Asia Rice Noodles (694 Manhattan Ave.) is a new fast-casual Chinese eatery in Greenpoint. The new restaurant joins the influx of casual Asian cuisine in North Brooklyn with spots like Milu, Nan Xiang Express, and Oh Dumplings.
This newest Chinese spot serves, you guessed it, rice noodles. Jason Jiangnan Zheng of Asia Rice Noodles calls the main menu item “Chinese pasta.”
Asia Rice Noodles’ website explains that rice noodles are made of rice flour, so they are naturally gluten-free, unlike Italian pasta. Rice noodles originated in the Qin Dynasty around 250 B.C and Asia Rice Noodles serves the ancient meal in a variety of ways that are all “authentic, low-fat and tasty” according to the website.
The menu kicks off with five varieties of mixed rice noodle dishes filled with protein options like crab, squid, spam, tuna, and chicken. The next section of the menu offers dumplings with choices that include beef or pork soup dumplings or fried beef or fried vegetable dumplings.
The next section of the menu is the largest and features several soup rice noodle entrees. Like the original noodle dishes, the soup rice noodles offer a variety of protein fillings in the customer’s choice of soup. Soup options include tomato, mushroom, or chicken soup.
The menu’s snack section offers chicken nuggets, French fries, and squid balls, while the salad section includes a rainbow cobb salad and a salad with tuna similar to a niçoise.
Asia Rice Noodles’ drink menu is typical of a fast-casual chain with soda, juice, and water. The most interesting beverage offering is the non-alchoholic Blue Curaçao Bear Soda, which contains 7-Up and Blue Curaçao flavoring.
The newcomer’s menu offers one of the most affordable options in the neighborhood right now, a menu item simply called “A snack and a drink ,” for $5.50.
Zheng said that he chose to open Asia Rice Noodles in Greenpoint because “Greenpoint has everything – cafes, restaurants, bars – that are all really excellent. It feels like a great local community where you have everything you need,” Zheng said.
Zheng told Greenpointers that he owns two restaurant brands in New York now. The first was Sing Choi Kee in Flushing. But, he was not always a small business owner int he restaurant world. “I was a dancer when I was young,” Zheng explained. “Then I became a businessman after my dance career finished. For my two careers, I always want to provide exciting experiences to my customers.”
Asia Rice Noodles offers takeout, delivery and dine in options, with a relatively ample amount of indoor seating. It is open Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.