Chubby Rice UPDATE - Hawthorne

We’ve always tried to support local businesses, buy we haven’t always done it as much as we should. If you’re waiting for the right time, know that the time is now. Order pick up or delivery from the places you’ve been curious about, splurge in the restaurants you’ve always wanted to try. Even n/naka is featuring an affordable bento at $40. 

One place that’s always worth supporting is Hawthorne’s Chubby Rice. Fantastic modern Chinese food is only a few clicks away on Ubereats.

I was afraid the quality wouldn’t survive a cross-city journey, and I was even more concerned that like many restaurants, Chubby Rice may have lost some steam since my last visit every years ago, but they remain infallible and formidable. The General Tso’s Chicken is such a juicy thigh in a just-right layer of fingernail-thick batter, never soggy in its sweet and clingy sauce. 

The Mongolian Beef has perfectly sautéed onions that turn sweet with the heat but maintain enough crunch for contrast. The beef itself melts in your mouth in marbly sheets. 

Sides are not to be neglected. The Hot n’ Sour Soup is a mildly viscous cup of comfort, made with fresh tofu and tender mushrooms. Less abrasively hot and less shockingly sour than your typical fast food iteration, this one has a more nuanced flavor profile that makes it easy to sip. 

The Chow Mein comes as a side but works just as well as a stand-alone. There’s a smoky wok-char to the curly egg noodles, and it fits like a glove with some steamed vegetables that are steamed only to the cooking point so they don’t lose their textural integrity. 

Our order came with a couple of brownies, a heartfelt thank you from a hardworking owner trying to keep their business alive in trying times. These words are their own rewards. I’ll leave you now with no more words - the food at Chubby Rice speaks for itself.