Rice 'n' Beans in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY
I passed so many times in front of Rice 'n' Beans in Hell's Kitchen, thinking it was a takeout place and not realizing that, first it is a Brazilian place (I could have by simply looking at the flag, but did not pay attention because, again, I thought it was a takeout place), and second, that it is serving a pretty good food, beyond the simple casual feel the place gives.
When I saw them on Opentable, I was a bit surprised and decided to give it a try. We went on a Friday night, after 7pm and most of the tables were occupied, until after 8pm, when it became much quieter. It was the perfect time for their Happy Hour that end at 8pm and I decided to enjoy a classic Caipirinha that was pretty good.
caipirinha at Rice 'n' Beans in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY
As an appetizer, we decided to go for the pao de queijo or cheese bread, a gluten free ball of deliciousness. I admit that I was surprised that they make you pay for it, instead of giving a couple complementary as I have seen in some other restaurants. Anyway, they were good, very cheesy and addictive, although a bit burnt in the bottom.
Pao de queijo at Rice 'n' Beans in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY
For her entrée, Jodi simply went for the rice, beans and plantains, a fairly safe dish.
Rice and plantains at Rice 'n' Beans in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY
On my side, I went for the fish stew called Moqueca de peixe, made with fresh onions, bell pepper, tomatoes, coriander and coconut milk. It was served with yellow rice and black beans, making this a full meal. The plate looked beautiful with the color of the sauce. It was delicious, the fish being well cooked, flakey and the sauce fantastic (next time, I'll just get the sauce with rice...). This is definitely a dish I recommend.
Moqueca de peixe at Rice 'n' Beans in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY
Moqueca de peixe at Rice 'n' Beans in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY
Beans at Rice 'n' Beans in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY
Yellow rice at Rice 'n' Beans in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY
For dessert,we decided to order the Brazilian flan or Pudim de leite. It was good, but for sure not as good as the ones I got in Brazil.
Pudim de leite at Rice 'n' Beans in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY
I liked our meal at Rice'n' Beans: this small place serves great food at reasonable price. I will probably go back and, this time, try their feijoada, Brazil's national dish. But for that, I will wait for the temperatures to go down as it is a bit heavy...
Enjoy (I did)!
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