Beyond Basmati

115 Lexington Ave. (28th St.)

212-686-5400

81 Washington St. (betw. front & york Sts.)

DUMBO, 718-222-9880

There's still plenty of daylight on the evening when we first make our way to Rice, a relative newcomer to Murray Hill. Light floods the airy, almost-spacious restaurant from large windows that look out onto Curry in a Hurry's teal facade. It's a nice place to walk into: The dining room is spic-and-span, and the classic sidewalk-cafe design of the brushed-aluminum chairs, paired with chic slate tables, results in casual refinement. The overall decor is heavy on the burlap sack; I find it cohesive without falling overboard into kitsch. Jon, however, calls it "schtick" with "a certain colonial feel." Since I'm too hungry to split hairs, I take refuge in the menu.

Rice covers a lot of bases-and more than one continent-with its cuisine. Korea, Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, the Caribbean islands, Mexico, Lebanon, France, India and Spain all have a presence, in one form or another. (With Rice Krispie treats as a dessert, the U.S.A. holds its own too.) There's plenty for both vegetarians and carnivores: Chicken, shrimp and beef share space with tofu, as well as vegetable-based entrees such as ratatouille ($4.50/$8) and cold lentil salad dressed with balsamic vinaigrette ($4/$7).

I decide on the satay ($5/$9), which can be made with chicken, shrimp or tofu. Jon's selections surprise me. I rarely, if ever, order sushi when I'm not at a Japanese restaurant, and vegetarian meatballs are often made of textured vegetable protein (TVP) or other highly processed soy or wheat-gluten products, which tend to make my stomach hurt. But his meatballs ($5/$8) arrive as well-seasoned (miso, soy, scallions, red pepper) spheres of tofu in the lightest of shells. And the eggplant maki ($7), served with a sweet bulgogi sauce, is prepared with grilled eggplant-one of the best ways to bring out this vegetable's flavor. The layers of taste and texture necessitate a number of forays to Jon's side of the table, which he tolerates-to a point.

My tofu satay is very well prepared, but I'm quick to realize I would have been fine with the small plate. (Over a dozen menu items are available in two sizes; it's possible to eat very well here for very cheap.) The almond/peanut satay sauce is rich, and on the heavy side. I've ordered the dish with green rice, which is "infused with cilantro, parsley and spinach," but the sauce overwhelms the delicacy of the rice.

It's not entirely happenstance that I'm just now bringing up the rice. While the four varieties we try (Thai black rice, green rice, Bhutanese red rice, and sticky) are cooked precisely, the only one that strikes me as remarkable is the nutty, substantive Bhutanese red. Jon is disappointed that the Thai black, described on the menu as sticky, is anything but: "The grains are very distinct!" Make no mistake: This is delicious, high-quality rice, in 10 varieties. I'm just much more excited about the wealth of entrees and appetizers than I am about the grains.

A few weeks later, we try Rice in DUMBO (there's also a location on Mott Street, and one listed on riceny.com as "coming soon" in Ft. Greene). I take a lesson from our last meal and order the eggplant maki and vegetarian meatballs. The small size ($5) is still generous enough to warrant a small takeout container (Jon manages a large portion without a blink). The Lebanese rice I've chosen is made with vermicelli and laurel; its buttery flavor goes well with the meatballs and their chili sauce (which can be ordered sweet or spicy). As for the maki, it's as luscious as the first time; I'd come back just for this dish, which is served on a bed of fresh mizuna greens. Jon, who drinks the Santa Cruz line of organic lemonades as if they were water, tries Rice's ginger lemonade ($2) and deems it "diabolical." He orders another.

What makes the DUMBO location particulary seductive are two words dear to most city dwellers' hearts: outdoor dining. We're seated next to a couple of German women drinking wine. It's a very laid-back atmosphere, and we settle into the distant hum of trains, bridge traffic, and HVAC systems. The deck is strung with fat, globular lights, bigger and brighter than the Christmas variety, that effect a subdued glow. (The lighting, however, is erratic; some staff member can't stop fiddling with the dimmer switch. Up, down, up down-it's distracting and irritating.) With his engineer's eye, Jon is first to spy the fully retractable canopy, which means nasty weather won't preclude dining on the deck. He wonders if they erect plastic walls for winter. (Unfortunately, that and my other questions-about the varieties of rice, the DUMBO location's impeccable decor and the ownership-go unanswered; neither of my two calls to Rice is returned.)

Armed with my to-go box and very full stomachs, Jon and I leave this serene refuge. Satisfied that Rice can pull off maki and meatballs, I make a note: Next time, it's on to the pad thai.