Joe's Steam Rice Roll (Manhattan)

[KennethT]

This place has been all over the NYC food media lately.  It started as a stall in a mall in Flushing and has now expanded to Manhattan - on Canal St. in a fancy new food court right near the 6 train.  They make a big deal out of the fact that they grind their rice daily to make their batter.

 

Prices are pretty expensive - they range from $7-$10 or so for one plate of rice roll - elsewhere in Chinatown, it would be about half that.  We had just had lunch elsewhere, but I wanted to try it so my wife and I split a shrimp rice roll as a snack.  Due to all the price and hype (and long line) I was expecting the best rice roll I've ever had.  It was good, but didn't blow me away.  I actually thought the rice roll itself was a little too chewy.

 

Please forgive the red hue in the photo - the lighting in the seating area was really funky...

Edited January 7, 2019 by KennethT (log)

[dcarch]

I will be in that area in the next few weeks. Will give it a try.

Re-balanced your picture's color.

 

dcarch

Edited January 7, 2019 by dcarch (log)

[KennethT]

Nice...  to be honest, I don't know if I'd go back.  The quality was decent, but just as good anywhere else in Chinatown for 1/2 the cost.

[weinoo]

I'd heard good things, and someone I know compared it to one of the old school places on East Broadway.  Looks better than that one, but it's actually like 3x the price.

[weinoo]

Decided, since I was in the area today, to give it a try...

 

 

This is the fresh shrimp, with bean sprouts, scallion and cilantro.  Much better than the joint I was referring to on East Broadway.

And $7. Also had curry fish balls on the side, 10 for $3. Not a destination, but worthy if hungry and right nearby.

[KennethT]

just an update... there is another branch that recently opened on St. Marks between 1st and 2nd (I think... possibly 1st and A) - it's its own storefront in this location.