. The actual restaurant was really small and I couldn't find parking nearby. Ended up having to street-park a few blocks away.. The restaurant wasn't too busy when I was there. Our orders were taken quickly and food was cooked quickly too. The ambiance was really great. I liked the vibe and neon colors everywhere. The food itself was just ok though. I was disappointed with the broccoli beef (the beef was really tough and chewy. I got the honey sesame fried tofu which was pretty good. The flavor lacked complexity & was mostly sweet, although the fried tofu was yummy. The white rice was a bit dry too... I probably won't come back here. The vibe was great but for the price / quality of food I was disappointed

    Sesame chicken

    Today the portion of orange chicken was far from the regular. Also miss the old general Tso. I'll definitely give it another shot but seems light the heights location needs some attention.

    Menu
    Liz C.

    Place is pretty small and can get cramped if there's a lot of people but the food is great and customer service good. The portion sizing on the food is actually what makes this place really really good. Tasty Chinese food with plenty for another meal later on in the day. Can't wait to go back and try other meals here.

    Gregston C.

    Fast casual Chinese / Asian fusion. A handful of popular Chinese inspired dishes. Tasty Asian fusion food. Good portions for the price. The sweet chili wings take a little time to make but are very worth it. The Chinese sausage Chow fun is flavorful. I know the "unfold the box to make a plate trick" is kind of their thing since it's part of the name, but an actual plate makes a better plate and getting another box to put your left overs at the end seems counter productive. I just eat from the box so that my food doesn't get cold unnecessarily. It doesn't feel like they want to you eat there. There are only a few seats inside. Outside seating is less than pleasant most of the year. They really want to you pick up your food and leave. Don't worry they won't forget to ask for a tip as you order at the counter. They really want you to order via grubhub or uber eats, because each dish is a few dollars more plus all the fees.

    Mike B.

    The food was alright nothing crazy. Service was very fast. Ambiance is a feeling you're sitting inside a small restaurant in Tokyo. Feels like you're In a John wick movie scene.

    Orange Chicken
    Sophia A.

    Our 1st visit in over a year and I believe that it has gotten better. I've ordered a few items on the menu. I might have found some new favorites. First, I've ordered last year's favorite Garlic Eggplant with minced meat, it was just as good as last year, if not better. The second thing I ordered was a family favorite, Crab Rangoon. It was perfectly crispy and delicious. It came with a sweet chili sauce, it compliments the Rangoon well. The last thing I ordered and what I wanted to try, was the scallion pancakes with a side of curry sauce. The scallion pancake was perfectly thin and made to perfection. The highlight of that dish was the green curry sauce that went with the scallion pancakes. I honestly can say that it was probably the best combination of flavors I had in a long long time. I've put the Garlic Eggplant with one of the scallion pancakes and dipped it in the curry sauce... my mind was officially blown. Seriously, I'll get all three items again but next time, I want a large tub of the green curry sauce. The service is always top notch.We'll be back once again

    Wings

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    18 days ago

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    1 year ago

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    2 months ago

    Taste like my childhood egg rolls. It's always fresh. Always hot. And always good. The duck sauce just brings me back to childhood.

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    5 months ago

    Great food, great ambiance, very chill atomosphere. Place looks very aesthetic and futuristic, loved it!

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    4 months ago

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    5 months ago

    Quality & fresh food, service is attentive, clean atmosphere, more comfortable seating outdoors. Nice to relax.

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    Page 1 of 27

    The Rice Box Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - The Rice Box

    Do you make your egg rolls made in house or do you buy them from someone else? I am looking for a home made egg roll.

    Yes we make Errol in house.

    How's the music? Good for kids? My daughter loves fried rice and dumplings, and I thought it would be a cool bday outing for 4-6. 😋

    Sir, this is a Wendy's.

    Which are the smaller egg rolls? Veg or chicken?

    Veg

    Could a party of 17 people eat here together?

