RiceBox, not to be confused with Ricebar, is a pocket-sized Cantonese restaurant inside the striking Spring Arcade in Downtown LA. There’s a line even during off-peak hours, but diners are usually quite fast at the task. Save yourself a trip to the San Gabriel Valley and order the char siu, traditional Cantonese barbecue pork, that comes in a “box” filled with white rice (brown rice and quinoa optional) as well as some garlicky greens and a few pickles. The slow-roasted beef is delicately tender, and comes with an optional (but recommended!) egg on top. For vegetarians, the marinated eggplant rice box is extremely fragrant and perfectly balanced by the fresh pickles. Chef and co-owner Leo Lee uses only organic produce and hormone-free meat, and her sauces are free of any MSG, which is a true added value compared to regular Cantonese BBQ spots. And the highlight of the meal is, by far, baos filled with mushrooms and onions, an incredible depth of flavor wrapped up in a cloud of almond milk bun.
Style: Cantonese
Address: 541 S Spring St #131, Los Angeles, CA 90013 (Downtown)
Hours: Monday-Tuesday 11AM-3PM, Wednesday-Friday 11AM-3PM and 5:30-8:30PM, Saturday 11AM-3PM
Menu: ricebox.net
Price: Starters $7, Mains $11
Reservations: No reservations