Rice @ Rasa Space: A rice-focused CBD makan spot with laksa pao fan and more, opened by The Meatmen

Here’s somewhere new you can go for all things rice in the CBD: It’s a restaurant that’s actually named Rice, and it’s found in Republic Plaza.

This new F&B concept shares the space with Rasa Space, a cult-favourite event and party spot, with Rice running the food program, while Rasa Space continues to stir up the drinks!

The most interesting thing about Rice @ Rasa Space, however, is that it’s actually a concept by The Meatmen Group.

If that doesn’t ring a bell, the group is known and loved for its work on The Meatmen Channel, which puts out recipe videos, focused on local creature comforts and its own riffs inspired by regional flavours.

Although this is the group’s first full-service concept, this isn’t its first rodeo with dishing up food in-person, away from the screens: The Meatmen Group actually had its own booth at GastroBeats 2025, serving up items such as its popular sio bak and mi goreng beef rendang rice paper roll, which garnered rave reviews.

So, how does this concept differ? Well, as the name suggests, Rice @ Rasa Space focuses on… rice.

Rice is, after all, the most familiar grain to most Asians.

However, this new F&B concept by The Meatmen also taps on the group’s talents and nous, putting a stylish modern spin on rice dishes.

Rice @ Rasa Space’s menu

True to its name, Rice @ Rasa Space sneaks rice into all corners of its menu — you can find it in its small bites, mains, and even desserts.

It’s not always the star, but it always pulls its weight in a dish, for example, in our favourite beef rendang crunch (S$9 for three pieces).

While the juicy and lemak slow-cooked beef rendang is what hits you first, it’s the chemistry with the airy and slightly toasty Thai rice cakes that makes this ensemble oh-so-satisfying.

Going even further with its obsession, Rice @ Rasa Space also makes fries, with — you guess it — rice.

The Ducking Good Lontong fries (S$10) features deep-fried rice cakes, which is where the “lontong” in its name comes from, instead of potato strips, but you don’t lose out on the crunch or the fluffy interior.

These deep-fried rice cakes also come topped with chilli duck ragu on top for a bit of oomph.

As for the mains, you get plenty of rice dishes, ranging from fried rice to pao fan.

In particular, we thought the dashi laksa seafood pao fan (S$22) was a pretty solid, comforting take on the soupy dish. 

This creation by Rice @ Rasa Space loads up on flavour with lightly umami and spice-tinged laksa broth, and has some nicely cooked seafood to complement the broth and rice!

If you want something more familiar, the sweet and sour pork rice bowl (S$18) will probably do the job, too.

It uses fried pork collar, which is glazed with a tangy sweet and sour sauce, giving it a bit of a fattier, richer bite.

But we have to confess that, while Rice @ Rasa Space does a shiok gu lou yok (as it is also known in Cantonese), most people would probably baulk at the price tag, given that you’d easily find a version at economic rice stalls in the area at one-third of the price.

However, while it is rice-focused, not all the mains at Rice @ Rasa Space contain just rice, there are also a bunch of noodle dishes, including braised beef brisket with Thai rice noodles (S$18)

Our favourite noodle dish — and also our favourite main overall (though it wasn’t a rice dish) — was the crispy duck leg scallion noodles (S$22).

The springy noodles are loaded with flavour, with a whisper of sweet fragrance.

We also loved the accompanying robust chye poh chilli, and how each piece of the tender duck meat came with a crispy sliver of skin!

But what impressed us the most was the roasted rice mousse with pandan ($13).

Not many would look forward to rice desserts in particular, but this creamy dessert was sublime — the toasted rice comes through cleanly, and is beautifully accentuated by aromatic pandan.

Ultimately, Rice @ Rasa Space is a concept that’s a little rough around the edges, which is to be expected for an initial foray into physical F&B, but one that has plenty of potential. 

Through watching its content over the years, we know that The Meatmen Group knows their food, and if anyone can come up with better, and more interesting dishes, it will be them.

Here’s hoping we’ll get its popular sio bak rice on the menu soon, too!

This was a hosted tasting.

For more ideas on what to eat, read our stories on a hidden gem with old-school Japan izakaya vibes and the new retro-themed Food Republic at Mandai!