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    Rice Paper Scissors

    4.3 (130 reviews)
    Open 12:00 pm - 3:00 PM, 6:00 PM - 11:00 PM

    Rice Paper Scissors Photos

    RICE PAPER SCISSORS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Hipster
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

    Recommended Reviews - Rice Paper Scissors

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    Reviews With Photos

    Crispy pork belly
    Nicole Q.

    Excellent food and good service but only after you're seated. When you're waiting for a table things can get frustrating. We came a little over an hour before closing and the restaurant was packed. After waiting for an inordinate period to be acknowledged by the hostess, we were seated at a small and crowded communal table. The ambiance was casual but I couldn't help feeling claustrophobic. The servers are all incredibly friendly. I don't fault them too much about the wait because the restaurant is popular and they have a lot to worry about. We pretend the 5 dishes for $59 option. The pork belly centric dishes were my favorite - the sticky pork belly, pork buns, and betel leaf were some of the best things to touch my tongue ever. The galloping horses and wagyu beef were not terrible but I wouldn't necessarily recommend them.

    Angel C.

    This restaurant is the perfect place for lunch! They have an amazing deal during lunch time- 35pp for 5 sharing dishes, definitely a bang for your buck! Despite its reasonable pricing, the food did not lack in its taste or quality. We often take our clients here for lunch and meetings. The place is always buzzing but it's not too loud, so it's perfect for a client meet-up or just a casual catch-up with some friends. We've never been here at night but we're confident that they can impress us with their dinner menu, since their lunch offerings are spectacular.

    Crying Tiger ($14)
    Jennifer K.

    Rice Paper Scissors, I am just glad that we came here for our first meal during my weekend in Melbourne! Arrived on a weekday around 6 pm and got seated right away! And the place was packed till we left. So always good idea to arrive early to beat the rush. Love the friendly and cozy vibe of the restaurant. We enjoyed everything we ordered. Our waiter was really helpful and gave us good recommendation. I suggest ordering the $59/5 dish for 2 people if you are here for a full dinner. We were still jetlagged and decide to go a la carte. Galloping Horses ($12) caramelised pork, prawn and peanut on sour pineapple BBQ King Prawns ($14) Crying Tiger ($14) char-grilled wagyu beef with a spicy citrus dipping sauce Duck Salad ($13) Coconut Sago ($12) Vietnamese Iced Coffee/Mango Crush Every dish has bold and bright flavour. Nothing too spicy but tasty. Make sure to save room for dessert! Highly recommended!

    Sangria
    Andrew T.

    A great little place for a lovely lunch or dinner. It's down an alley in the CBD of Melbourne and I have wanted to go here for a while but just hadn't had the opportunity. You can book for lunch as they have several sitting with a time limit of 1:30 hrs. But this is plenty of time to sit and relax and eat there amazing food. We chose the 5 dishes for $59 and picked a couple of meat dishes and salad dishes also. It's a tapas style menu and the serve although not all that big it was enough to satisfy us. Some of the stand out dishes were the lamb ribs they were slow cooked and the meat fell off the bone and melted in your mouth. The pork belly was to die for and was soft and sticky and ticked all the boxes for being great. The staff were friendly and very helpful explaining the menu and the dishes. We got there just before and just as well as there was a line up not long after we started eating. I highly recommend this place and will be back for more soon.

    Chicken.
    Dori N.

    Really good food at a tiny but cozy spot in Melbourne. Near the theater district. The 4 of us did the 5 course for $34pp. You choose any 5 dishes and they bring enough based on your party size. Thai Sangria was yummy!

    Hansel B.

    Pretty good spot for some small plates Asian/Thai fusion. It's located in CBD in one of the alleys. The wait for dinner can be pretty long as they don't take reservations. They seem to have a good selection of drinks, but I didn't partake as I just arrived from 20hrs+ of travel. Food: I recommend ordering the special of 5 plates as everything is pretty small and you will want to try a few dishes. Crying tiger - beef with spicy dipping sauce Thai Fried chicken - too much bone, not enough meat pork buns - the pork belly was a little too fatty for me, that's more my preference than anything wrong with the dish filipino bbq pork I would say the food is good, but they seem to use pretty much the same seasoning/sauces in a lot of the dishes so you don't get the sense that they have unique favor profiles. If you have not been to southeast asia, this is a good place to sample some flavors... however dont expect the authentic flavors you will find in those countries and recognize you will be paying a lot more for the same food.

