Rice Thief
Korean restaurant · Long Island City
39-37 30th St, Long Island City, NY 11101
Highlights
Raw marinated crab, shrimp, and abalone platters.
Raw marinated crab, shrimp, and abalone platters.
"Ganjang gejang, raw soy-marinated crab, is a classic Korean dish that’s rarely a primary focus for restaurants. At Rice Thief, it’s the main event. Every platter they serve looks like the glittering, glistening crown jewels of a deep-sea kingdom, but taking your first bite of sweet, jelly-like Gunsan crab—a coveted variety flown in from Korea—is like the moment in The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy steps into Technicolor. The wild red Argentine shrimp are also outstanding, with a sweetness and texture like ocean candy." - bryan kim, willa moore, molly fitzpatrick, will hartman
"Started as a ghost kitchen specializing in Korean marinated crab, this operation’s humble beginnings inform newer projects and menus in the neighborhood; it’s described as being all about home-style food and is referenced as a precursor or point of origin for follow-up concepts (including a Korean American wine-bar follow-up)." - Bettina Makalintal
"Gangang gejang, raw crab marinated in soy sauce, is a staple of mukbang videos—and also of this former delivery-only spot that does excellent platters with crab, sweet red shrimp, and more. Get yours with makgeolli for a sleeves-rolled, gloves-on meal with friends." - bryan kim, molly fitzpatrick, willa moore, will hartman, sonal shah
"At this lively Korean restaurant, raw, soy-marinated crab—with a sweetness like ocean candy—is the star. When we secured our paper bibs printed with crabs clutching beer and soju in their claws. The $129 Gunsan Platter with two premium Gunsan crabs flown in from Korea, red and white shrimp, and abalone, plus rice and seaweed wraps. If your crew can eat, add the abalone congee to warm you up, or the chewy jokbal and memil noodles. Wearing plastic gloves that deter you from touching your phone, gold chopsticks, and stylishly mismatched ceramic sake cups." - bryan kim, molly fitzpatrick, willa moore, will hartman, sonal shah, sonal shah, will hartman, will hartman, bryan kim, sonal shah, willa moore, molly fitzpatrick, willa moore, bryan kim, molly fitzpatrick, bryan kim, bryan kim
"Gangjang gejang, raw crab marinated in soy sauce, has become a favorite of TikTokers and a staple of mukbang videos in the last few years—and Rice Thief has blown up right alongside it. Formerly a ghost-kitchen delivery service, this family business now has a small but lively brick-and-mortar Korean restaurant in Long Island City. Round up some pals (the dishes here are family-sized), crack a bottle of makgeolli, and order up platters of both soy and spicy mixed seafood. The sweet red shrimp and the creamy crab roe in particular are bites we won’t be forgetting anytime soon." - molly fitzpatrick, bryan kim, neha talreja, willa moore, will hartman
