Food from the Rice Shop. Credit: The Rice Shop
Chef Anthony Zappola will open the Rice Shop (13892 Cedar Rd., 216-785-9490) today in the former home of Lox, Stock and Brisket in University Heights. The Asian-fusion concept began life in Las Vegas, where the chef lived and worked, and was revived at the Ohio City Galley. The creative, well-executed eatery found an enthusiastic following during that food hall’s short existence.

The menu features a punchy collection of flavorful and textural gems, like mochiko chicken with kung pao broccoli, steak fried rice with bok choi and yum-yum sauce, BBQ pork belly with honey-mustard kale and the ever-popular Kentucky fried fish with cabbage slaw and hot sauce aioli. The fast-casual service style is well suited to the current dining climate.

Lox, Stock and Brisket, the trendy fast-casual deli it replaced, closed on May 31 in advance of a move to a new home. That home is a roomy 400-square-foot space in the Market Hall at Van Aken District, which is expected to open in early August.

This article appears in Jun 3-9, 2020.

For 25 years, Douglas Trattner has worked as a full-time freelance writer, editor and author. His work as co-author on Michael Symon's cookbooks have earned him four New York Times Best-Selling Author honors, while his longstanding role as Scene dining editor has garnered awards of its own.