    Mar L.

    Had late lunch here, was pretty hard to find when we were following the Yelp map and the signage was easy to miss. We were curious of the high ratings and referrals from friends. We got the Malaysian charred roti, Chinese Chive cakes and the Thai Ceviche. My faves were the rotinand the ceviche. Nice hip place and friendly staff.

    Drink menu.
    Eric E.

    I was a little annoyed after walking all the way there on a Sunday evening to be told there was a 40min wait for me as a single person. In the end I was rewarded. Staff and service were great. They've got a real bartender making real cocktails. They care that you order some delicious (easy when everything is). They also care that you enjoyed it. This little gem of Melbourne is hidden away but well worth the hunt. The line says it all.

    Yuzu sorbet with popcorn and condensed milk
    Chantee F.

    I booked ahead for lunch and sure glad I did. There were a handful of people waiting outside for it to open right at noon. It's also a small place and fills up fast. You can expect to share a table and have the noise carry, so probably not the best spot for an intimate date. However, this was the perfect spot for lunch with a small group. We were able to get two share meals which were $59 for two people with five dishes. The serves were perfect and since you are not allowed any take away, we ate it all! Abundant flavours and colours graced our palettes. Spicy cucumber salad with green beans and peanuts were yum! Asian veggies were also a delight. I thoroughly enjoyed the crispy chicken which came piping hot with a mayo-ish dipping sauce. The betel leaves were presented artfully and even the lamb salad was nice and refreshing. We also opted for dessert with a yummy upside down ice cream cone with condensed milk and yuzu sorbet. Sweet and tasty! This is a fun, casual spot to grab a bite and they offer cocktails that looked tempting. I would definitely venture back as there were many other dishes vying for a spot in my belly! :)

    Philippino BBQ pork, pork belly, prawn
    Adina P.

    Rice, Paper, Scissors is a pretty good lunch spot, especially on a slower weekend in the CBD. Situated between Burke and Lt. Burke on Liverpool, it's a great central location; but with a great location comes super small accommodations and limited seating. The restaurant does offer a lunch sitting (reservation) but it may be a prix fixe menu-- I couldn't tell from the website. There are no dinner reservations, and given the small size and following, I would suspect waits over 1-1.5 hours are common (and it's just not good enough to warrant that type of wait). The menu is a host of Asian fusion small plates so popular with hipster foodies, and me someone who cannot just order 1 dish. There is good value for the money if you choose the special pick 5 items for $59 which comfortably feeds two people. The drink options are creative and most are served in a nice sized mason jar- which I appreciate for the cost. Individually the food is tasty and there is a nice variety of options with prawns, lamb, pork belly, pork neck, chicken, duck, fish, etc. In SW Asian style the meals all come with some tangy (limey) salad/ pickled veggies; but everyone looks exactly the same. There is flavor in every dish, but after 5 dishes you begin to realize it's all the same flavor. The pork belly was nice, but having just had out of this world pork belly a few days ago, I was less impressed than I should/ could have been. Finally they don't have rice. At all. No rice. And despite only having been only 1.5 hours they ran out of the one rice substitute that they had, Roti bread. All in all, I'd probably go back, but just for lunch and definitely not alone. Kervin was right.

    BBQ Lamb Ribs
    Cecilia S.

