Me and Rice Jones. We got a thing going on. Seldom do I patronize a restaurant two days in a row. But after my initial rendezvous with this new Vietnamese interest, I knew that tomorrow we’d meet at the same place, but not necessarily the same time.

The reason I went for dinner one day, then lunch the next had everything to do with the menu’s split theme. The “rice” in this restaurant’s odd and catchy name represents the Northern Vietnamese recipes that owner Anh Long learned from her parents. And the “Jones” resonates to a smattering of all-American dishes (a Turkey Burger and basic Grilled Fish Sandwich) that I intended to try the second time around. But out of pure love for the snappy-tasting rice entrées, I decided to pass up the Jonesy stuff.

Visiting twice with two different companions allowed me to oink my way through almost the entire appetizer list. My two favorites: the Crispy Rolls filled with seasoned ground turkey and served with big leaves of lettuce for wrapping, plus Grilled Chicken Skewers flavored with lemongrass and sesame seeds. More unique are the Sweet Sausages, also grilled to perfection and served on sticks. The links are made of lean pork and pointed up with an agreeable hint of garlic.

Rice and meat dishes obviously take center stage in this quaint and airy structure, which was formerly home to the overly pretentious Savor. A trendier motif, with walls painted in muted peach and butternut yellow, match perfectly to the cheery, wholesome essence of the food. And compared to Long’s original joint on Mission Gorge Road, the Hillcrest location offers full service and a lot more seating, including a roomy outdoor patio.

Being a sucker for all things hot, I luxuriated in a tantalizing tongue burn over the Lemongrass Chicken made with breast meat, green onion and thin slices of potent Asian peppers. The Spicy Chicken is much safer as it relies on garlic and only a touch of red chili sauce to deliver its milder punch.

For good reason, the Rice Jones Curry is the most popular selling dish here. You get a choice of tofu, chicken or shrimp bathed in a deep-red curry sauce, along with a side of par-steamed veggies. Though not too spicy, it’s incredibly delicious and closely resembles a meal you’d find in an Indian restaurant.

All entrées include a generous heaping of rice — steamed or Rice Jones style, which means that it’s doctored up with herbs and mushrooms. Dinnertime features an additional amenity — soup of the day or a sprightly Asian salad dressed conservatively with a minty Vietnamese-style vinaigrette. The salad is similar to naked coleslaw, a very fresh medley of cabbage, carrots, red peppers and onions that seems straight out of a health nut’s recipe file.

Other entrées that fly out of the semi-open kitchen include Garlicky Broccoli, Rice Jones Steak, Mushroom Chicken and something called Shrimp Wrap on a Cane — a shrimp patty wrapped around a sugarcane stick.

Plenty of beer, wine and sake complete the beverage list, which also includes a refreshing, light ale imported from China, called Tsing Tao. And even if you’re not a fan of flan, you’ll likely make an exception for Rice Jones’ version. It’s infused with toasted coconut and sports a caramelized top layer for added flavor.

Long’s Fifth Avenue location has everything it needs for “keeping up with the Joneses” in this part of town — fresh food, stylish décor, casual service and a hip-sounding name that titillates the brain.