The Rice

Best japanese restaurant in foothill ranch,their beef sukiyaki & salmon aburi is so gooddservice always good and authentic japanese food

Do:- Get the Donburi and bluefin toro bowl! - Enjoy the miso soup that comes fresh tofuDon't: get the curry lamb chop it was too small and not a traditional curry tasteThe service was amazing even though they had constant flow of customers walking in. We got their speciality teas and mochi dessert to end the meal. Would definitely come back again for the bowls.

Found The Rice unintentionally, after a hike on the Whiting Ranch Trail. The Rice feels like a mom and pop kinda place, with a few tables inside and two tables outside. The menu is pretty expansive, and offers a variety of Japanese comfort food. The staff are really friendly. We sat outside initially as there were no tables available inside, but once a table became available inside, the cashier invited us to sit inside. We got pork curry udon, black cod bento box and cold brew matcha. Food was pretty good. The curry felt home made and had a unique umami aftertaste. The fish was fresh and nicely cooked. The side salad came with two types of house made dressing to choose from, and they were both really good. The cold brew matcha was $9 but it comes in a big jar and it was freshly made. Overall, a very nice experience, but I agree with others, that the price is a bit high.

Food was unique. Very interesting tasting curry. Not sure if I liked it but I can definitely say I have never had any curry like this before, super herbal tasting. Also lamb chops were good but SO SMALL!!! For the price, I was not expecting the portion to be so tiny. The chirashi bowl was good though! Good quality fish and the rice was very well made! Super super small seating area. The owner does not allow big parties.3.5/5 Overall decent uniquely flavored food, but definitely pricey for the portion sizes. If I returned, will stick to the chirashi bowls!

Really cute family owned spot. The donburi fish were fresh and thick pieces. We got the salmon hamachi. Also highly recommend the nabeyaki udon the noodles were perfect and broth was flavorful and not too salty.

This entire meal was so amazing!! Came here with family and we ordered a bunch of stuff to share. First off the miso soup was pretty good, just your standard soup.But oh my gosh the salmon and hamachi, and unagi donburi was sooo good!! I came here like 2 months ago and I'm still thinking about it today. The salmon and hamachi bowl had some really fresh fish. The pieces of fish are so thick and I think this is really good value for $18. There was too much rice in the bowl though so the ratio wasn't the best, but the amount of fish was still a lot.My favorite was the unagi donburi bowl and the eel was so delicious!! I love the smoky flavor and the sauce paired with the eel. Again though there was way too much rice in the bowl. The kitsune udon was super light and refreshing as well! Service was super quick and food came out fast too :)

Good: spacious parking in area with Chase bank & Ralphs supermarket, grilled cod bento box was delicious, some outdoor seating, and service.Bad: tiny place that could seat 3-4 small groups inside, miso soup was lukewarm (ick), 3% charge if paying with credit card, prices were quite high with most items $20+ which being in a strip mall is audacious for lunch.

The Rice is amazing and pretty authentic! Definitely a hidden gym that is not easy to spot. Their fish bowls were so good and helped me to relive the fond memories I had of Japan! The place is super authentic, fish is super fresh.The sushi rice that comes with the meal is super good. I normally never finish the rice but I was tempted to eat all the rice here. The texture and quality of rice is A+.The name doesn't stand out, and I would have overlooked this place if not for the compliments from my friends. Give this place a try even though it's just called "The Rice"Cons: Pricey, but the quality of fish and prep is worth it!Pro-tip: They charge a 3% fee for using credit cards or gift cards. So either bring cash to pay or use a debit card to avoid the 3% fee.

This is located in the Foothill Ranch Marketplace at the corner of Portola Parkway and Bake Parkway. Chase Mortgage is on the actual corner, but Ralphs is probably more visible or serves more as a landmark for this plaza. It's one of the rare Japanese owned and operated Japanese restaurants (there are more Korean and Chinese owned Japanese restaurants nowadays - nothing wrong with that, just an observation).The interior is small, with couple of tables and chairs that may roughly fit up to 15 people or so. There are outdoor seating as well.Personally, I think that their food is okay...tasty, but not out of this world. With that being said, I gave 4 stars for reasons below. My kid likes it, so thus, I've been here a few times. I recently came here with my kid on a Thursday around 2:30pm for a late lunch to go. Prices definitely have gone up since our last visit, as have every other restaurants'. We ordered the salisbury steak bento box ($20), the salisbury steak curry ($21), and the 8pc gyoza ($9). They do charge a 3% or 3.5% fee (sorry, don't remember) if paying with credit card.The salisbury steak burgers were tender and juicy, and went very well with the onion sauce. In fact, the burgers actually needed the sauce as they lacked a bit of seasoning for my taste. The sides change, and this time I got pickled cucumbers (tsukemono) and mac salad (came with a dressing rather than mayo). Both sides were good. The curry sauce was different from what I'm used to though. They make it from scratch using 21 different spices from India, so there's a strong flavor of those with a slight kick. Kind of like a mesh between Japanese and Indian curry. I think one reviewer said that it tasted medicinal...yeah, I see what you mean (medicinal spices: tumeric, saffron, nutmeg, ginger, etc.).I haven't tried any of their sashimi/raw stuff, but I've had a few of their other menu items like the jidori chicken and grilled salmon. A lot of their proteins are gently seasoned, and the whole menu reminds me of home cooked meals ("katei ryouri"). Everything is carefully sourced, from protein selection to using organic produce and butter, and they make a lot of their stuff from scratch like dressings and sauces. Definitely a great option if looking for something clean and healthier.

Pricey but the quality is there.The deluxe donburi is the best. They put premium sashimi in the bowl. The tuna is like the fatty tuna. They put smelt and salmon eggs. The sweet shrimp and scallop pieces are good. No complaints here. Every time that I got this deluxe bowl, I have been happy. The chicken and egg donburi was good. Very tasty. Seating is limited but we never had to wait too long for a table. Don't forget to try the soy sauce spray! HAPPY SASHIMIING!!