    I think this was my favorite restaurant during my month-long travel in Australia. We stayed at a hotel nearby (Ovolo Laneways, best hotel EVER!!!!!), and our lovely bartender/guest relations person (I have no idea what to call them.. not quite a server and not quite a host) suggested we check out Rice Paper Scissors on our first night in Melbourne. What a fantastic recommendation! We ordered 5 dishes for AU$59 (for two people), which is only about US$45! We ordered: - (Special of the day) Fresh crab and peanut salad - Sticky Pork Belly (probably one of the best pork belly dishes I have EVER had) - Crying Tiger - Duck Salad - BBQ Lamb Ribs (perfectly done and exquisitely delicious) There wasn't a single item we disliked. My friend and I were utterly in love with Rice Paper Scissors. To top it all off, we also had the Mum, I dropped my ice cream. I feel like I still dream about this ice cream. YUM! Note: - They do not take reservations. - Average wait time is probably about an hour, but you can wait in the bar next door, or they can call you when your table is ready. It is totally worth the wait, in my opinion. - Service was excellent. - Great ambience. Kinda rustic. Kind artistic. Totally awesome. Highly recommended!

    J M.

    This place was awesome! We had the five plates meal for $59. The crispy duck salad was phenomenal; and the cucumber som tom salad with prawns was also excellent. The mini Vietnamese baguette with soft shell crab was very good too, as well as the crying tiger, which is Wagyu beef with dipping sauce and rice. The fifth item was a special, not on the regular menu. It was a flathead fish (can't remember the name). The fish was fried whole and served ala carte. It was also very good. I highly recommend this restaurant.

    BBQ LAMB RIBS SII KRONG NUEX
    Meng L.

    First Kiss. Everybody remembers their first kiss, whether it was a joyous success or an embarrassing flop. But no matter what the experience, that first touch of your own lips with that of another human being is something that stays with you forever. My first meal after landing in Melbourne was at Rice Paper Scissors (RPS). And I will never forget it. From the very first moment that I tasted those Lamb Ribs, I knew I had just experienced something extraordinary. The Galloping Horses made my heart race, the Steamed Pork Buns had me begging for more, and the gentle caress of the soft shell crab in the Mini Banh Mi had me falling off my stool. And then the Pork Belly came. Let me tell you something about myself. I haven't cried in years. Some people have stipulated that it's because I'm emotionally retarded, others that I have somehow secretly sealed shut my tear ducts. But when I put that pork belly in my mouth... I had to stop myself. I could feel myself being overcome with a wave of emotions, the best way to describe it would be like... experiencing your first kiss... if it was with Melanie Iglesias. While Ariana Grande was whispering sweet nothings in your ear and tugging on your earlobe with her adorable mouth. That scenario is actually so beautiful I'm actually tearing up right now. So yes, if you have the chance, go to RPS. Relive that magical first kiss experience, without the embarrassment and awkwardness. I guarantee you'll walk away with your tongue satisfied beyond measure and a memory you'll never forget.

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    Page 1 of 4

    Rice Paper Scissors Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Rice Paper Scissors

    Everything from the ceviche and Crying Tiger to the specialty cocktails were amazingly flavorful, balanced and complex.

    Mentioned in 14 reviews

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    People searched for Asian Fusion 288 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

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    Rice Paper Sister - Crying Tiger Wagyu Beef

