Rice Den, The

8 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  7     

So you'd think enough Asian restaurants in Chatswood, but this place brings an interesting thai fusion menu and a funky look. It's a little touch of Newtown in Chatswood but you can park in the Westfield and get a table when you want. Really enjoyed Rice Den.

Apr 29, 2012 

9.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  10     

My new favourite place to eat in Chatswood!

It's a small but funky space, great ambience, although some might find the small stools a little uncomfortable.

The food is modern asian, so much interesting food to choose from. We tried the crocodile for something different, but the real standouts of the night were the School Prawn stack (entree), and the Red Duck Curry and the Mongolian Lamb Cutlets for mains. To top it all off, the fried ice-cream was up there with the best I've ever had!

The value is incredible, entrees around the $8/$9 mark, mains mostly less than $20 and dessert for $6! Our waiter was charming and efficient. Can't really fault this place, I'll definitely be coming back as a new regular.

Feb 26, 2012 

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  9     

I went here with a group of friends recently and it was amazing. Between 6 people we paid $17 each for 2 entrees, 4 mains and 4 desserts and were completely stuffed by the end (I think the food is designed to share but the serving sizes are fine for an individual as long as you are a biggish eater).

Service was really friendly though they were a bit run off their feet so flagging the waiters down took some time. Really good food, especially considering the price. Definitely recommend and will go again.

Dec 22, 2011 

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  10     

I would recommend this place to all. Amazingly food, wonderfully friendly service and superb value.

Sep 29, 2011 

9 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  9     

Had a really nice meal here. Smallish space but made to feel very welcome and the waitress (maybe manager) was excellent. Couldn't have been more helpful and very chatty (which I think my friend mistook for flirting) and knew the menu well.

We had the san choi bow which was a little small for the price but the mains more than made up for it. The deep fried eggplant was a stand out for us, which is impressive given we had the amazing crocodile.

Definitely give this place a go. You won't be disappointed.

Sep 28, 2011 

7.8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  7      Service  9      Value  7     

Food: Soft Shell Crab was brilliantly cooked and served with Mayo sauce Drizzle, very tasty and not too oily. The Squid and fish ball curry was a festival of colours and an unbelievable sauce, only point for improvement was to cook the hard vegetables a little longer.

Ambience: nice and cosy with rustic wooden table giving it a nice feel, open kitchen, though the space is narrow.

Service: very nice and professional waitress, she presented us the specials on an iPad and came back to collect giving us ample time to choose.

Value: Great Value with large portions and plenty of mains under $20. Rice is ordered separately for $2.50 a bowl.

Sep 24, 2011 

7.8 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  10      Service  7      Value  7     

Fusion experience, Kooky design, I like the cat. Fantastic experience, not fine dining but delivers perfectly on contemporary fusion Asian, and price reflects this. Drinks are slightly expensive. A must-try.

Aug 22, 2011 

7 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  7     

We had a great experience here, starting with an entree selection of the School Prawn Stack. Served quite promptly, the prawns were meaty, juicy and crunchy, everything you would expect. Combined with some freshly squeezed lime and aioli, the combination of sour and creamy just took it to perfection. The two mains we ordered included soft shell crab and crocodile. The crocodile was well flavoured in terms of chilli and basil and was creamy and not at all spicy.

The soft shell crab with chilli mayo and sweet soy was lightly crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside, nicely complemented by the mix of the two sauces accompanying it. Overall, The Rice Den served up a good selection of Asian-infused dishes.

Read more on my blog

Aug 18, 2011 

7 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  7     

I have been to this restaurant twice. From the menu, its kind of Thai slash Malay cuisine. I tried the curry duck and soft shell crab. The shell crab is awesome, but curry duck tastes a little bit funny, due to the bamboo shoots, which is not to my liking. The Mee Goreng is ok, but if it is cooked with Hokkien Noodle, it would be better. I wasn't impressed by the lamb cutlet dressed by hoisin sauce. However, I found that almost all the main food is decorated with garden salad that is much more gourmet and pleasant.

Aug 13, 2011 

6.3 Average

Food  6      Ambience  7      Service  6      Value  6     

We were really excited about this new addition and we went last week.
Unfortunately, our experience was dampened by having hair in our meal. It was only after that we noticed that not all the kitchen staff wear hair nets especially there was a girl with long hair cooking. I mean especially for an open kitchen this is a big no no right?

The service was scattered, the guy knew what he was doing but the girl that served us was nervous and in a world of her own. We hope to come back and have a better experience next time especially after all the good things we have heard about this place.

Jun 27, 2011