Town Square opens Rice and Nori

Rice and Nori recently soft opened in the South Pasadena Town Square, furthering the businesses present in the plaza. The second location of the restaurant features a variety of Japanese onigiri and hand rolls.

STORY ETHAN KWAK PHOTOS MICHELLE SHADMON

Founded by Los Angeles based chefs Mika Nikata Shenefeld and Regina Chen, Japanese restaurant Rice and Nori has garnered hundreds of positive reviews since its Little Tokyo opening in 2019.

This January, a second establishment opened in South Pasadena at 910 Fair Oaks Avenue between Starbucks and Chipotle.

“I love how South Pasadena continues to enrich our community by bringing new cultures of food for us to enjoy,” freshman Scarlett Kirschenbaum said.

The opening has been highly anticipated by residents, notably due to an absence in the diversity of food options and the popularity of the Little Tokyo location. The appeal is mostly centered on the convenient nature of fast food made with organic ingredients.

“We loved the downtown location so we were excited to have one open up in our neighborhood,” a South Pasadena resident said. “It’s great to have another quick food option that isn’t your standard fast food fare.”

Within a few days of their unadvertised soft opening in late December, Shenefeld felt overwhelmed but also “blessed” by the large crowds waiting in line.

“I’ve opened 30 restaurants with soft openings, and usually they are very subtle. We were delayed by more than a year, so when we were ready, we opened the second location,” Shenefeld said. “We didn’t even announce [the soft opening] but we were hit really hard. Everyone was waiting for us, so we were like, ‘Wow.’ It was way more than we expected.”

Among the menu items, Shenefeld says spam and egg musubis have been the quickest to go. Many other variations of onigiri are a popular option in a variety of combinations like bacon and avocado. Shenefeld discussed the vision behind the first Rice and Nori and what inspired the original menu.

“At first we wanted more handrolls because I used to be a sushi chef and hand rolls are fast and easy to make,”

Shenefeld said. “Then we thought we may as well do rice balls too because we had the rice and nori anyhow. We only had five variations, but then they got really popular so now we have 18 to 20 different types.”

The founder and chef also plans to add more cooked items such as chicken karaage, which is Japanese fried chicken.

Another possibility is licensing Rice and Nori’s own liquor to expand menu options at night. Like their Little Tokyo location, Shenefeld plans to offer delivery as soon as possible.

“We’re really blessed. We already get a high school crowd after three, so it’s like, ‘Oh, high school kids are coming.’

I think [South Pasadena] needed more Japanese fast food that’s not just tempura. It’s comfort food,” Shenefeld said. The menu features a variety of Japanese foods for consumers to purchase. There is a range of dishes on the menu from traditional flavors to fusion-inspired fillings. “Rice and Nori has allowed me to explore different kinds of cuisine that I normally cannot experience without the South Pasadena’s Farmers Market,” an anonymous SPHS student said. “I commend the efforts from the owners in making the space appreciative to Japanese culture.”

So far, Shenefeld has been amazed at the public response. Once all staff positions are filled, Rice and Nori looks forward to unveiling its grand opening.