In the mid-’80s, I took a second job cocktailing at what was then the hottest spot in town: B Street Bar and Grill. Popular, in part, because it offered the newest musical genre, smooth jazz, and the latest shooter, the kamikaze. The line to get in the place always was at least a block long by 6 p.m. With a beamed ceiling, exposed brick walls, plants, mirrors and a copper bar, this place was “really cool” and therefore I, overly tanned and sporting the uniform spandex minidress, also was really cool.

Almost 20 years later, thanks to the addition of the Hotel W above, an altogether different sort of cool restaurant and bar occupy the same space — Rice. Concrete floors, sheer long-flowing drapes and walls the color of roasted red peppers are accented by dark sleek wood, pendant lamps and stylish contemporary art.

Rice is part of the cb5 Restaurant Group, an independently owned and operated company based in Greenwich, Conn. The company is responsible for all of the food and beverage operations at the W San Diego. The name Rice was chosen to celebrate the most widely consumed food in the world and to capture the spirit of global cooking styles.

A distinct difference exists between lunch and dinner at Rice, although that difference is certainly not in the menu offerings. Except for the fact that a few sandwiches are added at noon, the menus are identical. The lunch room, with its bright, casual contemporary feel, is packed with middle-aged men and women in business suits sitting elbow-to-elbow on a wheat-colored banquette which divides the dining room in half.

On my second visit to Rice, I had dinner. After the valet took my car, I was greeted by two bouncer types in black suits wearing ear pieces and clutching clip boards. After pre-screening to verify that I did indeed have a reservation, I was allowed to enter the restaurant. I was directed to the host stand where, once again, I gave my name and confirmed my reservation. Come sundown the room is dim to dark, the music is high-volume, down-tempo and the crowd seems to consist primarily of men in black and women in big bras covered with little blouses.

The menu was designed at cb5 corporate, but is wonderfully executed by Executive Chef Riko Bartolome, who is best remembered for his tenure at 150 Grand in Escondido, and Chef de Cuisine Joe Babcox.

Small Plate offerings include “Crispy Salmon Crab Cakes with Smoked Chile Aioli” ($13), “Mussels with Hot Pepper and Lime Butter” ($10) and “Sticky Chile Chicken Wings” ($8). Go ahead and go for it. The server will bring a damp napkin with the wings, which are an Asian version of the “Buffalo-style” wings that are so popular these days. Although plenty hot, they are predominantly spiced with red chile rather than Tabasco and are a bit on the sweet side.

The “Chopped Vegetable Salad with Green Goddess Dressing” ($8) is beautifully presented and is large enough for two to share as a second course. Uniformly diced zucchini, carrots, avocado and cucumber are tossed with garbanzos, edamame, teardrop tomatoes, shredded romaine and the dressing. Traditional Green Goddess is made with mayo, sour cream and anchovies with vinegar, tarragon, parsley and chives. This usually tangy, brightly-colored dressing was a bit on the flat side. The salad perked up after a good shake of salt and pepper.

I loved the “Crackling Calamari Salad” ($10). Tender, deep-fried calamari rings and tentacles are tossed with baby mixed greens and lightly dressed with a rice wine vinaigrette. The sweet-and-sour dressing and the lightly dressed crispy calamari make a superb combination.

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Rice
421 West B St. • Downtown
(619) 398-3080

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The Large Plates are creative preparations of today’s most popular menu items: “Honey Spice Roast Chicken with Potato Gratin” ($15), “Miso Glazed Swordfish with Mango Cilantro Rice” ($24) and “Grilled Double Cut Pork Chop with Chive Mashed Potatoes” ($19) are all well-prepared and presented with style, but the entrée worth a second, third and fourth visit to Rice is the “Double Chicken Breast with Green Olives and Pommes Frites.” The skin-on chicken was perfectly cooked. It was moist and flavorful and, even without a hint of pink, it was still plump and juicy. The broth-style sauce was finished with coarsely chopped green olives and poured over the chicken. Pommes frites, speckled with parsley, rode shotgun. My favorite bites were those from the bottom of the frites pile where the fried potatoes soaked up some of the salty, astringent sauce.

The thing about Rice is that, although the food is good, interesting and fun to eat, it’s really not about the food. It’s about the experience, the hip decor and the sultry music — and, yeah, the food is good, too.

Once again, there’s a line around the corner at Columbia and B streets because it’s a cool place to go to eat, to see and be seen. If you’re like me, you’ll feel a little bit cooler just for going there.

— Terryl Gavre