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]
i like rice, but the one in soho is better, and the times i’ve been to this location its been pretty empty, so its not too surprising.
I was also disappointed in rice. Why spend money for someone to pour out can of black beans in a bowl and heat them up for you?
That corner is a great location. The same with Butta’cup. I think the turnover is driven by the food that was served not the locations themselves.
Good Riddance…..Rice food is total crap….insipid, bland and the portions are lousy….Fort Green has the best eating in Brooklyn (Bonita, Una pequena, Sushi D, Lou Lou…), its no wonder this place couldn’t compete……..next to go will hopefully be the abhorrent Red Bamboo.
their Mott St restaurant is listed on Costar.
you people are insane. Rice serves some of the worst food in Ft Greene. I would rather go to One Greene before subjecting myself to Rice….and that is saying a lot!
I think the building is owned by Kathryn Lilly, who’s got a bit of a bad rap as a landlord (got negative press and protests outside her office, which is where Rice is now, when she evicted an elderly person from an apartment nearby). If Lilly owns it still, there might be something to this move.
For such a key location, it’s surprising that there’s been so much turnover.
Restaurants at that spot seem to inevitably bite the dust; just like the space on De Kalb & Adelphi that is Red Bamboo (or Butta’ Cup and the 3 or 4 restaurants before that)…
I’m surprised that Rice is so popular. I have to say that we have given it ample opportunities but it has sucked each time. The straw that broke my back was when I ordered the tofu satay with no cabbage (because they always overload it) they gave me extra–it was about 85% bland cabbage! We have always hoped someone would open an Ethiopian restaurant there–we’d be there all the time. Please not another French bistro…
nooooooo! oh that’s horrible. i would be SO sad if Rice left.