Phoenix Food Boutique - Rice

[echang86]

I'm not a big fan of Chinese food, but the Phoenix in Arcadia has got to be one of my favorite chinese restaurants ever. I was curious though, how do they cook their rice? I noticed that their white rice has a taste to it. I don't know how to describe it, but it's definetly one of my favorite things about the restaurant. I'm aware that there are different types of grains but I think there's more to it. Their white rice has some kind of flavoring. What's their secret?

I also noticed that for some dishes they don't serve this "special" rice. It's guaranteed to come with the "Phoenix Boneless Chicken and Rice" dish, but getting the flavored rice with other plates is based purely on chance. Does anyone why? Or is it something you have to request.?

[GingkoCat]

While you are at Phoenix, you should try the mango tapioca drink, the mango with soft tofu, or the mochi desserts. Yummmmm

[doughnut]

with the chicken and rice, the rice will often be cooked with the chicken and / or with stock! otherwise, you will get plain rice.

im sure there are other dishes that might be cooked with stock, but i dont know offhand. maybe someone chinese will know better.

[monku]

Most likely Thai jasmine fragrant rice. I notice a lot of Chinese restaurants serving it now. It has a nice aroma and a very mild flavor to it. Restaurants either serve it or they don't. May Flower in LA Chinatown uses it.

[ipsedixit]

They add a smidgen of sugar to the water before the rice is cooked.

[slacker]

I like Phoenix a lot, probably mostly because it's the best Chinese food within very convenient distance range for me. But I do not like their rice, with or without Hainan chicken. I've had their Hainan chicken a few times, it's been awhile, but I really don't recall that they did anything different with that rice.
They can never seem to cook their rice properly, the grains are not tender, more like hard. But I'm a bigger fan of noodles, so it all works out.

[nickorp]

Sounds like you ate a version of Hainan Chicken which can be found at most HK style cafes. The rice is flavored with chicken stock. This flavored rice is found with this dish only.