We weren’t sure where to eat in the area tonight after a long week of work, but we realized we hadn’t had Rice n Beans, our favorite Brazilian spot, in ages. While we ordered from there quite often during the beginning of the pandemic in hopes that they wouldn’t shut down like so many other restaurants, by the time the city allowed outdoor dining for restaurants at the end of June, Rice n Beans had an ominous sign outside their store front that said their kitchen was being renovated, and that they’d be back soon. Signs like that are never good because you have no idea what any of that could be code for. But finally, we came back to the store front this evening to find them open. Apparently, new owners took over but the chef remains the same. The restaurant is in the process of rebranding from Rice n Beans to Nelore Grill NYC. The happy hour menu was no longer as long or generous, but at least they are still here with the same chef and the same food. We over ordered to allow for ample leftovers and enjoyed the same dishes we normally love, and everything tasted pretty much the same, which was delicious.

Thank goodness this place will still be open and will not succumb to the COVID-19 wave of shut downs. It’s one of just a handful of restaurants in our neighborhood within walking distance that we love and keep going back to since we first moved to the area in the summer of 2017.