With the influx of students coming to D.C. for internships, and few GW dining locations open, grocery store take-out meals present themselves as a fresh and easy lunch alternative to frozen meals.
RICE, has a minimalist, white brick exterior on 14th Street right above Logan Circle, and is a two-minute walk from the ever-popular dinner spot, Barcelona Wine Bar. I was able to enjoy my meal from RICE during my hour-long lunch break during my summer internship, as the to-go box meals and central location make it easy to grab a quick bite under a time crunch.
RICE opened in 2003 and was renovated to add a downstairs market offering pre-cooked meals and meal packages in 2020. Both the indoor restaurant and market are open from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday and 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. RICE’s takeout counter is open each day from 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Despite the website’s various choices, like Pad Thai and Sautéed Pumpkin, the options that were on the small shelf in the downstairs market were Pad See Ew ($14.95), Drunken Noodles ($14.95) and a few curry dishes ($11.95). There was a shelf open for sushi, but the space was left empty, which makes sense considering the fact that I came after a lunch rush.
Upstairs is a restaurant area with a sushi station that diners can observe as they eat and a small seating section that offers an intimate dining experience, with statement light fixtures creating a dim ambiance. Downstairs, a market full of goods presented grocery items like wine, snacks and refrigerated items and also included a fresh produce section full of mangoes, lemons and eggplants.
Another part of the market featured home goods with tables full of cookbooks from Asian, Mediterranean and Western cultures, shelves full of wine and condiments and lines of handmade brightly colored pottery bowls and mugs, including some that were even shaped like animals. On a second level — which is not usually open to the public — there is an educational kitchen facility where classes like wine pairing are held.
The checkout process was simple for a quick lunch break. All of the takeout dishes were pre-made, making it a grab-and-go situation with a checkout counter in the middle of the market, making it very convenient if you are not in the mood for a full sit-down meal.
I decided on the Pad See Ew takeout ($14.95) and opted to enjoy my dish on a black leather bench in the outdoor seating area. There is no indoor seating for the take-out items, but there are other black tables and chairs right outside of the storefront. However, the outdoor seating was located close to the sidewalk, which offered little shade from the District’s June sunshine.
The Pad See Ew was served in a paper bowl and was layered with the wide, soft noodles and the savory see ew sauce at the bottom with chicken and vegetables on top. The portion was large, so I ended up taking some back to my internship office for later, but the dish could be shared with others, especially when paired with appetizers or other dishes.
The vegetables and chicken rested on a mountain of chewy Sen Yai noodles. The vegetables were not very finely chopped, which gave way to some difficulty in getting a mix of ingredients in each bite.
The carrots and broccoli were cooked to a tender texture that was not too soft, making this portion of the dish enjoyable. The sauce was sweet and salty, with the saltiness taking over in the aftertaste.
On my next trip to RICE, I would opt to sit in the upstairs restaurant section and try their sushi rolls or a wok dish, and discover the options the market area holds when I am not in a time crunch during my lunch break.