    It would be hard, the space is pretty small

    Do you guys have brown rice as an alternate?

    Dog friendly patio?

    Yes. I take my dog all the time and sit on the patio

    They're supposed to have gluten free options. Does anyone know if it's celiac safe? Thanks!

    i would love to know this, seconding the question. The establishment shows up in Yelp as GF place...

    View All 10 Questions

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    Hu's Cooking

    Hu's Cooking

    4.5(1.1k reviews)
    6.8 miWest University, Braeswood Place
    $$

    5 Stars - Authentic Szechuan that absolutely nails the classics…read more During our short trip to Houston, as a custom, we were determined to find real Szechuan food, and luckily we found Hu's Kitchen. The location is a bit unassuming, and parking is definitely tough (the spaces are very shallow), but the second we walked through the doors and smelled the Szechuan peppercorns, I knew we were in exactly the right place. I generally judge a Szechuan restaurant by their 夫妻肺片 (Fuqi Feipian)--which they cleverly name "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" on the menu. They completely nailed it. The beef, tripe, and tendon were incredibly cohesive together, yet you could tell each component was prepared and marinated in a slightly different way to perfectly highlight its specific texture. The chili oil was right on the spot. We went through a massive bowl of rice just eating this dish alone. Honestly, if I weren't feeding a family of four, I could have just ordered that and been perfectly happy. While the Fuqi Feipian proves their skill with dry dishes, the 水煮魚片 (Fish in Szechuan Hot Chili Oil) proves their skill with wet ones. It's another must-order. The execution was flawless--we didn't just finish the tender fish chunks, we ate every last piece of cabbage soaked in that incredible chili broth. For my two daughters who can't handle the heat, we ordered the fried rice, garlic pork ribs with onion, and the 紅燒獅子頭 (Giant Meatball with Cabbage). The giant meatball was spectacular. The kids completely devoured it on their own, but I managed to steal a bite, and it instantly brought back childhood memories of exactly how this dish is supposed to taste. We also had the Dan Dan Noodles, which were great and rounded out the meal perfectly. I loved all of the dishes we tried. Should we ever find ourselves in Houston again, we will absolutely be revisiting this hidden gem.

    My mom wanted steamed fish with ginger, scallions, and that light sweet soy sauce. Hu's Cooking…read moredelivered! When we ordered, they mentioned it'll take about 20 mins but it came out in 10. No complaints here since we were starving from an 8 hour road trip. The Dan Dan Noodles...I had high expectations but sadly this dish fell short. I recommend Hu's Cooking to use a bigger bowl and more sauce because it was difficult to mix the noodles and the sauce wasn't...saucing, unfortunately. I wish there was more flavor in this dish. The Scallion Pancake was super over-fried and oily. See image in my review. The outer parts of the pancake were fried to a crisp and only a small circumference in the center stayed chewy. I know Chinese tends to be oily but this pancake soaked up way too much oil. Half a Peking duck: super great price for so much meat. The difficulty when eating this dish is gnawing the meat off the sharp bones of the duck. Mapo Tofu with white rice: pretty easy staple, no complaints here. Dinner on a Saturday was packed but we got seated quickly and food arrived fast.

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    Hu's Cooking - Spicy chicken, clear noodles with red pepper sauce, and stir fried green beans

    Spicy chicken, clear noodles with red pepper sauce, and stir fried green beans

    Hu's Cooking - Open til 11:00pm on Wed, Thurs, Fri and Sat

    Open til 11:00pm on Wed, Thurs, Fri and Sat

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    China Garden - Eggrolls

    China Garden

    4.0(402 reviews)
    4.4 miDowntown
    $$

    What has happened to my childhood favorite Chinese restaurant? Picked up combination egg foo young,…read morechicken with vegetables and an order of eggrolls the other day and was first shocked at the cost of $60+ and secondly at how much the food has changed. Although the portions were good size my egg foo young lacked flavor. It actually had no flavor even with soy sauce and chili oil (which cost $.75). The chicken and vegetables were a bit better but the fried rice that came with it also didn't taste like anything. Lastly their egg rolls which I use to love and would drive from Richmond, TX just to get were still big but the filling was very salty this time. I'm not giving up on them but I really hope the food goes back to what I know it used to be.

