Crispy Rice

[Rosiepigs]

It seems that many cultures have some sort of crispy rice dish, where the bottom bit of rice gets crisped by its proximity to the pan. I think i've seen posts regarding Persian incarnations; can anyone supply their favorite venues? I'm thinking Persian, Thai, Vietnamese, Latin American (i think either Puerto Rican or Cuban).

[MEalcentric]

Here are couple dishes in which crispy rice makes all the difference, but isnt the main ingredient. Nam Sad with Crispy Rice @ former Thai Nakorn. Shrimp in tomato sauce @ oki doki.

[SauceSupreme]

I like tahdig, the Persian variant of crispy rice. The Persian restaurant I frequent is Shirin in Woodland Hills.

[mrpullings]

Shamshiry in Glendale - good persian - as well as Shaherizade (sp) on Westwood Blvd in Westwood - like this one as well.

[hrhboo]

I love the crispy rice cakes at Musha.

[Professor Salt]

Good suggestion. These are called yaki onigiri. The onigiri are the rice balls, and when they're grilled, it's yaki-fied.

[hrhboo]

Thanks for the info! I was actually referring to the crispy rice cracker things they serve with the spicy tuna dip, but those rice balls you mention are awesome too.

[Professor Salt]

Sorry for the confusion. For those who haven't been to Musha for the yukke, I've got a photo below.

Those things aren't really a Japanese style of rice cracker. I guess we'd call it senbei. Since yukke is Korean in origin, maybe it's more of a Korean cracker? I wouldn't know.

Anyway, for yaki onigiri, try a Japanese izakaya, like Musha, Shin Sen Gumi's Yakitori shop, Honda Ya (Tustin) or Kappo Honda (Fountain Valley). They should have it.

www.professorsalt.com

[omotosando]

The yaki onigiri at Nanbankan on Santa Monica Blvd. in West L.A. is pretty good.

[svonkie]

there's a korean place across from Beverly Soon Tofu at Olympic and Vermont that specializes in Bi Bim Bap. They do a variant on your standard bi bim bap (as I understand it) where it's poured over crispy rice. it's great.