The black rice at Slowfish isn’t just a gimmick–it’s an essential component of the restaurant’s subscription to the Slow Food movement. More important, though, is the black rice’s taste, which conceals a few nutty notes that pair perfectly with the restaurant’s sushi bar. Among Slowfish’s so-called big plates, the beef ribs easily eat best. The menu anoints them as award-winning, and the ribs certainly deserve plenty of praise. As one of the big plates, the ribs come with sides of both salad and rice (again, black rice is still best), but it’s the beef that, of course, is the centerpiece, perched on thick bones that serve as sturdy supports for the wobbly blocks of meat. Braised at what’s surely the highest heat, the ribs are tender enough to mimic even the fattest pork belly.

SLOWFISH 16051 BOLSA CHICA ST | HUNTINGTON BEACH 92649 | 714.846.6951 | SLOWFISHZ.COM | OPEN TUES-THURS 11:30AM-11PM | FRI 11:30AM-1AM | SAT 5PM-1AM | SUN 5-10PM | FOOD FOR TWO $40-70 | BEER, WINE, SAKE

Tags: dinner, Huntington Beach, japanese, korean, lunch, slowfish, sushi