Mei Qin Z.
Yelp
Steam Box Rice Roll has been on my radar for quite some time now, but I've always been hesitant to go in since I've read that the wait can take up to 40 mins. Thankfully, when my sister and I passed by yesterday, the place was empty, so after grabbing drinks next door, we finally tried Steam Box.
The establishment itself is on the smaller side, sparsely decorated, but immaculate, with two small tables against both the left and right walls. Larger parties of 3 or 4 will have difficulty finding seating, but the tables are perfect for smaller parties of 1 to 2.
Upon entering, we greeted the staff and asked if we could dine in. After getting the okay, we ordered at the counter. I ordered the Curry Fish Ball Steam Rice Roll with Green Onions for myself, while my sister ordered the Beef Steam Rice Roll with Cilantro.
We could've finished there, but my sister, being the chatty person she is, asked the staff what else was popular. At that point, the heat was getting to me, and I felt like bashing a certain someone, but I reined myself in. The staff, on the other hand, was super nice and answered that the Pork and Beef Steam Rice Rolls were the most popular rolls. She also highly recommended the Char Siu Steam Rice Roll and Shrimp w/ Salted Egg Yolk Steam Rice Roll, so we got one of the Char Siu Steam Rice Rolls with Cilantro too. I also asked my sister repeatedly if she wanted an egg (because I wanted it!), but the little dummy didn't get the hint and said no...
Anyhow, the service was fast and our order came out in a matter of minutes. The rice rolls were soft, chewy, and incredibly tender, almost like silk; and, while the rice rolls themselves were relatively mild in flavor, they paired perfectly with the delicious fillings and condiments. The Char Siu surprisingly ended up being my favorite rice roll, as it was the perfect combination of sweet, savory, and umami taste profiles, but the Beef came in close second. The Curry Fish Ball was slightly bland and on the lighter side, but otherwise still okay.
I look forward to coming back and trying some of their other rice rolls, next time with corn and egg!