    I was craving Chinese food today, and this spot popped up as just a mile from my job with good…read morereviews, so I decided to check it out. Lucky for me, they have their own parking lot, which already made everything super convenient. I walked in around 1:30 PM and was back out by 1:55 PM, so the service is definitely fast and friendly; perfect for a lunch break. The lunch menu has a huge variety of options, and every plate comes with fried rice and a pretty big egg roll. I honestly didn't know what to expect, but the quality of the food was fantastic. I can totally see how they've stayed open for 50+ years. I ordered the beef and broccoli... which honestly should be renamed to beef and vegetables, because it came with broccoli, carrots, and onions. Not complaining, though! The beef was tender and kind of reminded me of a beef fajita texture with how flakey and tender it was. The sauce was savory with garlic and soy sauce flavors and I really liked it. The veggies were cooked perfectly for my taste: still a little crunchy and not soggy. My only complaint was the onion. They were a bit too crunchy and raw, which made them super spicy and pungent, so I just moved them to the side. The egg roll was good, too! It tasted freshly made with cabbage that still had some crunch, which I love. Portion-wise, it was absolutely perfect. I finished everything except the onions and left feeling satisfied. Not heavy and not carrying leftovers, which I appreciate because some Chinese spots over serve. I paid about $20 including tip. Overall, I would 100% recommend this place and would definitely come back for lunch again.

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    China Garden - Entrance

    Entrance

    China Garden - Shrimp Fried Rice

    Shrimp Fried Rice

    China Garden - Entry

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    Entry

    Xiaolong Dumpling

    Xiaolong Dumpling

    4.6(303 reviews)
    3.7 miFourth Ward, Midtown, Montrose
    $$

    This little spot is my literal favorite place for fried rice. Everything is good but the fried rice…read moreis the best I've ever had! Pork Bao's are normally my daughter fave but the soup dumplings here are her favorite. She could finish an order on her own. The service is always great. As soon as you get in they give everyone a water and a carafe of more water. There is a QR code to order and you place your order on the phone. The order goes straight to the kitchen and you can add as you go if wanted. I always thought that was pretty cool. The owner came out to say hello and ask how everything is. She even brought out a small bowl of soup for my baby to enjoy. The waitress was also very sweet and attentive. I don't live close by but will make the trip when the craving hits. Today was one of those days. The last time I was here there was no ac and not enough seating. This time it was nice and cool in and well as having new seating! This little spot needs to be on your need to stop places!

    Was a little bit of a red flag when we were the only Asian customers in the restaurant - still…read moredecent but definitely catered towards Western taste buds. My favorite dish was surprising the fried rice, with generous portions and slight smokiness. The xiaolongbao weren't my favorite, as there wasn't a whole lot of juice; but hey if you're looking to be health conscious maybe that is a positive.

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    Xiaolong Dumpling - Excellent customer service!!!

    Excellent customer service!!!

    Xiaolong Dumpling - B1. Mongolian Beef B1.

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    Cooking Girl - Montrose - Spicy Chicken Cube

    Cooking Girl - Montrose

    4.5(200 reviews)
    3.6 miMontrose, Fourth Ward
    $$

    This is my first time going in person, but second time eating from Cooking Girl. I got the General…read moreTso's chicken and meat egg rolls, and both were excellent. Compared to the other Chinese places in this area (Rice Box), the quality is much better. The restaurant and calm, clean, the staff are nice, and it would be a great place to study.

