Rice Bar & Food New Plymouth — Restaurant in North Island

Astonished at the poor quality, prices and lack of authenticity of food here. "Authentic" Beef cheek Panang Curry : Never had a curry served in a plate before with basically no curry broth?? If you ordered an "authentic" curry you'd expect it to be served in a bowl with broth, basically we had no broth to have our rice with. The vegetables - cauliflower and broccolis - were giant sized, not chopped in bite sized pieces - very unrefined for a dish that costs $35; not to mention authentic beef panang is cooked with capsicum, tomatoes etc not broccoli and cauliflower. Duck Spring rolls - Definitely frozen rolls not handmade - for $21! Spring rolls are also not traditionally chopped in half before serving. Spicy chicken wings - Seasoned but very dry, 3 pieces of wings for $19. My friend also ordered the Thai Milk Tea, $9! - which was powdery, pink milky water thats nowhere close to Thai milk tea - Thai milk tea is brown when brewed and it tasted nothing like Thai tea. Service was nice, altho we were never asked how our meal was as we were absolutely puzzled as to how this is considered "authentic" Thai. Don't label things as authentic if they're not, or curry if you'll barely serve it with a broth? Or Thai tea if its pink?? For the astonishing price point too, I would absolutely...

We were recommended to go here by two different groups of friends. The atmosphere is ok. Still reminiscent of Lone Star tho which we never enjoyed. The service was excellent but the food not so much. I had moo ping for my entree. Very chewy and not pleasant at all. My partner had crab puffs and said they were only ok. I had chicken and cashews for my main - pretty much a safe choice I thought. It was sooo spicy I hardly ate any of it. Only about 5 small pieces of chicken and lots and lots of broccoli and cauliflower. I commented that my meal was way to spicy and they offered to remake it but I didn't want to wait for that. I think I shud have been asked how spicy I wanted it. My partner had duck curry and also said it didn't taste quite right. The staff were very apologetic and we got a discount on our meal. Perhaps if we had tried something different it might have been better. We won't be going back unfortunately and I normally...

I recently dined at Rice Bar and Food in New Plymouth, and it was a delightful experience that exceeded my expectations. The modern yet cozy interior, combined with the friendly staff, creates the perfect atmosphere for a casual meal with friends or a special night out.

The food was simply outstanding! The dishes were full of flavor and made with fresh ingredients. Throughout the evening, the service was attentive without being overbearing, and the staff were happy to accommodate dietary preferences and offer helpful recommendations based on our tastes.

The combination of excellent food, reasonable prices, and a welcoming environment makes this restaurant a real gem in the city. I’ll definitely be recommending it to my family...