[4/5] Chicken Meets Rice (CMR) meets Rich. This marks my first SF Bay restaurant review. I spent the last couple of months getting acclimated and adjusting to the local lifestyle. The Asian food here blows Boston out of the water so rather than giving every place 5 stars, I had to adjust accordingly.
Food (65%)
Taste to price 4/5
Quality to price 4/5
Portion to price 4/5
Average = 4
Service (20%)
Friendliness 4/5
Promptness 4/5
Average = 4
Cleanliness (15%)
Bathroom n/a
Dining area 4/5
Kitchen area 4/5
Average = 4
Overall Score = [F(.65)]+[S(.20)]+C(.15)]
= [2.6]+[0.8]+[0.6]
= 4
The Pluses…
+ Great Lunch MENU! Minimalized and simple. It’s just fried or poached chicken. On salad, brown or white rice. Simple, easy, quick decisions to be made.
+ The POACHED CHICKEN. You have to try it. The texture of the meat is amazingly tender. The taste is what chicken is supposed to taste like and complementing the rice perfectly. Comforting in every way. Mmmmm.
+ OPTIONS. Surprisingly for such a simple menu, there are many ways to customize your order. You can go no/with skin, white/dark meat, and there’s even a tofu option for veggie lovers. CMR doesn’t leave anyone behind.
+ SAUCES! I have a confession to make, I’m a sauce man and not just any sauce, but the right sauce for the right moment. CMR has allows this to happen. My musts are the SWEET CHILI and the SAVORY GINGER.
+ COMPLIMENTARY BROTH where the condiments and utensils are. Take advantage of this.
+ QUICK SERVICE. You get your order within minutes.
The Negs…
– At $10.95 I want to see another group of veggies. The meal already comes with carrots and cucumber but why not add a cherry tomato, a slice of lotus, daikon, anything really. One more veggie could make a big difference in value.
– Not a dealbreaker but you gotta have CHOPSTICKS. I can’t believe I’m bringing this one up, but these rice meals are perfect for chopsticks. Yes, there’s a difference between stabbing and grabbing 🙂
The Neutrals…
o The poached chicken here is what makes this place truly special. To be honest, if you cook at home often, you can buy the chicken @ $3.50 to go, take a bunch of sauces with you, and make a home version for much cheaper. Just cook rice and add your favorite veggies. That is, if you have the luxury.
In Conclusion…
It’s easy to see why this is my kind of restaurant. It offers a balanced diet in the major food groups. The restaurant knows exactly what it is and doesn’t try to conform to others. 9 out of 10 times I’ll go with the poached chicken. I haven’t needed a reason to try the fried chicken. With all that said, this makes a highly desired destination for your lunch break making it repeatable time and time again. Chicken Meets Rice, now that I’ve met you I think I want to take our relationship to the next level. Call me, maybe?
#ChowYouLater
