Eat This Immediately: The Shrimp Rice Bowl at FIELDTRIP

Joseph “JJ” Johnson is a chef who commands respect. A few of his achievements include restaurants like The Cecil and Henry at the Life Hotel, along with the thoughtful James Beard winning cookbook Between Harlem and Heaven.

But if you never had the chance to dine at these establishments or just want to take away one piece of valuable information, it’s this: eating rice at an establishment where JJ Johnson works will be memorable. That’s why making the journey to Malcolm X Boulevard and seeking out FIELDTRIP is a great idea. Around the corner from chains like Krispy Kreme, Popeye’s, and McDonald’s, FIELDTRIP may fall under the “fast casual” umbrella, but it is absolutely a Harlem born business and you should keep in mind supporting local businesses that can back up their culinary credit is the right thing to do.

So why the shrimp bowl? Well it’s got green curry sauce and coconut sitting atop sticky rice, and if you have the option to go sticky, I say you must choose that option every single time. Why I really sought out this dish is that there are some combinations in my opinion that are just better than all the rest. Perhaps it’s the idea that juicy shrimp over freshly milled rice stops me in my tracks even though I’m sitting on bench overlooking the insanity that is a typical NYC street scene. Whatever my personal preferences, what will be evident is that you’ll start to feel full after about a quarter of the way through. I squeezed out a lunch and a dinner out of this one bowl, which for $11.99 is a solid value. I also take big bites, so most normal people would have some leftover for a potential late night snack.

Shrimp over sticky rice slathered with green curry may seem straightforward, perhaps even simple. But as the weather here in NYC cools, it’s that simple feel of warm scoops of rice satiating cold bones that make dining wonderful. Could you try making this at home? I suppose. But if you’re given the opportunity to take a field trip, why not take it?

Eat This Immediately profiles one delicious bite at one local business. All food is paid for by Leisurely staff out of our own pocket, and all menu items were currently available at the time of publication.