Rice ‘N Spice

Review based on 15+ lunch visits.
There’s a reason it’s the only place in the Royal Centre food court to get big lineups!
At $ 7.25, the 5-​item veggie combo hits the elusive perfect trifecta of being cheap, healthy, and filling. My favorites are the lentils, chickpeas, spicy red kidney beans, and mixed veggies.
Meat-​wise in the shawarma vs. butter chicken throwdown, the former is the winner. The butter chicken is tasty, but doesn’t really resemble butter chicken.
Be warned: the full-​sized meat combos come with a huge amount of meat. Save it for when you’re really hungry, or want leftovers — otherwise there’s going to a post-​lunch nap in your near future.

This is one of my go-​to lunch spots for weekdays.
I was introduced to it many months ago and now I always order the same thing :
a full order of butter chicken with spicy potatoes and lentils as the veggies. It comes to about $ 9 and they also give you a papadam. The portion is large enough that I’m always able to split it into two lunches.
It’s not the best butter chicken I’ve ever had, but it’s consistently good. Be forewarned that the spicy potatoes are just that! I wish Rice ‘N Spice had some fresh raw veggies to add to their repertoire, but beyond that have no complaints.
They are usually busiest during the lunch rush, but if you go around 12:45 as I do the lineup is quite short. They are incredibly efficient and I’ve never had to wait more than five minutes in line.

It’s a good sign when you always see a long line up at Rice n Spice. A good selection of flavourful food keeps this place interesting for those tired of the typical food court fare.
I like to get there before the lunch crowd so I can enquire about the spiciness of the different items.
It’s a bit pricey to go for the full order (one meat and two sides, on rice = almost $ 10), but with a half order sellling for $ 7+, you kind of feel like a fool not to splurge. More importantly, you walk away full and satisfied, and that’s all that matters.

There’s a good reason this place consistently has the longest lineups in the neighborhood. Best $ 10 ethnic lunch in the area. Been working here since 2006 and haven’t found better value for fast cheap non-​greasy ethnic food yet, and I’ve tried pretty hard. Eating lunch as I type this, a spicy & delicious «one meat /​two veg» and despite having a very healthy appetite I am def going to have enough leftovers for afternoon snack. Fast reliable service. Pro tip: go before 12 to avoid the line.

Generous portion for lunch and I’m talking about half size order, simple selection, tasty food for food court and for lunch time grub, reasonable prices, friendly and helpful counter staff. Go here and avoid India Abroad.

Rice n spice– my go to when I want a fast, filling, and cheap lunch that’s not drowning in grease.
Favourite meat is probably the chicken mushroom which they only have one day per week. Be careful if you’re spice averse because some of the meats can be super spicy (I’m looking at you, beef vindaloo). The veggies are good too, particularly eggplant, lentil, and cabbage.
They also have a punch card which is always a plus for me, being a cheap ass and a sucker for customer loyalty programs.

I find their food a little too greasy, however, it is flavorful enough and the price is right. There’s always a long line up, however, if you need something bulk and don’t care about the calories… this is the place. Very efficient.

This place is horrible and a disgrace to Indians everywhere. I ordered the chicken curry and butter chicken, The curry’s were tasteless, oily, greasy and the meat was old and smelly. Being of South Asian Descent I am well aware of how Properly made curries are supposed to taste… and this was just horrible… I am guessing they sell to Caucasians or Other Ethnicities who do not know or are just unaware as to how proper indian food should be cooked and think this is good food? I had to throw away my food after a couple bites it was GROSS.

I was really looking forward to trying this out — as it’s close to work and the reviews are fabulous! Indian is my favourite food group ;) so trying it was a no-​brainer.
The portions are large — and that’s good.
The food is terrible. I don’t understand what the excitement is here. I’ve always looked to Unilocal for an indication of something to try or not try… but I have to say if this is 4 ½ stars then maybe Unilocal isn’t as useful as I thought.
I’d say this is the equivalent of a McDonalds of Indian Food… but I’d rather eat at McDonalds — and I haven’t eaten there in 12 years.
The butter chicken has the highest reviews here — and I didn’t have that — so maybe it is indeed fabulous — but I’ll never know. The chicken curry, chana masala and mixed veggie all taste the same and nothing like Indian food… more like North American tomato sauce with indian spices.
If you actually like and want Indian food and you’re going for food court indian — stick to curry express. Don’t waste your time or money on this one.

