The Fried Rices of NYC

Regional Dining Discussions New York City
1

So, shoot me, but I like a nice fried rice on occasion. Here are some:

Mission Chinese, Salt cod fried rice, $16
The rice is white and fluffy , with the "breath of the wok" upon it every time, the vegetables are crunchy, the sausage chewy, the strands of stir-fried salt cod and the slick of fish oil on everything. It's a knockout.
Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar and Grill, Oxtail fried rice $25
This is a much richer dish than Mission's, with slices of shitake, shreds of oxtail and melting bits of bone marrow, enlivened by radish, the richness cut by an omelette on top. (A rare dish where an egg is the lighter ingredient.) Both filling and fulfilling.
Uncle Boons, Crab fried rice, $26
In the same general family as Mission's rice, but less well executed. The soft lumps of crab are superb.
Lan Sheng, House special fried rice, $11.95
Of the "standard" fried rices out there this is one I've particularly liked. The rice is stained conventionally brown, and is possibly a leftover, but the chewy bits of dried pork, the preserved mustard greens, and the still-crunchy bits of scallion elevate it.
Danji, Bacon wet fried rice, $24
I found this one disappointing, the rice overwhelmed by gravy, everything mixed into an almost-homogenous, red mass. The soft scrambled egg on top added a nice counterpoint, but the dish lacked the contrasting tastes and textures that I prefer in my fried rice.
Do you have fried rice you'd like to tell us about (good things or bad)?
1 Like
2

Since I’m vegetarian i often just skip fried rice- the more creative options always include something i don’t eat and fried rice isn’t something i really crave anyhow.
But i do recall having a fantastic veggie fried rice at Red Farm a while back. Then again the other end of the table got the bacon egg fried rice there and were beside themselves so perhaps that is the one to get

3

Red Farm seems to be Fried Rice Farm: in addition to the two you mention, they offer a shrimp and scallop version and a bbq beef one. Somebody needs to spend a hundred bucks for the team, order them all, and post a comparison.

4

I like different fried rice, but the two I like the most (not necessary same as eating the most) are:

  1. Salted fish and chicken fried rice

  2. Conpoy egg white fried rice

  3. Crab meat fried rice is ok too

5

Well. There is crappy fried rice in any meat combination like this in many restaurants that may cause people to have a low opinion of fried rice:

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But there is also expertly prepared, elevated fried rice that is a work of culinary art and demands respect:

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Nothing wrong with loving fried rice at all…

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Haha, that’s a fantastic idea!! Unfortunately i’m not qualified- also seems a little odd since the whole point of going is to order the dumplings! No they aren’t the best in the city but i do like the veggie dumplings they have- the skin is a little thick but i honestly don’t mind that. Lots of tasty innards to them.