The Rice Box — Restaurant in Hedwig Village

BRANCHING OUT - The Rice Box

"All those moments will be lost in time... like tears in rain..." - R. Batty

I got a little ocupado this past weekend with all my Dairy YASSSS QUEENIN' so I missed the Grand Opening of the new Rice Box in Hedwig Village (9201 Katy Freeway), but I got to stop by this evening and - lemme tellya - get yourself over there the next time you get a hankerin' for Chinese food.

There was a light drizzle coming down when I went tonight which TOTALLY fit the Blade Runner vibe this place throws off (not unintentionally I'm sure). And this place really is Blade Runner AF. I'm not even sure if I'm not a Replicant it's so f'n Blade Runner.

I ordered the Hot & Sour soup and the Beef Chow Fun. They each come with an egg roll so I got one chicken egg roll and one veggie egg roll. And a Diet Coke (cuz I'm counting calories.)

Started with the Egg Rolls - the vegetable one had a nice black pepperiness that I thought was nice and the cabbage had a good crunch to it. The Chicken Egg Roll has just a hint of curry that I found totally awesome.

Next up - Hot & Sour Soup. The hot and sour soup has a pronounced vinegar tang, but the only "hot" is the literal temperature of the soup. But this place is in Hedwig Village - those people have delicate taste buds. It does have an excellent mushroom umami thing going on, however, which was delishes.

Now to the Beef Chow Fun. I'm not sure if Chow Fun is my absolute favorite Chinese dish, but it's DEFINITELY in my top three. The noodles were cooked perfectly, the beef was seasoned so well and was so tender and there was just SO much of it. The veggies and eggs were simply excellent. My only complaint would be that I asked them to make it as spicy as they can and it's only a little bit spicy...hold up. I'm literally eating this as I write and just bit into the spiciest mf'n Szechuan pepper I've had in awhile. Holy crapballs it just got spicy all up in my mouth hole. So I take back whatever I was about to write. May God have mercy on your buttholes if you ask for extra spicy, Hedwig Villagers.

My fortune cookie said "Tomorrow will be a productive day. Don't oversleep." So I guess I need to post this and hop into bed....

This place has a fun, cyberpunk, futuristic interior design that's really engaging. I also loved that they were playing a favorite movie from my childhood, "Flight of the Navigator," on one of the screens over the bar.

Overall, the food was very good with huge portions. Like, I expected one-third of the chicken I had.

The fry on the chongqing chicken was 10/10, perfectly crunchy, and not one single piece of chicken was dry - not even the smaller ones.

The dish could've been more spicy, but now I know I can ask for more heat next time. I've had this dish many other places, but never with peanuts like they serve here, which worked really well.

The white rice was nice and hot, but I wish it were just a bit more sticky.

The fried pork dumplings were tasty, and I enjoyed the sauce that came with it.

They also served up the best crab rangoon and, weirdly, fortune cookie I've ever had.

The only bummers were that the nitro machine was broken, so I couldn't try the nitro Thai tea, which sounds amazing, but these things happen.

Also, the lo mein noodles were not heated all the way through and had cold spots in it. That wasn't a huge deal because I planned on eating those as leftovers anyway, but it would've been nice to try them hot and fresh. The noodles were nice and thick, and the seasoning was good, so not all was lost; I was just a little let down.

My friend liked her Mongolian beef but wished the meat to vegetable ratio was higher.

The servers were great. Very friendly, helped us understand the menu, delivered food and checked on us a couple of times while we ate.

All in all, we had a nice time here, and I'm looking forward to...

I recently visited The Rice Box at their Heights location (300 W 20th St, Houston), and it was a vibrant experience worth sharing. The moment you step in, the futuristic vibe hits you—think neon LEDs, colorful decor, and a funky aesthetic straight out of a sci-fi movie. It’s a content creator’s dream, with Instagram-worthy corners everywhere. I ordered the salt and pepper chicken with house fried rice, and my friend got the tofu fried rice. The chicken was crispy, well-seasoned, and packed with flavor—not overly salty or sweet, just balanced. The house fried rice was a standout, earning an 8/10 in my book for its wok-tossed smokiness and generous portions. The tofu dish was a hit too; the tofu had a perfect crispy exterior and soft center, making it a great vegan option. Service was lightning-fast, and the staff was friendly, even bringing to-go orders curbside, which is a nice touch. The place was packed, so I’d recommend calling ahead for takeout to skip the wait. My only gripe? Some dishes, like the dumplings, can be a tad light on flavor, but they’re still well-executed. Overall, The Rice Box delivers fresh, fast-casual Chinese food with a unique twist. It’s a solid spot for both meat-eaters and vegetarians, and the lively atmosphere makes it fun for a quick bite or a casual hangout. I’d rate it 4 out of 5 stars and will definitely be back to try their walnut shrimp and curry chicken. If you’re in Midtown or the Heights, it’s...