    I have wanted to eat here for months but I always passed it up because of how busy and small the…read moreplace looked from the outside. Today was my lucky day because there was plenty of parking spots and seats (although the parking lot is very small). This place is great! I understand the hype for sure. When you walk inside it's just about the smallest restraunt I've ever. Very cozy and cute vibe with smooth jazz playing on a speaker and we got our food very fast. I really enjoyed my time here. Dry Fried Green Beans 5/5- these are the best green beans I have had in my life! I am not exaggerating like I will be thinking about these green beans all week. Do not hesitate to try these. Perfectly salty and good amount of crunch still left. The flavors they used are just perfect. Colorful Beef 4/5- The texture of the beef was so tender and not chewy at all like other places. The flavor was bright and the bell peppers were cooked through well. The issue I had with this dish was the sichuan peppercorns. I was just eating and not really looking at it super closely so I got a mouth full of these peppercorns and wow it was actually horrible. Just beware because the texture of these things are god awful and I think that they should be taken out like how a bay leaf is removed before serving. It was just really intense and it almost ruined the dish for me honestly. Other than that a great dish. My mouth was so numb but worth it. Dandan noodles 2/5- This was my first time trying this dish anywhere and I did not really enjoy it at all. The sesame flavor was really strong and it wasn't really salted at all. Very strange flavor. I will not order this again, however I do believe that the execution on this dish is great. There was a lot of sauce and the noodles were cooked well. I just really wish I liked the flavor of this dish and that's a personal problem. This dish also made my mouth numb but the flavor did not make it worth it. I wanted to like these so badly but I just couldn't do it. I will be back!

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    Cooking Girl - Montrose - The bar

    The bar

    Cooking Girl - Montrose - Bao was Delicious!

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    Inside

    Hi Trendy Dumpling - General Tso's Chicken

    Hi Trendy Dumpling

    4.4(436 reviews)
    2.2 miThe Heights
    $$

    One of my favorite Sichuan places in town!…read more Dishes had this time around: Pork Soup dumpling - always temps me to order more Shrimp and pork Shumai - i recently had shumai that was good but not as great as the ones here. I've never had any oeovlem with any of the food not tasting fresh here Spicy chicken cube - crispy, spicy, what more can you ask for Walnut shrimp - a common Cantonese style chinese dish with crispy shrimp, mayo, and walnuts. A perfect combo! Overall would recommend to anyone in town, a favorite of mine for sure

    My three friends and I were in the area when one of them suggested this place after having a good…read moreexperience here previously. We ordered quite a bit of food, and everything came out quickly. The staff were attentive and friendly, and overall, the food was decent. My favorite dish was the Chicken Steamed Dumplings. I usually prefer pork dumplings, but these were surprisingly tasty. The wrappers were on the thicker side, which I personally enjoy, the filling was moist, and the sauce was packed with flavor. I also ordered the Beef Noodle Soup. The portion of noodles and beef was generous, but I thought the broth lacked depth and had far too much chili oil. Instead of providing a pleasant spice, the excess oil left a greasy coating in my throat that actually made me cough. The other dishes were less impressive. The Pork Bao tasted like they had been frozen and reheated, with slightly soggy, overcooked buns and a filling that lacked flavor. The Egg Rolls were also extremely small and had that same frozen, store-bought quality. Overall, the service was great and there were a few solid dishes, especially the chicken dumplings, but too many of the items tasted like frozen or pre-prepared food. I would come back for the dumplings, but I would probably skip most of the other dishes.

    Photos
    Hi Trendy Dumpling - Interior

    Interior

    Hi Trendy Dumpling - Braised chili oil fish

    Braised chili oil fish

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    Chili oil dumplings

    Cooking Girl - Downtown

    Cooking Girl - Downtown

    4.1(71 reviews)
    3.7 miDowntown, Fourth Ward

    Casual but solid in an awesome location if you are enjoying downtown…read more My niece is a lover of dumplings and fried rice so of course we had to walk over for an early lunch before the Art Car Parade. --- location/vibes--- located in the northwest corner of downtown -- can stop by before bar hoping, catching a show, maybe even an Astros game if you wanna walk just a bit. There was a good amount of seating for that area of town but not a ton! --- Foods--- We really loved the wonton soup and mama's dumplings (gyoza basically). Both had a surprising amount of flavor. Especially the soup as this can be kinda plain at other places. We also tried soup dumplings which unfortunately stuck to the pan so we missed on the soup but the pork inside was lovely. Pricing was very resonable. ---Service--- to the point -- friendly but limited - ---Overall--- Looking forward to trying more dishes here!

