Rice & Nori — Restaurant in South Pasadena

God damn do I have an addiction to Rice & Nori. Onigiri, omusubi, rice balls, whatever you want to call them, I can't get enough.

My first excursion into onigiri was Sunny Blue in Santa Monica, maybe 12 years back. Balls of rice rolled up with a filling, gently wrapped in a sheet of nori, with a bit of furikake sprinkled on top. Sushi-esque but more rice and seaweed than nigiri, and dare I say a tad more satisfying. Sunny Blue was my go-to for almost a decade but when I moved out to the burbs, I was sad to find Pasadena a mostly barren onigiri desert. Until, of course... Rice & Nori branched out from their DTLA roots and put down here in South Pas.

I am loving the vegan options. Shiitake Kombu (my 3 y/o's favorite), Spicy Miso Eggplant (wifey's fav), and Ume Takana (my personal addiction). The Umeboshi and the Plain are vegan as well. And a big shout out to the Japanese pickles. They have five distinct options, and they are all delicious. Even though this location can be busy, the kitchen is a well-oiled machine just cranking out food. I rarely have to wait more than a few minutes for my order. So, if you pull up in a rush and see a line, don't necessarily be dissuaded. Sometimes the line takes longer than waiting on the food, which is why I usually call in my order from the car while driving over. The staff aren't overly friendly, but they are polite and professional and focused on what's important: getting the food out and getting it right. I've never seen the shop anything but clean with tables ready for action.

Hot tip: R&N has a satellite/ghost kitchen in Pasadena on Colorado in a spot called Allied Food To Go. This official location in South Pas is 15-20 minutes from my house but the ghost kitchen is more like 5. That's great news for those of us further north in Pasadena or Altadena. Or maybe it's bad news, because it's too easy for my wife and I to avoid cooking and just scoop up some Rice & Nori instead.

Onigiri. If you know, you know. There's just something about holding a baseball sized chunk of warm, savory rice with all kinds of tasty hiding inside. It's convenient, it's cheap, and it's...

What an absolute shame that I haven't found this place sooner. Originally craving Chipotle, I instead went to The Habit. Upon passing by, I saw this store and peeked through the window to observe the menu from afar. I saw some plant-based options and swore to come back again to try this place the next time I was in the area. Finally, I was back in South Pasadena today, just in time for dinner.

I stopped by here first to try the plain onigiri and eggplant miso onigiri as an appetizer before heading to The Habit. While eating my burger and fries next door, I opened up the to-go box to try the rice balls. Definitely the best decision I made all day, as I was able to go back for more before they closed for the day. It's absolutely delicious. It's savory and a little sweet. A few riceballs will surely satisfy your hunger. I've been passing by the little tokyo location for years without knowing what I've been missing out on. Shame on me. I'm coming...

Great service, and delicious riceballs! I'd come more often if the parking situation wasn't so crazy during lunch hours! I ought to come back for lunch seeing how two riceballs fill me up! Considering the price of the Pasadena area, it's a decent deal. Though alot of their premium offers can easily bring that up to a higher price point, so I usually don't opt for them.

It's attached to a building that contains a Starbucks and Habit Burger, so if you're itching for more food afterwards, there's plenty to choose from next door or around the area.

It definitely is more of a light meal, which I don't mind, so if you want something lighter and less expensive, this might be a place to go. Overall, a solid Riceball place!

Notable places nearby include: Gus's BBQ (great happy hour), and Fair Oaks Pharmacy (great shakes and sundaes) across the street, and further north is Old Town Pasadena. There is limited lot parking but plenty of...