The culinary direction of the Mission is shifting east, what with the arrival of Ken Ken Ramen, Wo Hing General Store, and now Rice Broker.

A few weeks back, Neil Jorgensen shuttered his five-year-old Valencia Street restaurant, Spork, because the landlord plans to demolish the building. But while he waits for the wrecking ball, Jorgensen opened Rice Broker.

The compact menu is now focused on rice bowls. They have an appealing, home-cooked quality; you get the sense that Jorgensen, who is doing all the cooking, would make any of them for friends on a night off.

A small group could try all of the bowls: gingery pork meatballs on soupy congee ($10.75); cubed raw tuna with watercress and chopped peanuts ($14.75); panko-crusted chicken breast accompanied by shaved Brussels sprouts and pickled cabbage ($11.50); and a spare vegan bowl anchored by a block of silken tofu ($9.50).

Jorgensen's not sure how long he'll be able to continue the Rice Broker experiment, so the time to try them is now. Eat them with chopsticks or, in a nod to what came before, with sporks.

Rice Broker, 1058 Valencia St. (at 22nd St.); 415-643-5000 or ricebroker-sf.com