    Rice Paper Sister

    5.0(1 review)
    2.4 kmMelbourne

    Melbourne is dense with excellent restaurants, and this was no exception. We chose this place…read morebased on the reviews on a different website. This is a Filipino fusion restaurant, which is a fairly uncommon entity, and we were intrigued by the menu. The restaurant is located at the southern end of Hardware Lane, across the street from the string of restaurants line the narrow alley. It's fun to walk down Hardware Lane, as long as you don't mind being waylaid by the hosts and hostesses of each restaurant trying to convince you to come in. It kind of reminds me of Belden Place in San Francisco. We didn't make a reservation, and we were concerned that we would be turned away because the place was packed to the gills. Lucky for us, there was some open space at a shared table that we were just able to squeeze into. We weren't especially hungry during this visit, so we got a small sampling of dishes, all of which were well-made and delicious. Kingfish sashimi with passionfruit and caviar - really interesting flavors here. The sashimi itself was tasty, and I thought it looked at tasted a bit like the hamachi (yellowtail) that I love. In fact, I looked it up later and found out that this is the same fish. BBQ duck with mandarin jam and thin pancakes - pretty messy to eat, and the mandarin jam made it sweeter than expected, but again this was an interesting twist on an otherwise familiar food. Lamb rump with enoki mushrooms, kampot pepper, and a burnt eggplant mash - I guess you can't be in a restaurant in Australia without finding lamb on the menu (sheep do outnumber humans here by a 3:1 ratio). I loved the lamb and the enoki, but really disliked the flavor and texture of the eggplant concoction. Other at the table also found it unappealing and kind of out of place. Short ribs lettuce wraps - boneless pieces of meat, just slightly spicy, with large leaves of lettuce. Very delicious. On the side we got an order of coconut jasmine rice and something called "kangkung", which he hadn't heard of before. It seemed like something we call hollow-heart vegetable, but apparently it's also known as water spinach. This was also pretty good. Service was prompt, and the food came out at a reasonably leisurely pace, such that we neither felt rushed nor did we wait very long between courses. The total cost for our meal (not including drinks) was just over AUD106, which seemed quite reasonable to us.

    Photos
    Rice Paper Sister - Tempura eggplant boa bun

    Tempura eggplant boa bun

    Rice Paper Sister - Drinks menu

    Drinks menu

    Rice Paper Sister

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    Supernormal - Peanut butter parfait, salted caramel & soft chocolate

    Supernormal

    4.3(152 reviews)
    2.2 kmMelbourne
    $$$

    We were visiting Melbourne and wanted to visit a more unique kind of place. Supernormal fit the…read morebill! Here's what we noticed: - You'll definitely want a reservation as the place gets packed. For our party of two we were seated at the bar, which is a really long bar and appears to be the primary area where parties of two get seated. It was nice, fun to be able to watch the action behind the bar. - They had a great cocktail menu and so we ordered some unique drinks. Both were really good. - The menu is pretty broad with small plates to share and larger entrées too. We end up starting with the Korean Rice Cakes, which was probably a highlight of the meal. It was also a pretty generous size. Then they brought out the Lobster Roll, which was good, but probably a poor ordering choice for us since it really wasn't that unique...although it was very yummy. And finally, we had the Duck Bao, and it was excellent. There were so many other things we would've liked to order from the menu, but this was a lot of food for just two of us, although we saw other parties of two order so much more. But, we wanted to save room for the peanut butter parfait. It was worth the weight/wait! - Service was good. At first, it seemed like they were rushing to move us along, but then as more people came into the restaurant, it calmed down a bit. - The place has a great vibe, but it's a little bit loud as you would expect with a place like this. Bottom line: This was one of the best meals we've had so far during our trip to Australia.

    Supernormal is an Asian fusion restaurant owned by famous Australian restauranteur Andrew…read moreMcConnell. The place is widely popular so I suggest making reservations if you want to give it a try. Overall, I thought the food was solid with a nice modern atmosphere, and efficient service. You start off with complimentary roasted pumpkins seeds which were a nice touch. They are highly addictive as I couldn't stop eating them! They offer a number of small plates for you to try various dishes so we ordered the shrimp cakes and selection of seafood on ice. We were here for lunch so didn't want to eat too much. The sesame crust on the shrimp cakes made for a nice crunch. The seafood on ice included a sampling of octopus, tuna sashimi, Australian abalone, etc. The seafoods were all OK. Nothing really stood out. For entree, we shared the slow cooked lamb shoulder. It's braised and cooked in what they called Yu Xiang Sauce. I have not had this type of preparation before so it was an interesting flavor. The lamb shoulder was a large portion and the meat was tender. The sauce is slightly spicy and is similar to Sichuan spices. It's really savory and probably best eaten with rice. Portion is large enough to be shared.

    Photos
    Supernormal - Seasoning station

    Seasoning station

    Supernormal - Lamb + eggplant

    Lamb + eggplant

    Supernormal

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    Rice Paper Scissors - asianfusion - Updated May 2026

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