    My friend and I had dinner at Cooking Girl a few months back. It wasn't busy at all on a Thursday…read moreevening. We were seated towards the back of the restaurant and it was uncomfortably warm. I don't remember our server's name but she was nice. I started with a Lychee Martini. It was very good and very strong. For apps we ordered the Scallion Pancakes and the BBQ Pork Buns. The Scallion Pancakes were very good, but once they cooled down, it didn't taste nearly as good. I enjoyed the BBQ Pork Buns too. For entrées I had the Salt Pepper Fish Slices while my friend went with the Ingenious Fried Beef. The Fish Slices were very seasoned and flavorful, but a bit dry. The batter was good and I really enjoyed the peppers and onions that accompanied the dish. I think a dipping sauce would have helped. My friend enjoyed the Fried Beef. They have quite a few locations around town if you don't want to venture into the downtown area. If you're near the Theater District, Cooking Girl is a great dining option.

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    Cooking Girl - Downtown
    Cooking Girl - Downtown
    Cooking Girl - Downtown - Apricot Spritzer & Baijiu Pom Lemonade

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    Apricot Spritzer & Baijiu Pom Lemonade

    Lao Sze Chuan - Chef's Special Dry Chili Chicken

    Lao Sze Chuan

    4.3(121 reviews)
    4.3 miMontrose, Fourth Ward

    Quality ingredients. Flat noodles are the highlight…read more 2.7 - Brussel Sprouts, Crispy Roasted w/ Garlic. 2.5M - Chicken Pot Sticker 3.2V - Chicken Pot Sticker. Very good sauce. 3.7 - Chicken egg roll 3.6M/3.2V - Beef, Mongolian. Medium spice, no onion. 3.5 - Chicken, General Tso. Tastes like Bejing chicken. 2.5 - Chicken, Kung Pao. Tasted a little fishy. 4.0 - Chicken, lo mein. 3M/2.5V - Chicken, Orange. Feels healthy. 4.4 - Noodles, Stir Fried Flat, Chicken. No onions and green onions. tjm

    I visited Lao Sze Chuan this past weekend ( Saturday) , alone , for a late lunch around 3:30 or so…read more It was my first visit in and because they had such and expansive menu, ( in this case not a good thing) , I was super excited to try multiple options, but I had to stop at two... I'm always a sucker for all things Sichuan style, in fact it's my favorite style of Chinese cuisine, however after receiving the first order , the Chefs Special Beef Tripe, I should have stopped there. Although it was clearly tripe, it looked nothing like the picture online, and was overly pickled and extremely numbing of taste to the point of not being able to enjoy or even get a remote grasp of a flavor profile. Well, as to not give up on them entirely, I went ahead and ordered something more middle of the road , by getting the twice cooked pork. Something I figured they couldn't mess up.. Well it was BEYOND bland without seasoning or favor at all, even inspite of the fresh ingredients that it contained. The pork was not tender and the overall dish just simply uninspiring. The two stars were for service and ambience. So very disappointing.

    Photos
    Lao Sze Chuan
    Lao Sze Chuan - Dumpling W/ Szechuan Chili Sauce

    Dumpling W/ Szechuan Chili Sauce

    Lao Sze Chuan - Chicken With Eggplants In Spicy Garlic Sauce

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    Chicken With Eggplants In Spicy Garlic Sauce

    The Rice Box - asianfusion - Updated September 2026

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