Well.. my prior "bean with rice" experience is something called "dirty rice" in east Texas and that state next door. Its a Cajun dish that mixes various spices, beans, and mystery meat bits with rice.
Popeye's Fried Chicken chains serve a faint echo of it (usually too dry and underspiced).
Some Mexican ("texmex") diners serve a refried bean/rice mixture (usually long grain nonsticky rice with chili powder+ seasoning).... now I'm really off-topic. But there are food parallels across the globe --