I’ve eaten here a few times and it’s one of the better Indian food court places out there.
Parking is available if you want to give up an arm and a leg.
The entrees come in a half-​order (about $ 6) or full-​order (about $ 8). You also get your choice of 2 vegetables, and a nice thin (almost too thin) crispy deep fried naan bread.
There is a special dish available for each day of the week. For Monday it was Beef Vindaloo.
WIth each order you also get your choice of vegetables. I had the chickpeas and they were pretty well done.
One last amusing note — the knives here are curved in a very peculiar way, like a bent oh, never mind. Finger, yes.

Hmmm… I don’t get the hype. This isn’t the Indian food I’m used to.
Very unusual Butter Chicken because it wasn’t creamy, buttery, and tomato-​ey. In fact, the sauce was not the slightest red. Very spice-​ful. I tasted this cool slightly tingly spice/​herb in there that I’ve never tasted in butter chicken. Not totally feeling it unfortunately. My redneck palate wants the North Americanized version please! However, the vegetable sides are great (you’re allowed to pick two). Ask them what everything is before you order because nothing is labelled.
Go for the half size; it’ll be more than enough for lunch.

After you have a butter drenched meal the night before, what do you eat the next day? Butter chicken!
The portions are huge and the food is one of the best Indian food court meal I’ve had. I ordered the 1 meat and 2 veggies with rice plate and it was around $ 8.95 including tax. Their butter chicken is pretty damn good, but oddly enough, I am in love with their cabbage. It’s slightly pickled tasting and soft. I managed to eat ¾ of my plate and will be polishing off the rest later today.

I couldn’t possibly agree with Herman any more. While I did get a S&#! ton of food, it was way over spiced. Not hot/​spicy, just over spiced… and with dried herbs which gave it a dank flavour. I tried their Red Curry on a Friday and couldn’t find the pure flavour of red curry anywhere on my two pound plate.
Their potatoes were pretty darn tasty though. Maybe I should try something else?

Sorry Unilocalers, I will have to rain on the parade with this place. I will admit, the line ups are long during lunch hour, and I tried it.
I did not like the food at all.
To me, this place was the equivalent of food court Chinese food, maybe even worse.
The curries were so watered down and flavorless compared to the Indian places along Fraser and Main Street. I don’t eat (shopping mall) food court Chinese food, so I won’t be making the same mistake with food court Indian food… twice.

Best Food Court food in Vancouver bar none. Their Chicken Shwarma plate is a fave, but my absolute obsession here is the Spinach Chicken with my two veg choices where i double up on the Lentils. I HEART the lentils here! OMG FABULOUS!!! They should sell this stuff in buckets so I can stock up for the impending Apocalypse.
Don’t let the massive line-​up scare your pants off, grab the bull by the horns and suck it up — it’s so worth the quick and short wait (they move fast). I love this place so much, that I find myself actually recruiting other people to join me in the line up to eat their food!
Generous portions, fast and friendly service, great tasting food — what’s not to love? Just go and eat some already if you’re in the area. Everything is just yummy yummy good!

I love this place, but I don’t like old men telling me that the food may be too hot for me! I’m not your typical white girl, I like it hot!
I love their lentils and potatoes. no rice and some red hot curry chicken, yummy!

Excellent curry dishes. The right food at lunch time. I love the staff too always making you feel welcome. Recommend it 100%.
By the way, it’s not really Indian. It’s a combination of wonderful spices from everywhere :)

Rice & Spice is one of the many fast food outlets that make the Royal Center the pretty much undisputed champion of downtown Vancouver food courts.
The line up is long, but it moves fast.
My only complaint would be that for the price they could include a pop which would make it more in line with other food court places. However, given that the line up already stretches far beyond the restaurant, what incentive do they have?
They take cash and debit card, however, there is a 50 cent charge for the debit card.

If this place weren’t already so popular (see photo), I would want to keep it a secret for myself. Since this isn’t the case, I wanted to share the news of a cheap, filling, and delicious Indian food place downtown.
Despite the long line up, you move through very quick! (10 minutes max). And the wait time is worth it.
Just $ 5 for a filling dish of rice, three different vegetables (try the spicy potatoes, lentils, and chickpeas), as well as a side of papad. Unless you’re really hungry, be sure to just order the half size.
When you enter the lower level off Dunsmuir head left at your first turn and go left to the end.